Sweetening the heavenly report

Honouring tradition: Teh (right) and her mother Ooi Ah Eng, 75, praying and making offerings during the sending-off of the Kitchen God at their home in Ayer Itam, Penang. — LIM BENG TATT/The Star

GEORGE TOWN: Sweet, sticky glutinous rice cakes (nian gao) are must-haves as offerings to Zhao Jun (Kitchen God) as it is believed that only then will he report good things about a household to the Jade Emperor.

For many in the Chinese community, they believe that the deity has a “direct line” to the ruler of heaven.