LittleNewYear,whichfallsaboutaweekbeforethelunarNewYear,isalsoknownastheFestivaloftheKitchenGod,thedeitywhooverseesthemoralcharacterofeachhousehold.InoneofthemostdistinctivetraditionsofSpringFestival,apaperimageoftheKitchenGodisburntonLittleNewYear,dispatchingthegod'sspirittoHeaventoreportonthefamily'sconductoverthepastyear. 　　TheKitchenGodisthenwelcomedbackbypastinganewpaperimageofhimbesidethestove.Fromthisvantagepoint,theKitchenGodwilloverseeandprotectthehouseholdforanotheryear.ThecloseassociationoftheKitchenGodwiththeLunarNewYearhasresultedinKitchenGodFestivalbeingcalledLittleNewYear.AlthoughveryfewfamiliesstillmakeofferingstotheKitchenGodonthisday,manytraditionalholidayactivitiesarestillverypopular. 　　StudiesofpopularChinesereligionindicatethattheKitchenGoddidnotappearuntilaftertheinventionofthebrickcookingstove.Thecookingstovewasafairlylatedevelopmentinthehistoryofhumancivilization.AncientwritingsindicatethattheFireGod,theearliestformoftheKitchenGod,wasworshippedlongbeforethestovewasinvented. 　　ZhuRong,China'sancientFireGodwasapopularfolkdeityandhadmanytemplesbuiltinhishonor.Stonelinedfirepits,anearlyformofthebrickstove,arestillcommonlyusedamongChina'sethnicminorities.PeopleintheseregionsmakeofferingstotheFirepitGod.TheFirepitGodappearedbetweentheKitchenGodandtheFireGodinthehistoryofChinesefolkdeities.TheKitchenGodappearedsoonaftertheinventionofthebrickstove.TheKitchenGodwasoriginallybelievedtoresideinthestove,andonlylatertookonhumanform. 　　LegendhasitthatduringtheLaterHanDynasty,apoorfarmernamedYinZifangwasmakingbreakfastonedayshortlybeforetheLunarNewYear,whentheKitchenGodappearedtohim.AlthoughallYinZifanghadwasoneyellowsheep,hesacrificedittotheKitchenGod.YinZifangsoonbecamerich.Toshowhisgratitude,YinZifangstartedsacrificingayellowgoattotheKitchenGodeverywinteronthedayofthedivinevisitation,ratherthanduringthesummerashadbeencustomary.ThisistheoriginoftheKitchenGodFestival,orLittleNewYear. 　　TherearenumerouscustomsassociatedwithhonoringtheKitchenGodanddeterminingthedateoftheKitchenGodFestival,orLittleNewYear.Thedateofthisholidaywassometimesassignedaccordingtolocation,withpeopleinnorthernChinacelebratingitonthetwenty-thirddayofthetwelfthlunarmonth,andpeopleinsouthernChinacelebratingitonthetwenty-fourth.ThedateofLittleNewYearwasalsotraditionallydeterminedaccordingtoprofession.Traditionally,feudalofficialsmadetheirofferingstotheKitchenGodonthetwenty-third,thecommonpeopleonthetwenty-fourth,andcoastalfishingpeopleonthetwenty-fifth.Thepersonofficiatingatthesacrificialriteswasgenerallythemaleheadofthehousehold. 　　TheeveningbeforeLittleNewYear,theimageoftheKitchenGodthathasbeenoverseeingthehouseholdforthepastyearistakendownfromitspositionbythestove.Whiletheimageisdriedinpreparationforburning,offeringsandfirewoodareprepared.Thefirewoodmayincludebundlesofpine,cypress,holly,andpomegranatetwigs.AnewimageoftheKitchenGodispurchased,andfiguresofhorsesanddogsareplaitedoutofsorghumstalks.Theofferingsincludepig'sh