Jowangsin (조왕신)

DeityKorea · East AsiaMythFear 2/10

Description

The household deity of the kitchen who protects the hearth and fire. Guards the peace and safety of the home. Said to ascend to heaven at the end of each year to report the family's deeds to the Jade Emperor.

Origin & Background

Jowangsin is considered a being that has been worshipped by Koreans since the primitive Three Kingdoms period. For example, in the Chinese historical text 'Records of the Three Kingdoms' (Sanguozhi), there is a record about the god of the kitchen. It is said that 'the people of the Samhan confederation perform various rituals, but all worship the god of the kitchen from the western wing.'

The Legend

Jowangsin is known as the goddess of fire and the stove in Korean shamanism. The rituals dedicated to Jowangsin have primarily been passed down by housewives. Jowangsin is regarded as a being that embodies the water bowl placed on a clay altar above the stove. Every morning, the housewife would wake up early, pour fresh water from a nearby well into the bowl, kneel in front of it, and wish for good fortune. Jowangsin had particularly well-developed rituals in the southern regions of Korea. Additionally, during each festival, Jowangsin was honored with rice cakes and fruits.

Variants

Jowangsin is also known by several other names. These include Josin (조신, 竈神), Jowang-gaksi (the queen goddess of the kitchen, 조왕각시, 竈王角시), Jowangdaesin (the great goddess of the kitchen, 조왕대신, 竈王大神), and Buttumakshin (the goddess of the stove, 부뚜막신, 부뚜막神).

This article is based on the Wikipedia article "Jowangsin" (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Wikipedia