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Jowangshin: God of Fire & Kitchen

Updated: Apr 21, 2023

The origin of Jowangshin is the fire of the home. But their realm also extends to the area that uses fire and water harmoniously. It is good etiquette to brig a set of matches when you move to a new house. One can enshrine the house god with an onggi of water placed on/above the stove or utilizing sacred mulberry paper put up on the wall in the kitchen.


There are three ways Jowangshin appears: as God of the Kitchen/Fire (Jowangshin), as Goddess of the Kitchen/Fire (Jowanggakkshi), or as both as a married couple (Jowangshin).


Depending on region and lineage, Jowangshin may be a very important location to hold part of a ritual, and in others, they are given honorary offerings. of all the house gods, Jowangshin and Ch'eukshin hate each other and do not get along. It comes from the aspect of hygiene - you don't want to go to the bathroom then straight to the kitchen and vice versa, but so long as you wash your hands well, this shouldn't pose issues. Cleaning your hands is a way to cleanse yourself.


Jowangshin is the emissary of heaven and will ascend to report the wrongdoings of the home's inhabitants to Hwanin, God of Heaven.


If you'd like to begin worshipping Jowangshin, you'll want to ensure your kitchen is clean. Jowangshin is meticulous and desires their area to be very clean. Once you do that, you can set a new onggi that is only for them, and place fresh water in it. The onggi should be above, on, or right next to the stove. Change the water out every day. Pray and ask Jowangshin to be enshrined in the onggi. You can have a mudang verify for you - but it's usually a given that Jowangshin is enshrined there after 7 days of this ritualistic action.

*A traditional way is to have the mudang do a proper ceremony to enshrine your house gods.


Traditional Korean kitchen, Flikr.


Epithets (these signifiers can be replaced with She/They as needed, depending on the Jowangshin you have in your home):

  • Lord of Fire

  • The Great Flame

  • He Who Brings Embers

  • He Who is of the Flames

  • The Powerful Emissary of the Hearth

  • One Who Brings Harmony of Two

  • One Who Harmonizes Water & Fire

  • He Who Ushers a Good Heart

  • He Who Brings Warmth

  • He Who Brings Coolness

  • He Who Helps Create


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