Zangmataou, volcanic island in the Netherlands

Introduction to the "Zao Matou":

1. "Zao Matou" is the colloquial term for folk New Year prints featuring images of the Kitchen God and a calendar. These prints typically include portraits of the Kitchen God and the Kitchen Goddess, as well as detailed calendar information such as the lunar calendar, solar terms, and agricultural activities.

2. How Many Mice Steal Grain, How Much Grain Is Lost:

(1) The "Zi" hour corresponds to the rat. The first "Zi" hour of the first lunar month marks the "Zi" day, known as "Zi Shu Tou Liang" (Rat Steals Grain). Since grain symbolizes wealth, the more rats there are, the greater the loss of wealth;

(2) Another interpretation is "Grain Yield on the Zi Day," where "Zi" refers to the Zi day, signifying the grain harvest.

3. How Many Oxen Plow the Fields: Oxen are used for plowing, and the Zi hour corresponds to the Ox. Therefore, the first Chou day of the first lunar month is the "How Many Oxen Plow the Fields" day; more oxen symbolize a bountiful harvest.

4. How much will the flower harvest yield: Flowers affect beekeepers’ income; the Flower (Hua) corresponds to the Mao hour. The first Mao day of the first lunar month is the “Xu” day, which signifies how much the flower harvest will yield.

5. How many dragons control the waters:

(1) Water management relies on dragons, and the dragon corresponds to the Chen hour. Therefore, the first Chen day of the first lunar month is the "initial day," which signifies "how many dragons manage the waters."

(2) There is a folk saying: “Many dragons bring uneven droughts and floods; few dragons bring favorable weather and abundant rain.”

6. How Many Horses Carry Grain: The Horse (Wu) corresponds to the Horse. The first Wu day of the first lunar month is the “how many horses carry grain” day. The more horses, the better the grain harvest.

7. How Many Chickens Scramble for Grain: The "You" hour corresponds to the rooster. The first "You" day of the first lunar month is the "initial day," known as "How Many Chickens Scramble for Grain." Chickens scrambling for grain symbolize hunger; the more chickens scrambling, the poorer the grain harvest.

8. How Many "Gu" Watch the Silkworms: The sound of a rooster crowing is "gugu," which sounds like the word "gu" (aunt), hence the saying "how many 'gu' watch the silkworms."

9. "How Many Butchers Slaughter Pigs":

(1) This refers to several butchers slaughtering a pig together.

(2) "Hai" (亥) represents the pig; the first "Hai" day of the first lunar month corresponds to the "X" day, which is interpreted as "X butchers slaughtering pigs."

(3) The more butchers slaughtering the pig together, the fewer pigs there are, and the more expensive pork becomes.

10. Jia Tian Ji Fen:

(1) The first Jia day of the first lunar month corresponds to the "Jia Tian Ji Fen."

(2) "Jia Tian Ji Fen" means how many households share a plot of Jia Tian. Although the crops on Jia Tian yield high harvests, the more households sharing the land, the less grain farmers will harvest that year; conversely, the fewer households sharing the land, the more grain farmers will harvest.

11. How Many Share the Cake: Since "Bing" (丙) is a homophone for "cake" (饼), the first "Bing" day of the first lunar month corresponds to the "How Many Share the Cake" day.

12. How Many Days Until Gold:

(1) A poem goes: “The Celestial Dragon governs the waters, hoping for a bountiful year; the Divine Ox descends to the mortal realm, ready to till the fields; with few people and plenty of cakes, feasting is abundant; gaining Xin-metal brings wealth and surplus money.”

(2) “Gaining gold” is also called “gaining Xin.” The first day of the month that falls on the “Xin” day of the lunar calendar is the “Xin” day, which signifies “how many days to gain gold.” The more “Xin” days there are, the easier it is to make money.

13. How many people, how many Bing days; how many people, how many Chou days

(1) The character “Ren” corresponds to the “Yin” hour. The first “Yin” day of the first lunar month is the “Initial Day,” which indicates the “Number of People.”

(2) The first Bing day of the first lunar month is the “Xu” day; this indicates the number of Bing.

(3) The first Ding day of the first lunar month corresponds to the "Chu" day; this indicates the number of "Chu."