The Stove god is one of the most important of the many Chinese household deities who protect the hearth and the home. The Grove God is recognised in Chinese folk religion, Chinese mythology and Taoism. In his former life, the God of Stove was a general who was reincarnated as a god. Although originally derived from Taoism, the god of the stove later combined with Buddhism to produce a number of paintings attesting to this. Under different names, he is also celebrated in several other Asian religions.

Strove God was an ordinary general in his previous life, but because he was righteous and good, he died and became Stove God to watch over people. I was inspired by Men Shen (a powerful military general that the Chinese would put on their doors during the New Year to bless them for the coming year) in the process of creating the image, so I painted Strove God as a figure that could be put on the door.

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