As the flames spread, Trong Cao accepted his fate to be burnt to death to protect Thi Nhi’s virtue.
Thi Nhi was distraught because her love for Trong Cao had caused his death. She could neither save him from the fire nor tell her husband. She had no choice but to throw herself into the flames.
Pham Lang could not understand why his wife killed herself. Filled with sorrow, he jumped into the burning fire and died with his loving wife.
For their devotion, the three became eternalized as the Kitchen Gods by the Jade Emperor, so that they could live together forever.
Pham Lang became the God of the Kitchen, looking after the cooking job.
Trong Cao became the God of Soil, taking care of family affairs.
Thi Nhi became slowly forgotten about.
With no one to worship her, she became free.
She noticed things they ignored and became the creator of her own reality.
In Vietnamese popular mythology, every family is said to have three kitchen gods that reside in their house. Altars are typically placed by the stove so the gods can always watch over to ensure family members treat each other well and all matters of the home are in order.
The Kitchen God Series explores the imaginative landscape of myth, by looking at how young Vietnamese people create homes of their own in New York City. By unpacking cultural rituals as performance, this next generation finds ways to make traditions part of their own lives.