Colorful Door Gods adorn a temple door in Taichung, Taiwan.

This is about a Chinese custom. See also Janus the Roman god of doors. Download high resolution version (400x647, 95 KB)Door gods at a temple in a Taichung, Taiwan neighborhood behind the cenral train station. ... Download high resolution version (400x647, 95 KB)Door gods at a temple in a Taichung, Taiwan neighborhood behind the cenral train station. ... Abbreviation: Central City (中市) City nickname: The cultural city Capital District West Dist. ... In Roman mythology, Janus was the god of gates, doors, doorways, beginnings, and endings. ...

A door god is a Chinese decoration placed on each side of an entry to a temple, home, business, etc., believed to keep evil spirits from entering.

"The custom dates back to the Tang Dynasty, whose founder Emperor Tang Taizong (599 - May 26, 649) honoured two of his most loyal generals - Qin Qiong and Weichi Jingde - by having their painted portraits hung on his front door. Ordinary families soon adopted the imperial custom, putting woodblock prints of the ever-vigilant generals on their front gates in the hope of attracting good luck and fending off evil spirits. The Door God business soon spread throughout China, adding other folklore heroes and mythological figures to the repertoire." The Tang Dynasty (唐朝 pinyin: tángcháo; 618–907) followed the Sui Dynasty and preceded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period in China. ... Emperor Taizong of Tang China (January 23, 599–July 10, 649), born Li Shimin, was the second emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China from 626 to 649. ...

The door gods usually come in pairs, facing each other; it is considered bad luck to place the figures back-to-back. There are several different forms of door gods, the most frequently used are:

Qin Qiong and Weichi Jingde - Qin Qiong (also known as Qin Shubao) has pale skin, usually carries swords; Weichi Jingde (also known as Weichi Gong) has dark skin and usually carries batons.

Shentou and Yulei - carry battle axe and mace respectively.

The practice of placing door god figures is fading as late, after a brief revival in the 1980s.

External Links

• Door Gods and Goddesses from Tainan, Taiwan Tourism Bureau

Tainan is the name of a city and a county in southwestern Taiwan. ...

References

• Tang, Rose. "Twilight of the Door Gods" The Standard. Hong Kong. Visited 12/29/2004

Civil Door god, from Myths and Legends of China, 1922 by E. T. C. Werner

Military Door god, from Myths and Legends of China, 1922 by E. T. C. Werner