Door gods Yuchi Gong and Qin Qiong
Door gods are one of the most ubiquitous of auspicious themes seen in popular prints created for the redecoration of houses as part of traditional New Year festivities. Prints of door gods come in pairs, to be pasted on the two doors of the main entrance of a traditional Chinese home. Such a public positioning is meant to keep out evil and atrract prosperity. The figures face each other in order to better observe everything that passes through the door.
The two most frequently seen door gods represent the generals Qin Qiong and Yuchi Gong, who are celebrated for having saved a Tang dynasty (618-906) emperor from the threat of demons. Each can be identified by his weapon: Yuchi Gong (left) holds a steel whip and Qin Qiong (right) grasps a sword. Both wear banners with saw-tooth edges on their backs, a device derived from opera costumes that enhances the figuresf impression of power and valor. The name of the print shop, Ten Thousand Beauty and Harmony, appears beside the figures.
