Military Door God (Pair with 1989/2.150)

Accession Number
1989/2.149

Title
Military Door God (Pair with 1989/2.150)

Artist(s)
Chinese

Artist Nationality
Chinese (culture or style)

Object Creation Date
20th century

Medium & Support
woodblock print on paper

Dimensions
20 5/16 in x 11 9/16 in (51.6 cm x 29.4 cm);21 1/4 in x 12 3/4 in (54 cm x 32.3 cm);20 5/16 in x 11 9/16 in (51.6 cm x 29.4 cm)

Credit Line
Gift of Willard A. and Marybelle B. Hanna

Subject matter
This is one of the Chinese military door gods, most likely to be Qin Qing, who is paired with Yuchi Gong. The Chinese door gods are worshipped as spiritual guardians of the entrance. They are known for their trustworthiness, strength, and loyalty, and are suposed to keep evil spirits from entering. Door gods normally face each other in pairs because it is considered bad luck to place them back-to-back. The "double happiness" character in the background symbolizes good luck, especially for a marriage.

Physical Description
A figure with a pale face and pink cheeks is dressed in colorful and elaborate armor and headdress. He is holding a spear and faces left. The back ground is green filled with white clouds and flowers. 

Primary Object Classification
Print

Primary Object Type
color print

Collection Area
Asian

Rights
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Keywords
entrances
gods (deities)
guardian deities
protection (sociological concept)
spirits (beings)

& Author Notes

Web Use Permitted