Introduction: Most people put on the door god on the first day of the new year, but few people get to the bottom of the culture behind it. In fact, from ancient times to modern times, the history and culture contained in the door god is far richer than you think.
As an important part of the New Year's celebrations, the door god is closely linked to the rich history and culture of Chinese folk. So, where did the true door god originate? What did the earliest form look like?
How has it evolved in later generations? Let's take a closer look at this ancient culture.
2. The earliest door gods: Tracing back to history, we find that human worship of door gods can be traced back a long time. According to the Book of Rites, ancient monarchs would worship the door god at the beginning of each year to express their desire for family security.
However, at that time, the concept of a door god was still very vague and there was no specific image. In later literature, we finally found the earliest door gods - Shen Tu and Yu Lei.
It is said that on the far eastern coast, there is a large mountain called "Mt. Doshuo", and the peach forest on the mountain is lush and green. Among them, there is a place where peach trees are thick, and the passage connecting the human world and the underworld is called the "Ghost Gate".
Through this gate, all ghosts can freely enter and exit the world, bringing endless chaos and disaster to the world.
In order to protect the world, the Yellow Emperor sent the brothers Shen Tu and Yu Lei to guard the ghost gate and imprison the evil ghosts in the underworld forever. They were brave and fearless, and they were the first to become gods who guarded their homes and people.
In order to commemorate their exploits, the people painted their images on the peach board, hung it on the portal, and used their divine power to drive away evil spirits, which is the earliest "door god board" in China.
It can be seen that Shen Tu and Yu Lei are the original images of China's door gods, and are respected by the people as the best gods to protect peace. They pioneered the belief in door gods and had a profound impact on later generations.
2. The evolution of the door god: During the Han Dynasty, the belief in the door god experienced a new development, which was mainly manifested in the transformation of the image of the door god from the god to the role of a warrior in reality.
During this period, the belief in the door gods was still dominated by gods and Yu Lei, and they were depicted as realistic portraits in many Han Dynasty ruins, which shows that their status among the people is unshakable.
At the same time, another Han Dynasty warrior named "Chengqing" was also included in the ranks of the door gods. Cheng Qing has a strong figure, a mighty appearance, a strong temperament, and a strong martial arts, and often stands out for the weak people, fighting unevenly, which is consistent with the identity of Shen Tu and Yu Lei, and together constitute the humanized image of the Han Dynasty door god.
After research, Cheng Qing's prototype is very likely to be Jing Ke, a tragic hero. In the society of the Han Dynasty, Jing Ke's heroic image of cynicism and death-defying won the deep admiration and praise of the people.
Therefore, the image of Jing Ke is widely circulated among the people. Due to the close connection between Chengqing and Jing Ke, Chengqing has also become a much-loved door god, often appearing on the home and city gates of the Han people.
This marked the beginning of the Han Dynasty door gods to show human characteristics, no longer unattainable image of gods. It can be seen that the Han Dynasty was an important historical period in which the door gods transformed from gods to humans, and also left a more humane depiction for later generations.
The climax of the belief in the door gods of the Tang Dynasty originated from a ghost king with strong martial arts and an ugly face - Zhong Kui. He is a typical representative of the Taoist element of the entry god belief on the basis of the foundation laid by the gods and Yu Lei and carried forward in Chengqing.
However, Buddhist culture also had an impact during this period, incorporating images such as flying heavens and ghost-hunting kings into the belief in door gods, giving them a broader meaning of protecting the family and protecting the people.
Zhong Kui, because of his tragic spirit, made the belief in the door god reach an unprecedented height. Legend has it that he was ugly when he was alive, but he was good at dancing and fighting, and committed suicide because of his appearance, which moved Tang Taizong and ordered him to be buried.
In the silence of the night, Tang Xuanzong had a bizarre dream in which demons and monsters tried to steal his and Yang Guifei's precious belongings. While he was in a hurry, a ghost king in a green robe descended from the sky with a sword in his hand and wiped out all those little monsters.
After Xuanzong woke up, he immediately let people depict the appearance of the ghost king. This ghost king is Zhong Kui, who has long since passed away. Since then, Zhong Kui's image has penetrated into the folk with the posture of a ghost king and has become a door god.
In the Ming and Qing dynasties, almost every household was dedicated to the god of Zhong Kuimen. It can be seen that the appearance of Zhong Kui introduced Taoist elements to the belief in the door god. He went from a human to a god and then to a ghost king, which can be described as a perfect combination of the evolution of the image of the door god.
Fourth, the Song, Ming and Qing Dynasty door gods: Junjie, Wu Yong and Fu Lu After Zhong Kui became popular among the people and the belief in door gods gradually flourished, the Song Dynasty created a new form of door gods - the image of heroic martial arts.
These door gods are wearing battle armor, with a firm expression, holding ** in their hands, and some are riding sturdy war horses. There are not only figures in the picture, but also many auspicious objects hanging, such as bottles, pianos, etc.
The addition of these elements makes the door god of the Song Dynasty more vivid and lively, like a beautiful painting. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the belief in door gods continued to flourish. According to historical records, Tang Taizong often had nightmares, and it was the two gods Qin Qiong and Yu Chi Jingde who defeated the monsters and protected the peace of the palace.
As a result, these two brave and warlike generals were officially named the gods of the door and became the most sacred guardians in people's hearts.
In the Ming and Qing dynasties, the types and images of door gods were no longer limited to military generals, and there were also cases where the images of beauties and fairies were used as door gods, showing that the aesthetic angles of door gods were becoming more and more diversified.
At the same time, some heroes in history, such as Guan Yu, Zhao Yun, Sun Bin, etc., are also worshiped as door gods, and their heroic deeds and loyalty are deeply loved by ordinary people.
At this time, the door god not only has the effect of warding off evil spirits, but also has the meaning of praying for family wealth and fame. For example, the door god, which symbolizes the longevity of the blessed body, was also warmly welcomed by the people.
These changes show that after the Ming and Qing dynasties, the life of the door gods and ordinary people became increasingly close, and they also became richer and more three-dimensional.
In general, China's door god culture has a long history, from the creation of Shen Tu and Yu Lei, to the perfect interpretation of Zhong Kui, and then to the beauty of the door gods and auspicious meaning of various door gods in the Ming and Qing dynasties, this cultural form has undergone a long process of development.
It has been enriched with the changes of history, from the initial protection and exorcism of evil spirits, to the current blessing sustenance, containing rich cultural connotations, showing the profundity and inheritance spirit of Chinese culture.
Whenever the Spring Festival comes, we put on the colorful door gods, but also should bear in mind that these colorful patterns carry the unique cultural imprint of the Chinese nation.