Military Door Gods with Guandao

Known as menshen (门神, door gods), they are considered to protect homes from evil spirits. Prints depicting them are usually displayed on the door inside and outside the house during the Chinese Spring Festival (春节) or Lunar New Year. Such prints are thus known as nianhua (年画, new year pictures). Military door gods would be displayed on the external doors of the home.

Military Door Gods with Guandao (立刀將軍). Also known as Door Gods Guangong (關公門神, Guangong menshen), some people believe that this type of door god derives from the character in Water Margin (Shuihu zhuan, 水滸傳), Guan Sheng (関勝) who uses a large broadsword (大刀). As they carry flags with the Chinese character福 (fu, fortune), they are often called Fu Flag Broadsword Generals (福旗大刀將軍, fuqi dadao jiangjun). As this pair of prints displayed for the new year has the Chinese character福 (fu, fortune) on them, these door gods are believed not only to ward off evil spirits, but also to bring blessings.

Rectangular paper, printed in black outline, with two armed military door gods (wu menshen; 武門神), generals with a guandao pole weapon (立刀將軍) in red, green and yellow with silver touches added. White paper left uncoloured in places. Faces are red and background is orange. Figures are 23 cm high, printed facing away from each other (normally hung facing each other). The Chinese character福 (fu, fortune) appears on the two fluttering flags behind their shoulders. The name of the printing shop, 志昌 (Zhichang) appears on the clothing on the figure on the right, and 香港 Hong Kong on the figure on the left.