Door God Print

Item number 946/44 from the MOA: University of British Columbia.

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Description

Print of a civil official door god (如意加官), one type of civil door god (wen menshen; 文门神). The man is shown in a long robe, with small black goatee, a long black moustache, and a long, thin, black beard. He holds a military hat with a hanging banner with writing on it, 天官赐福 (Blessings from the Heavenly officials) in his right hand. In his left he holds a ruyi (如意, scepter). He wears a hat that has dark purple on the lower portion, purple-pink on the upper portion, and orange wing-like flaps pointing out to either side. The robe is red, green, purple, turquoise, purple-pink, orange and black. Figure faces right (viewer's left). The background is plain paper. The print is vertically rectangular.

History Of Use

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). Civil door gods would be displayed on the inner doors of the home.

Specific Techniques

The print was stenciled, then woodblock printed with colours, with outlines painted in black ink.

Narrative

This print is meant to be paired with another print, 946/45.

Item History

Made in Mianzhu, Sichuan, China before 1926
Collected between 1906 and 1926
Owned by Edith Sibley
Owned by D. H. Reed, G. A. Reed and T. Gordon Reed before February 16, 1984
Received from D. H. Reed (Donor), G. A. Reed (Donor) and T. Gordon Reed (Donor) on February 16, 1984