Door Gods Yu Lei and Shen Tu – Catchers of Evil Spirits and Ghosts (Diptych)
Chinese
Description
Subject Matter:
This figure is one of the door gods. 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:
The right panel of a diptych featuring a figure with white skin and a long thin beard and moustache. He is dressed in an elaborate robe and headdress. He is facing to the left and carries an ornamented staff. Background is a blue, red, and white silk pattern with a red "double happiness" character.
Usage Rights:
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit https://umma.umich.edu/request-image/ for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.