What door gods are used for warding off evil
Door gods are a popular protective deity in Han Chinese folk culture. It is a custom in various parts of China to paste door gods during the Spring Festival. After the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month (the Minor New Year), every household would invite and paste door gods, and many places also hold ceremonies to honor the door gods, expressing a desire to ward off evil, eliminate disasters, and welcome good fortune and blessings.There are many types of door gods, including auspicious door gods, Taoist door gods, and literary and martial door gods. The auspicious door gods refer to the Three Stars of Blessing, Prosperity, and Longevity, which are often painted on the doors of manors, guild halls, and ancestral temples, specifically for seeking academic success, official positions, and wealth. Taoist door gods appear on the entrance gates of Taoist temples, Guan Yu's temple, and Yue Wang's temple, and they come in different crafts such as wood carving, lacquer painting, and colored painting.
The most common type of door god is the literary and martial door god, which is the door god for common people's homes. Literary door gods depict officials in court robes, such as the Celestial Official, Immortal Child, Liu Haichan, and the Goddess of Childbirth. In Han Chinese folk culture, martial door gods symbolize righteousness and military power. When two martial door gods are pasted on the front door, all demons and spirits will be terrified. Therefore, Chinese door gods are always portrayed with fierce eyes, holding various traditional weapons, ready to fight any ghosts or spirits that dare to come in, such as Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhong Kui, Qin Qiong, and Yu Chi Gong.
