Door God Print

Item number 1090/13 from the MOA: University of British Columbia.

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Description

Print depicting a male figure, the God of Wealth (Caishen; 財神) with four children. All figures have white and pink faces and are wearing red, blue, and green clothing. The god has a red mouth, a small black goatee, a long black moustache, and a black beard in strands. He is wearing a black hat and is facing to the right side. He is holding a scroll with four colourful written characters 富貴栄花 (wealth and prosperity).From left to right, the children are holding the following: a blue pot that has a red branch on a yellow platter; a red flower with green leaves; a red object surrounded by green leaves on a blue platter; and a red branch with red berries and green leaves and a blue pot that has a red branch. Background is green with white floating clouds. 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.

Narrative

This set of prints (1090/1-13) was collected by Abbie Lyon Sharman, the sister of the donor’s grandmother, Sophia Lyon Fahs.

Cultural Context

Wen menshen 文门神 (Civil Door Gods). Nianhua (年画, new year pictures) are usually printed on plain backgrounds, but some prints from Yangliuqing (杨柳青), known for the production of nianhua have background designs with patterns like this print with white floating clouds on the green background. While the cloud patterns serve as decorative elements of the image, they also indicate door gods’ responsibility of protecting people from the Heaven above clouds. The Yangliuqing style is known for finishing details, especially on the face.