Door Gods

Legend says Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty fell ill and was haunted by ghostly wails. Generals Qin Shubao and Yuchi Gong volunteered to guard the palace gates at night, and the ghosts dared not approach. Unwilling to burden the two generals, the Emperor ordered their portraits painted on the doors — a tradition that continues to this day.

Door Gods are not worshipped at altars like other deities but are honored through the tradition of painting or posting their images on the main doors of temples and traditional homes. During Lunar New Year, households replace old Door God prints with fresh ones, a ritual that symbolizes renewal and continued protection. Worshippers sometimes burn incense in front of the door as a gesture of respect. In temples, the painting of Door Gods is considered a high art — master painters are commissioned to create elaborate, lifelike portraits that can take weeks to complete.

Door Gods are honored during the Lunar New Year, when their images are refreshed or replaced. On New Year's Eve, families pay respects to the Door Gods as part of the year-end rituals. Some traditions hold that the Door Gods "report" to the Jade Emperor at year's end (similar to the Kitchen God). In Taiwanese temple culture, the repainting or restoration of Door God murals is a significant cultural event, sometimes celebrated with ceremonies to "open the eyes" (kai guang) of the newly painted deities, formally inviting their spirits to inhabit the new images.