View source for Menshen

{{Short description|Chinese decoration placed on each side of an entry to a temple}}
{{infobox Chinese
|pic=File:頂泰山巖001門神.jpg |piccap=Menshen in Taiwan
|t={{linktext|門神}} |s={{linktext|门神}} |poj=Mn̂g-sîn|j=mun4 san4|p=ménshén |l={{nowrap|gate god(s)}}
}}
{{infobox Chinese |title=Martial{{nbsp}}Door{{nbsp}}Gods
|t={{linktext|武|門神}} |s={{linktext|武|门神}} |p=wuménshén |poj=bú-mn̂g-sîn|j=mou5 mun4 san4|l={{nowrap|military gate god(s)}}
}}
{{infobox Chinese |title=Civil{{nbsp}}Door{{nbsp}}Gods
|t={{linktext|文|門神}} |s={{linktext|文|门神}} |p=wenménshén |poj=bûn-mn̂g-sîn|j=man4 mun4 san4|l={{nowrap|literary gate god(s)}}
}}
{{Chinese folk religion}}

'''''Menshen'''<!--Chinese in infobox-->'', or '''door gods''',{{sfnp|Clart|2008|p=744}} are divine guardians of doors and gates in [[Chinese folk religion]]s, used to protect against evil influences or to encourage the entrance of positive ones. They began as the divine pair [[Shenshu (deity)|Shenshu]] ({{zh|c=神荼|j=San<sup>4</sup>syu<sup>1</sup>|poj=Sîn-su}}) and [[Yulü]] ({{zh|c=鬱壘|j=Wat<sup>1</sup>leot<sup>6</sup>|poj=Ut-lu̍t}}) under the [[Han dynasty|Han]], but the [[apotheosis|deified]] generals [[Qin Shubao]] ({{zh|c=秦叔寶|j=Ceon<sup>4</sup> Suk<sup>1</sup>bou<sup>2</sup>|poj=Chîn Siok-pó}}) and [[Yuchi Gong]] ({{zh|c=尉遲恭|j=Wat<sup>1</sup>ci<sup>4</sup> Gung<sup>1</sup>|poj=Ut-tî Kiong}}) have been more popular since the [[Tang dynasty|Tang]]. In cases where a door god is affixed to a single door, [[Wei Zheng]] or [[Zhong Kui]] is commonly used.

==History==
The gates and doors of [[Chinese architecture|Chinese house]]s have long received special ritual attention.{{sfnp|Clart|2008|p=744}} Sacrifices to a door spirit are recorded as early as the ''[[Book of Rites]]''.{{sfnp|Clart|2008|p=744}}<ref name=leggy>{{citation |editor-last=Legge |date=1885 |title=Book of Rites, ''Vol. II'' |page=207 }}.</ref> By the [[Han dynasty|Han]], this spirit had become the two gods [[Shenshu (deity)|Shenshu]] and [[Yulü]], whose names or images were painted into [[peachwood]] and attached to doors.{{sfnp|Clart|2008|p=744}} When the [[Emperor Taizong of Tang|Emperor Taizong]] of the [[Tang dynasty|Tang]] was being plagued by nightmares, he ordered portraits of his generals [[Qin Shubao]] and [[Yuchi Gong]] to be affixed to gates.{{citation needed|date=December 2016}} They eventually [[apotheosis|came to be considered divine protectors]], replacing Shentu and Yulü and remaining the most common door gods to the present day.{{sfnp|Clart|2008|p=744}} Qin and Yuchi, along with various other [[apotheosis|deified]] military leaders, make up a class of {{nowrap|'''martial door gods'''}} intended to ward off evil spirits and bad influences. A separate group of scholars make up a class of {{nowrap|'''civil door gods'''}} intended to attract blessings and good fortune.{{sfnp|Clart|2008|p=744}} Some deities are also thought to have guardians who serve a similar role at their temples, such as [[Lin Moniang|Mazu]]'s companions [[Qianliyan]] and [[Shunfeng'er]].

==Legends==
The 10th chapter of the [[Four Classic Novels|Chinese novel]] ''[[Journey to the West]]'' includes an account of the origin of door gods. In it, the [[Dragon King]] of the [[Jing River]] disguised himself as a human to outsmart the fortune teller Yuan Shoucheng. Since he was able to control the weather, he made a bet with Yuan about [[Chang'an]]'s forecast for the next day. He was nonplussed, however, when he received an order from the [[Jade Emperor]] telling him to give the city precisely the weather Yuan had predicted. The Dragon King preferred to win the bet and disregarded the order, going to Yuan to gloat the next day. Yuan remained calm and revealed that he had known the Dragon King's identity all along. Moreover, since the dragon had been so arrogant as to disregard an order from the Jade Emperor, his doom would be short in coming. The dragon was shocked to see his disobedience known and immediately pleaded with Yuan to save him. Yuan let him know that the Jade Emperor would send [[Wei Zheng]]—a senior minister from the court of the [[Emperor Taizong of Tang|Emperor Taizong]] of the [[Tang dynasty|Tang]]—to execute him at noon the following day. He told him his best course of action was to ask Taizong for help and, taking pity on the Dragon King, the emperor agreed to save him. In order to do so, the emperor summoned Wei Zheng to play [[go (game)|go]] with him in the morning. He endeavored to keep Wei from leaving until after noon, preventing him from carrying out the Jade Emperor's order, and was delighted when Wei grew so tired with the long game that he fell asleep. A little while later, however, the Great Ancestor was told that a dragon's head had fallen from the sky. Wei awoke and told him that his spirit had left his body during his nap and gone to [[Tian|Heaven]] to carry out the Jade Emperor's order. The annoyed spirit of the Dragon King then haunted the Great Ancestor each night until his generals [[Qin Shubao]] and [[Yuchi Gong]] volunteered to stand guard at his door. The emperor enjoyed his peaceful sleep but did not want to continue bothering his two generals. In their place, he had artists paint their portraits and paste them to the doors. This was then copied by his subjects.<ref name=jttw>{{citation |title=The Journey to the West |at=Ch. 10 |url=http://down02.putclub.com/virtual/backup/update/Download/Literature/The_Journey_To_The_West_Wu_Cheng_en.pdf |last=Wu |first=Cheng'en |author-mask=[[Wu Cheng'en]] }}.</ref>

==Architecture==
In modern use, door gods are usually printed images which are pasted to paired doors. They are usually replaced every [[Chinese New Year]].{{sfnp|Clart|2008|p=744}} Occasionally, they are sculpted in relief or placed as statues to either side of a door. The figures should face each other; it is considered bad luck to place them back to back.{{citation needed|date=December 2016}}

==Worship==
In ancient China, there was a ritual for a sacrifice to the door spirit of a wealthy home recorded in the ''[[Book of Rites]]''.<ref name=leggy/> In modern China, door gods do not make up a formal element of [[Taoism in China|Taoism]] and are included as traditional decorations or as nods to popular superstition.{{sfnp|Clart|2008|p=744}} There are, however, some deities worshipped for other reasons—including the [[Azure Dragon]],{{sfnp|Clart|2008|p=745}} the [[White Tiger (China)|White Tiger]],{{sfnp|Clart|2008|p=745}} and [[Lin Moniang|Mazu]]'s companions [[Qianliyan]] and [[Shunfeng'er]]—who also serve as door gods at Taoist temples.{{sfnp|Clart|2008|p=745}}

{{clear}}

=== Korea ===
{{Main|Munsin}}
Door gods are called [[Munsin]] in Korea.

==List==
The following persons, some of whom are mythological figures, are known to have been worshipped as door gods.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan=2 | Names
! rowspan=2 | Description
|-
! English
! Chinese<br><small>([[traditional characters|trad.]])</small>
|-
| [[Shenshu (deity)|Shenshu]] || {{lang|zh|神荼}}
| rowspan=2 | The earliest-attested door gods, appearing in the ''[[Mountain and Sea Classic]]''. Ordered by the [[Jade Emperor]] to guard the trees of the [[Peaches of Immortality]], which were being gnawed upon by demons.
|-
| Yulü || {{lang|zh|鬱壘}} 
|-
| Wangtianjun || {{lang|zh|王天君}} 
| rowspan=2 | Attendants of the [[Heidi (god)|North God]]; seen at Taoist temples

|-
| Matianjun || {{lang|zh|馬天君}}
|-
| [[Azure Dragon]] || {{lang|zh|青龍}}
| rowspan=2 | Seen at Taoist temples
|-
| [[White Tiger (China)|White Tiger]] || {{lang|zh|白虎}}
|-
| [[Qianliyan]] || {{lang|zh|千里眼}}
| rowspan=2 | "All-seeing" and "All-hearing" demons sometimes considered the [[apotheosis|deified forms]] of the brothers Gao Ming and Gao Jue, rapacious generals or bandits of the era of [[King Zhou of Shang|King Zhou]] of the [[Shang dynasty|Shang]], who were subdued and befriended by the [[Fujian]]ese [[shamaness]] and [[sea goddess]] [[Mazu (goddess)|Mazu]]. They typically serve as the door gods of [[list of Mazu temples|her temples]], although they also appear as the "eyes" and "ears" of the [[Jade Emperor]] in ''[[The Journey to the West]]''.
|-
| [[Shunfeng'er]] || {{lang|zh|順風耳}}
|-
| Fangbi || {{lang|zh|方弼}} 
| rowspan=2 | Two figures from ''[[The Creation of the Gods]]''
|-
| Fangxiang || {{lang|zh|方相}} 
|-
| {{nowrap|Tianguan Dadi}} || {{lang|zh|天官大帝}} 
| rowspan=2 | A form of the [[Shangdi|most-high God]] and the founder of [[Quanzhen Taoism]]. Seen in Taoist temples.
|-
| [[Liu Haichan]] || {{lang|zh|劉海蟾}}
|-
| [[Nio (Buddhism)|Miji Jingang]] || {{lang|zh|密迹金剛}}
| rowspan=2 | Also known as the ''Hēnghā Èrjiàng'' ({{lang|zh|哼哈二将}}), derived from the Buddhist [[Vajrapani]], derived from [[Greco-Buddhist]] forms of [[Heracles]]. Seen in Buddhist and Taoist temples.
|-
| {{nowrap|[[Naluoyan Jingang]]}} || {{lang|zh|那羅延金剛}}
|-
| [[He-He Er Xian|He]] || {{lang|zh|和}}
| rowspan=2 | Collectively, the "2 Immortals He and He", with names meaning "Harmony" and "Union".
|-
| [[He-He Er Xian|He]] || {{lang|zh|合}}
|-
| [[Qin Shubao]] || {{lang|zh|秦叔寶}}
| rowspan=2 | [[Tang dynasty|Tang]] generals whose image was ordered placed upon gates by the [[Emperor Taizong of Tang|Great Ancestor]] of the Tang ("Emperor Taizong")
|-
| [[Yuchi Gong]] || {{lang|zh|尉遲恭}}
|-
| [[Sun Bin]] || {{lang|zh|孫臏}}
| rowspan=2 | [[Warring States period|Warring-States]] generals; worshipped in parts of [[Shaanxi]].
|-
| [[Pang Juan]] || {{lang|zh|龐涓}}
|-
| [[Bai Qi]] || {{lang|zh|白起}}
| rowspan=2 | Warring-States generals
|-
| [[Li Mu]] || {{lang|zh|李牧}}
|-
| {{nowrap|[[Randeng Daoren]]}} || {{lang|zh|燃燈道人}}
| rowspan=2 |Two more figures from ''[[The Creation of the Gods]]''
|-
| [[Zhao Gongming]] || {{lang|zh|趙公明}}
|-
| [[Fusu]] || {{lang|zh|扶蘇}}
| rowspan=2 | A [[Qin dynasty|Qin]] [[taizi|crown prince]] and general who defended Qin's northern border against the [[Xiongnu]].
|-
| [[Meng Tian]] || {{lang|zh|蒙恬}}
|-
| [[Chen Sheng]] || {{lang|zh|陳勝}}
| rowspan=2 | Rebels who led the [[Dazexiang Uprising]] against the Qin Empire
|-
| [[Wu Guang]] || {{lang|zh|吳廣}}
|-
| [[Ziying]], King of Qin || {{lang|zh|秦王子嬰}}
| rowspan=2 | The last ruler of the Qin dynasty and his successor, who nominally oversaw the [[Eighteen Kingdoms]] that preceded the establishment of the [[Han dynasty]]
|-
| Emperor [[Emperor Yi of Chu|Yi]] of Chu || {{lang|zh|楚義帝}}
|-
| [[Ying Bu]] || {{lang|zh|英布}}
| rowspan=2 | [[Han dynasty|Han]] generals under [[Emperor Gaozu of Han|Liu Bang]], founder of Han
|-
| [[Peng Yue]] || {{lang|zh|彭越}}
|-
| [[Yao Qi]] || {{lang|zh|姚期}}
| rowspan=2 | Fictionalized leaders under [[Emperor Guangwu of Han|Emperor Guangwu]] in the ''[[Romance of the Eastern Han]]'' ({{lang|zh|東漢演義}})
|-
| [[Ma Wu]] || {{lang|zh|馬武}}
|-
| [[Guan Yu]] || {{lang|zh|關羽}}
| rowspan=2 | Guan Yu and Zhang Fei were [[Shu Han|Shu]] generals during the [[Three Kingdoms]], depicted as [[Liu Bei]]'s sworn brothers in the ''[[Romance of the Three Kingdoms]]'' and numbered among the [[Five Tiger Generals]]. Guan Ping was his son. Zhou Cang was a fictional subordinate in the ''Romance of the Three Kingdoms''. Guan Sheng was a fictional descendant who appears in the [[Four Classic Novels|novel]] ''[[Outlaws of the Marsh]]''.
|-
| [[Zhang Fei]]<br>[[Guan Ping]]<br>[[Zhou Cang]]<br>[[Guan Sheng]] || {{lang|zh|張飛<br>關平<br>周倉<br>關勝}}
|-
| [[Zhao Yun]] || {{lang|zh|趙雲}}
| rowspan=2 | [[Shu Han|Shu]] generals during the Three Kingdoms, numbered among the [[Five Tiger Generals]]. Seen in parts of [[Henan]].
|-
| [[Ma Chao]] || {{lang|zh|馬超}}
|-
| [[Ma Chao]] || {{lang|zh|馬超}}
| rowspan=2 | [[Shu Han|Shu]] generals during the Three Kingdoms. Seen in parts of [[Hebei]].
|-
| [[Ma Dai]] || {{lang|zh|馬岱}}
|-
| [[Zhuge Liang]] || {{lang|zh|諸葛亮}}
| rowspan=2 | [[chancellor (China)|Chief ministers]] of the states of [[Shu Han|Shu]] and [[Cao Wei|Wei]] during the Three Kingdoms, depicted as nemeses in the ''[[Romance of the Three Kingdoms]]''
|-
| [[Sima Yi]] || {{lang|zh|司馬懿}}
|-
| [[Pei Yuanqing]] || {{lang|zh|裴元慶}}
| rowspan=2 | A fictional rebel general and a fictionalized historical son of [[Emperor Gaozong of Tang|Li Yuan]], founder of the Tang, who appear in the ''Shuo Tang''
|-
| [[Li Yuanba]] || {{lang|zh|李元霸}}
|-
| [[Wei Zheng]] || {{lang|zh|魏徵}}
| rowspan=2 | Early Tang officials
|-
| [[Li Shiji]] || {{lang|zh|李世勣}}
|-
| [[Xue Rengui]] || {{lang|zh|薛仁貴}}
| rowspan=2 | Generals from both sides of the [[Tang-Goguryeo War]]. Seen in parts of northern [[Hebei]].
|-
| [[Yŏn Kaesomun]] || {{lang|zh|淵蓋蘇文}}
|-
| [[Zhang Xun (Tang dynasty)|Zhang Xun]] || {{lang|zh|張巡}}
| rowspan=2 | Tang officials who died [[Battle of Suiyang|defending Suiyang]] against the [[An Lushan Rebellion]].
|-
| [[Xu Yuan (general)|Xu Yuan]] || {{lang|zh|許遠}}
|-
| [[Emperor Taizu of Song|Zhao Kuangyin]] || {{lang|zh|趙匡胤}}
| rowspan=2 | The [[Emperor Taizu of Song|Great Ancestor]] ("Emperor Taizu") of the [[Song dynasty]] and the ancestor of the Song's [[generals of the Yang Family|dynasty of Yang generals]]
|-
| [[Yang Gun]] || {{lang|zh|楊袞}}
|-
| [[Meng Liang]] || {{lang|zh|孟良}}
| rowspan=2 | Fictionalized subordinates of the Yang generals
|-
| [[Jiao Zan]] || {{lang|zh|焦贊}}
|-
| [[Yue Fei]]|| {{lang|zh|岳飛 }}
| rowspan=2 | Song dynasty general and his son.
|-
| [[Yue Yun]]|| {{lang|zh|岳雲}}
| rowspan=2 | A Song general and a Taoist deity
|-
| [[Wen Taibao]] || {{lang|zh|溫太保}}
|-
| [[Yue Yun]] || {{lang|zh|岳雲 }}
| rowspan=2 | [[Yue Fei]]'s son and subordinate
|-
| [[Di Lei]] || {{lang|zh|狄雷}}
|-
| [[Xu Yanzhao]] || {{lang|zh|徐延昭}}
| rowspan=2 | 
|-
| [[Yang Bo (door god)|Yang Bo]] || {{lang|zh|楊波}}
|-
| [[Fan Lihua]] || {{lang|zh|樊梨花}}
| rowspan=2 | Fictional wives of [[Xue Dingshan]] depicted in the [[Xiaobei Taishuai Gong]] in [[Tainan]], [[Taiwan]].<ref>[http://www.ettoday.net/news/20151007/575875.htm {{lang|zh|台南超正女門神有「臥蠶」　網驚：言情小說畫家退休？}}]</ref>
|-
| [[Chen Jinding]] || {{lang|zh|陳金定}}
|-
| [[Mu Guiying]] || {{lang|zh|穆桂英}}
| rowspan=2 | Mu was a fictional female general from the Northern Song related to the Yang generals. Qin was a female general from Sichuan under the Ming.<ref>[http://www.dili360.com/ch/article/p5350c3d60f25546.htm {{lang|zh|门神的千年守望}}]</ref><ref>[http://wo.poco.cn/jannystory-box/post/id/10699874 {{lang|zh|门神聚会—西}}]</ref><ref>[http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_4a94acb50101eo8z.html {{lang|zh|巾帼英雄秦良玉（2013年5月5日 星期日 晴）}}]</ref>
|-
| [[Qin Liangyu]] || {{lang|zh|秦良玉}}
|-
|}

==Gallery==
{{Gallery
|width=150
|File:潘岳雄門神.jpg |
|File:存心善堂门神1.jpg |
|File:1900s Nianhua The Spirit of the Doors woodblock print.jpg |
|File:1907. Мэнь-Шени (дух-хранительводы).jpg |
|File:Door-god - Civil - Project Gutenberg eText 15250.jpg | A [[wen and wu|civil]] door god,<ref name=mal>{{citation |title=Myths and Legends of China |date=1922 |first=E.T.C. |last=Werner }}.</ref> gathering good influences
|File:The Door-gods, Civil and Military 1.jpg | A [[wen and wu|martial]] door god,<ref name=mal/> protecting against bad influences
}}

==In popular culture==
1983 Shaw Brothers Movie Of ''Ghosts Galore'' Starring [[Chin Siu Ho]] And Chiang Kam In A Final Fight Against A Japanese Sorcerer ([[Hwang Jang Lee]]).
==See also==
* [[Chinese gods and immortals]]
* [[Dvarapala]]
* [[Feng shui]], which also employs shield walls, [[talisman]]s, [[mirror]]s, and [[yin-yang]] symbols to protect doorways
* [[Gate guardian]]
* [[Nio (Buddhism)]] and [[Heng and Ha]], pairs of protective deities at Chinese temples
* [[Imperial guardian lions]]
* [[Munsin]]

==References==

===Citations===
{{reflist|30em}}

===Bibliography===
* {{citation |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=R3Sp6TfzhpIC |title=The Encyclopedia of Taoism, ''Vol. II'' |date=2008 |publisher=Routledge |location=Abingdon |contribution-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=R3Sp6TfzhpIC&pg=PA744 |pages=[https://books.google.com/books?id=R3Sp6TfzhpIC&pg=PA744 744–5] |last=Clart |first=Philip |isbn=978-1135796341 |contribution=Menshen }}.
* {{citation |last=Tang |first=Rose |contribution-url=http://www.thestandard.com.hk/stdn/std/Front_Page/FI24Aa04.html |contribution=Twilight of the Door Gods |url=http://www.thestandard.com.hk/ |title=The Standard |location=Hong Kong }}.

==External links==
*{{Commons-inline}}

[[Category:Chinese architectural history]]
[[Category:Chinese deities]]
[[Category:Liminal deities]]