Why, Guan Gong is honored as the God of Fortune?

The God of Wealth is Zhao Gongming, ah, Guan Gong is a martial arts saint. Dukang, the god of wine.

Guan Yu (162?-220) was a Han Chinese. Born in the Eastern Han Dynasty Huan Di Yan Xi years, the word Yun Chang, this word Chang Sheng, Hedong Xie Liang people (now Shanxi Yuncheng City). Has been the object of folk veneration throughout the ages, the Three Kingdoms period Shu Han famous generals, former generals, Hanshou Pavilion Marquis, military. After his death, he was revered by the people and praised by successive dynasties, and was worshipped as Guan Sheng Di Jun, known as Jalan Bodhisattva in Buddhism, and honored as "Lord Guan". He was a famous general of Shu during the Three Kingdoms period. He was honored as the "Sage of Martial Arts" by later rulers, and was on a par with Confucius, who was known as the "Sage of Literature". Guan Yu was praised in a poem by later generations as an outstanding military man and strategist of the State of Shu during the Three Kingdoms period. In addition, Guan Yu is also regarded as the god of grace by Taiwan compatriots.

Door Gods of Different Periods

1. The earliest door gods were two "peach people" carved out of peach wood. They were said to be the incarnations of the two generals sent by the Yellow Emperor in ancient times to command the ghosts that roamed the earth - Shentian and Yubi. In addition to the "Classic of Mountains and Seas", all the books of the Han Dynasty have records. For example, in the "Hetu Geomancy", Volume 6 of the "Re-editing of the Book of Wealth", it is said that: there is a big peach tree in Taodu Mountain, with its branches twisting and turning for three thousand miles, and there is a golden chicken on the tree, which crows when the sun comes out. Under the tree there are two gods, one named Yu and the other named Biao, both of whom hold reed cords to guard the ominous ghosts and kill them once they are caught. According to Ying Shao (应劭)《风俗通义》卷八则称荼与垒是兄弟二人，生性能够捉鬼，他们常在杜朔山的桃树下，检查百鬼，凡发现有祸害人类的就逮之之给虎。 So the county magistrate often in the winter Eve, carved a peach man holding a reed water bamboo hanging on the door, and painted a tiger on the door, which are modeled after the ancient practice. Taoism absorbed this belief, such as Jin Ge Hong "Pillow Book" is about to Yu Shi included in the Taoist god spectrum, known as one of the Eastern ghost emperor, its "Yuan Shi on the true record of all the immortals" also cloud: "Today, the person is the dynasty, make two peach people standing next to the door, to the rooster feathers placed in the rope, the cover to send courage also." Since then, the two gods have been believed by people, such as Liang Zong懔(荊楚歲時記) in the Southern Dynasty, which says: "The door is made of peach wood boards, which is called Xianmu (仙木), and two gods are drawn and pasted on it, the left door is called Shentian (神荼), and the right door is called Yubi (郁垒). Sui Dynasty Du Taiqing's "Jade Candle Treasure Canon" cited "Brace Maps", which stated that Shentian and Yubi were under the big peach tree in Taodu Mountain, and they were the door deities. The Beiping Customs and Traditions - Yearly Examination also says that on the New Year's Day, the noble relatives' families hang the God Tantui and Yubi, and the folk insert the Chi stalks and cypress leaves in the households. The Exhibition of Folk New Year Pictures of Gods and Goddesses: "The so-called God Tantui and Yubi are characters in the myth of the Classic of Mountains and Seas. ...... The meaning of the most ancient door god mentioned above has not been completely forgotten so far, and there are still people who write their names on the door to replace the more popular portraits of generals." Visible two god beliefs widely penetrate into the folk, the worship method is roughly: painting two god portrait posted on the door, with peach wood carving two god statue, hanging in the door, with a vermilion pen on the peach wood board write two god's honorary name, hanging in the door, and painted on the Taoist talisman, no matter which method, people think can be used to drive away ghosts to avoid the yea. As for the image of the two gods, there is a painting in "The Complete Book of the Three Religions and Sources of the Gods", in which there is a portrait of the two gods. The two gods are located under the peach tree, chest and breasts, black beard and gnarled beard, eyebrows and hair shrugged each other, head two horns, holding a peach tree sword and reed rope, a vicious look, no wonder the ghosts are afraid to see.

2, the Tang Dynasty, there is a door god Zhong Kui, he not only catch ghosts, and eat ghosts, so people often in the New Year's Eve or Dragon Boat Festival will be Zhong Kui image stickers on the door, used to drive away evil spirits. Qing Fucha Dun Chong, "Yanjing Times Record" said: "Every Duan Yang, the market with a foot of yellow paper stamped with Zhu Yin, or painted the image of the Heavenly Master Zhong Kui, or painted the shape of the five poisons and incantations, hanging for sale, all the people scrambled to buy, sticking in the middle of the door to avoid the Chong Kui evil." Its image is a leopard head with a gnarled beard, eyes like a ring, nose like a hook, ears like a bell, head wearing a black hat, feet with black shoes, wearing a big red robe, right hand holding a sword, left hand catching ghosts, angry eyes, a formidable, righteous look. It is said that his ability to catch ghosts and his prestige is much higher than that of Shen Ti and Yu Ji. As for its origin, according to the "Supplementary Pen Talk" Volume 3, "Days in the record" Volume 4, "Dynasties of Gods and Immortals" Volume 1.4 and other books, Zhong Kui was originally from Zhanshan Mountain in Shaanxi Province, when he was young, that is, outstanding talent, the Tang Dynasty Wude (618-627 years) went to Chang'an to participate in the examination for the martial arts, only because of the ugly did not win the examination, and then annoyed and angry hit the death of a temple on the steps, the Tang Dynasty Gaozu heard of the special gift of red official robe to be buried. When Tang Gaozu heard about it, he gave him a special red official robe to be buried. Later Tang Xuanzong occasional spleen disease, invited many doctors to save pen, the effect is not good, the court up and down are very anxious. One night after Tang Xuanzong fell asleep, suddenly dreamed of a small ghost stole the palace property along the temple wall to escape, Tang Xuanzong rushed to shout to catch, only to see a great-looking man ran up to the temple, caught the small ghost, router and eat it. When Emperor Xuanzong asked him what he was, he replied that he was "Zhong Kui, the scholar who failed in the martial arts examination". Tang Xuanzong woke up, the next day the disease will be cured, so asked the painter Wu Daozi will be Zhong Kui's image painted down, the painted image and Xuanzong dream exactly the same, Xuanzong was very pleased, will be hung above the palace door, as the god of the door. Later, Taoism absorbed this belief, often regarded Zhong Kui as a judge to dispel evil and expel ghosts, so Zhong Kui became the Taoist gods to drive away ghosts and catch ghosts. In addition, Zhong Kui is also widely spread in folklore, folk tales of Zhong Kui marrying his sister, Zhong Kui catching ghosts, Zhong Kui night hunting.

The story of Zhong Kui catching ghosts is famous in Chinese folklore. Chinese folk have their own hanging in the portal of the gods and monsters, terrorize the demons, expel ghosts and evil customs, Shentan, Yu base will catch ghosts and feed the tiger, and is worshipped as a door god, is an example. Another example is "Dream Stream Brush Tales" Volume 25: "Guanzhong no crabs. Yuanfeng in, I in Shaanxi, heard the Qinchuan family, received a thousand crabs, the scholar decorated its shape, thought the monster, every family's sick and abusive, then borrowed to hang the portal, often attempted to disease. Not only people do not know, ghosts also do not know."

3, Qin Qiong, Yuchigong is a door god in the martial arts door god, about the Yuan Dynasty, only after the sacrifice for the door god, but the two are indeed the Tang Dynasty. According to the Ming "orthodox dao zang" in the "search for God" and "three religions search for God book" and "successive dynasties of immortals" and other records, the two door god for the Tang dynasty Qin Qiong (Qin Shubao), (Yuchi Gong Yuchi Jingde) two generals. Legend has it that Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty was not very good health, there are evil spirits outside the door of the bedchamber, six houses and three palaces, no peace at night. So Taizong told all the ministers about the situation, Qin Shubao said: "I have been killing people like destroying withers, accumulating corpses like ants, why fear the little ghosts! I would like to wait with Jingde in military attire." Emperor Taizong approved, let the two stand on both sides of the palace door at night, the night really safe and sound. Taizong praised the two, think all night let the two guard in the palace door, is really hard, and then ordered the painter to paint the two like, fully loaded with anger, handheld jade axe, belt whip practice bow and arrow, as usual, hanging in the two palace door, from now on, Ye Soun to be pacified. Until the Yuan Dynasty, people followed this practice, by the two for the door god. Previously there have been similar records, but did not specify the two, such as the Southern Song anonymous "maple window small casket," said: "Jingkang before, Bianzhong households in the door god more than Fan-like, wearing a tiger helmet, and the door of the princes, to the Hunjin decorated." Song Zhao with the time "Bin retreat record" cloud: "New Year's Eve with the town hall generals two people, armor suit." Until after the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the book is clear for Qin Qiong Yuchigong two people, such as the Qing Gu Lu "qingjiazhu - door god" in the cloud: "night parting easy door god. Commonly painted Qin Shubao Yuchi Jingde's image, color printing on paper, small households posted." Qing Li Tiao Yuan, "New Search for God - Shenkao": "Today, the world is sorry to follow each other, New Year's Day in the first month, or painting the civil servants, or the book of Shenti Yubi, or painting the military generals, thought Tang Taizong sleeps with the disease, making Yuchi Gong Qin Qiong guard the door, the disease is not even healed." According to the present Zhang Zhenhua Changhua, "China Years and Seasons Rituals and Customs" recorded: "Paste the door god, a long history of different places, different times with different stickers. Beijing mostly used white-faced Qin Shubao and black-faced Yuchi Jingde. To this day, there are still households to do so, to pray for peace and prosperity." Indicates that the two gods from the world of worship, and is still worshipped by the people.

4, the Ming and Qing Dynasties to the Republic of China during the martial arts door god in different parts of the country, and the Beijing residential door god in the figure is different. For example, Henan people worshiped the door god for the Three Kingdoms period of Shu Zhao Yun and Ma Chao. In Hebei, the door gods are Ma Chao and Ma Dai, and in North Hebei, Xue Rengui and Gaisu from the Tang Dynasty. Shaanxi people worship Sun Bin and Pang Juan, Huang Santai and Yang Xiangwu. And the Hanzhong area posted mostly Meng Liang, Jiao Zan the two mangy men.

5. In addition to the above several influential door god, in the old days, the Suzhou area has been General Wen, Marshal Yue as the door god. Wu County Records" cloud: "the door god color painting five colors, write more Wen, Yue two God's image." The "Wen" god or the highest peak of the Jin Dynasty, or the highest peak of the East Yue under the General Wen, "Yue" god refers to Yue Fei. There are also so-called Wenmen Shen, Wumen Shen, pray for blessings. Wen door that is painted with the general civil officials in uniform like; martial arts door in addition to Qin Shubao, Yuchi Jingde, there is also not exclusively refers to a martial arts officer; pray for blessings door, that is, with the three gods of fortune, fortune, longevity, the three gods affixed to the door. In addition, there are some areas to Zhao Yun, Zhao Gongming, Sun Bin, Pang Juan for the door god. According to the Qing Yao Fu Jun "casting Ding Yu Wen" Volume 1, Taoism has a special worship of the door god, said "Song Fan Zhineng" Yueyang Terroir Records "cloud:" Laozi ancestral temple there are two gods, the so-called green dragon and white tiger also. ...... Ming Yao Zongyi "Changshu private record" narrative of the temple chapter: to the Taoist temple door two gods, the left is the Qinglong Mengzhang Shenjun, the right is the White Tiger Supervisor of the army Shenjun." It should be noted that the successive appearance of the above three major door god, not entirely manifested in the form of metabolism, that is, not all are new after the emergence of the new, immediately replaced the status of the old door god (only part of the case so), but more is the emergence of the new, the old is still in use, or the new, the old and at the same time for worship. As mentioned earlier, the Song Chen Yuanliang "times and years", Song Gao Cheng "things Ji Yuan" said that the folk worship of the door god, still for the God Tantui, Yubi, and at this time has been Zhong Kui appeared for a long time. Even to the Qing Dynasty, every New Year's Day, the noble relatives still hanging God, Yubi. This is seen in the old news under the sun kao volume 147 cited "Beijing year Hua Ji", "Qing Jia Lu" also recorded.

6. Other:

Old and young eunuchs:

The door gods are young and old eunuchs, and the way to tell the difference between the old and the young eunuchs is mainly from the difference in appearance: older eunuchs have the scars of the years on their faces, and younger eunuchs have a rounded complexion. In terms of clothing, the order from top to bottom is round "collar shirt", "bundle of jade belt", "python robe", and the feet wear "wutou shoes". The service ware, the two are also different: the older eunuch right hand holding incense burner, the left hand holding a duster; young eunuch right hand holding a jade belt, the left hand holding a vase of flowers. Folk commonly known as the two held by the service for the "incense, flowers".

Eunuchs:

The two eunuchs have their hair tied up in buns with peonies and grasses, and there are earrings under their ears. In terms of clothing, they are wearing a "poncho" with a fluttering belt, which gives them a sense of lightness; a "straight-necked jacket" with a diamond pattern; a large robe with a "waist" and a "bundle", and "palace bars" and a tassel of jade pendants under the "bundle". In terms of serving vessels, the courtesan on the left holds a peach fruit in her left hand, and a jade wish in her right; the courtesan on the right holds a high-footed lamp in her right hand, and also holds a jade wish in her left hand. Two eunuchs and young and old eunuchs held by the service ware together, just like the folk favorite four auspicious ware: incense, flowers, lamps, fruit.

The door god of the left door extends a finger and his mouth is slightly open, as if he is shouting: "Ha". The door god on the right holds up two fingers, as if making a "hum" sound. They are the famous guardian gods, the Two Generals of Haha.

The "Crown" and the "Deer" are the same as the "Official" and the "Deer" is the same as the "Fortune", so the combination of them has the meaning of "adding officials and bringing in fortune".

Door God of Wealth and Advancement:

One of the door gods is holding a peony and the other one is holding a knighthood. The peony is a metaphor for wealth and the knighthood is a metaphor for the title of the government, and when they are combined together, it means "wealth and advancement.

Word Plaque Door God:

Evolved into only the word plaque, usually the poor people use the word plaque door god.

This phenomenon shows that it is difficult to change a custom after it has been formed. Another situation is the old and new door god at the same time, the cited "Qing Jia Lu" volume 12 recorded the most typical. Qing Li Tiao Yuan, "New Search for God - God test" also reflects this situation, he said:

"Today's custom is the same, on New Year's Day in the first month, or painting the civil servants, or book of Shentian, Yubi, or painting the generals, thought Tang Taizong bed illness, making Yuchigong, Qin Qiong guard the door, the disease was then healed." These all reflect the diversity of folk beliefs, Taoism is just because of the folklore and veneration.

Today's door god

After the liberation, people's awareness of science, superstitious consciousness is weak, some places, they will be Liu Hulan and Zhao Yiman, Dong Cunrui and Huang Jiguang, etc., the war of resistance against Japan, the war of liberation, the war of resistance against U.S. aid to the war of Korea period of the war heroes, national heroes of the portraits, the New Year's festivals, stickers on the door. In this way, the god of the door will not be the god of the door, but evolved into the door painting.

Nowadays, the content of the door painting, more extensive. Such as painted blessings and longevity, the five grains of the map, six animals prosperous map, the construction of agriculture and industry, children's happy map, the rocket sky map, the ten marshals jumping horse map, support the people's map, the people and the military to celebrate the map and so on.

Now over the Spring Festival, in the people's door, there are many posted Shentian, Yubi, Qin Qiong and Yuchigong door god statues and portraits of generals through the ages, but compared to the ancient times, the meaning of its very different, the ancient posting of the door like, for the gods, worshipping the Buddha, praying for blessings and peace. Today, the posting of the door image, expressed the peace, happiness and the pursuit of yearning.

Different categories of door gods

First, the ghost-catching door god door gods are mostly God and Yu Shi, golden chicken and tiger. Legend has it that there is a big peach tree on Mount Tao Yudu, which is 3,000 miles away. There is a golden chicken, under the two gods, a Yu, a base, and hold a reed rope, waiting for ominous ghosts, birds and strange genera. It is the first day of the year, the sun shines on the golden chicken, the chicken is loud. So all the chickens in the world are thus song, the golden chicken flew down, eat all the evil spirits, ghosts fear of the golden chicken, all away, the world was then safe. It is also said that the two gods of Yubi caught the ghosts and then tied them with reed cords and executed them as syrupy tigers. Beijing people in the old days after the twenty-third day of the Lunar New Year, they will stick the door god, decorated with peach people, hanging reed rope, painted tiger on the door, the door around the two lamps, a symbol of the tiger's eye, in order to get rid of ominous, to suppress the evil and drive away the ghosts.

Second, the blessing of the God of the door is not the protector of the portal, specifically for the blessing and use, the central figure for the blessing of the heavenly officials. There are also Liu Hai play golden toad, small fortune child God of Fortune. Offerings, posters of the family is mostly business people, hope that from the blessing of the door god there to get fame, fortune, Jennifer Batshee, BMW bottles saddle, all to take their own, to meet the auspicious happiness.

Third, the Taoist door god Beijing people's homes are not posted, but in the capital of the Taoist temple there is, the door of the two gods, the left is the Qinglong Meng Zhang Shenjun, the right is the White Tiger Supervisor of the military Taoist monarchs.

Fourth, the generals door god generals door god is usually posted on the street on the door, in order to suppress the devil or disaster star from outside the door into the door, so the door god for more holding weapons. Such as: sword, spear, sword and halberd, axe and battle-axe hook and fork, whip mace and hammer claw, clang stick long lance stick, crutch, meteor and so on. Beijing residents in front of the door of the martial arts door god for the Tang Dynasty general Qin Qiong and Yuchigong. Qin Qiong, also known as Qin Shubao, Shandong Li Cheng people, martial arts, known as: race Zhuzu, like Meng Chang, God fist Taibao, double mace generals, mace hit six provinces in Shandong, horse tread on both sides of the Yellow River. Yuchi Gong, Sui and Tang Dynasty generals, martial arts, day occupation of three cities, night to capture eight fortresses, the work of the E State Duke. Qin, Yuchi two generals to help Li Shimin down the world after the establishment of the Great Tang Dynasty, was named Founding Father Why will act as a folk god of the door?