Szilágyi András (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 23. (Budapest, 2004)
Mária FERENCZY: Door Gods. Art and Craftsmanship in the various styles of Chinese New Year Pictures
Standing door gods, Qin Qiung and Yuchi Gong. Mianzhu (Sichuan province) 2 * (pictures No. 15/a-b) - The two costumed generals are fighting with two swords and two iron lashes; their vigorous movement is almost twisting their bodies. The unusual representation of movement, along with the special proportions, implies an exceptionally high point of view. The contours printed on yellowish paper were painted manually with red, green, blue, yellow and pink pigments. The brightness of the colours is enhanced by fine strokes of whitewash and some accentuated patches of Chinese ink. Standing door gods, Yuchi Gong and Qin Qiong. Wuqiang ( H ebei province) 29 (pictures No. 16/a-b) - The two costumed generals are stepping forward with one foot, threatening evil demons with two iron lashes and two swords. As a result of stylization, the representation is somewhat rigid; its lines are very clear. Besides black, only yellow, green and red colours were printed on the picture. The characters define the place of production (Wuqiang) and the workshop (Yongzengdian). Door gods depicted in other ways: Door gods, Yuchi Gong and Qin Qiong on horseback. Kaifeng (Henan province)™ (pictures No. 17/a-b) - The two costumed generals, sitting on horses, are holding iron lashes and double swords and threatening the evil. The one on the left is mounted on a purple horse; the right-hand side general is riding a white horse. The depiction is simpler and more archaic than the others; it employs red, green and purple (in fact, dark brown) colours. As commoners did not have the right to ride horses, the fact that the generals are mounted enhances their authority; moreover, the horse is the symbol of stability and strength. Consequently, its presence in a picture is highly useful (even if the picture was not produced in a Horse Year, that is, the protector animal of the year is not the Horse.) The two characters mark the workshops (Tianyi). Door godsJingde [-Yuchi Gong] riding on a tiger and door god Qin Qiong riding on a deer M (pictures No. 18/a-b) - The two costumed generals are threatening demons with a club and an iron lash raised high. The figure on the left is riding a tiger and carrying a silver bullion (a symbol of riches) in his raised left hand. The general on the right is holding a magic sceptre high; at first sight, his saddle animal resembles a horse, yet actually it is a spotted deer. The tiger is a symbol of power and strength; it is one of the animals of the Zodiac. The spotted deer is the saddle animal of the star-god of Long Life (Shouxing); however, its name (lu), lending itself to a pun, promises official income (lu). The calabash-bottle filled with elixir is yet another attribute of Shouxing; there is such a calabash attached to the general's belt. In both pictures there are jewels (a flaming pearl, a magic fan, a scroll, a rhinoceros horn etc.) floating around the figures, completing the content of the pictures with numerous good wishes. Among the floating jewels there can be seen a Buddhist rosary as well. 32 As for the figures depicted in pictures No 1 and 2, the symmetric design shows two men standing slightly astraddle, turning towards each other. Their posture irradiates with strength and raises the threatening prospect of quick movement, though dynamism is represented merely by the flapping tails and sleeves of their robes and the fluttering ribbons. Closely associated pictures, even pictures No. 9 and 10 display strength in a similar way; however, other pictures employ simpler solutions: the generals are threatening the evil with swords or iron lashes raised above their heads. The generals depicted in pictures No. 16/a and b are stepping forward while fighting, but the Sichuan generals (pictures No. 15/a and b) are even more dynamic, as they are stepping forward but striking backward with their swords and iron lashes - they are almost dancing, as it were. The same content is depicted in ways so diversified. In picture No. 1, the man's face is dark and mask-like, his features are strong; his round eyes are bulging and his full beard is swinging sideway as if he had just made an energetic movement. He is a terrifying warrior, probably
