Depicted here are the generals of the Tang Dynasty emperor Tang Taizong （唐太宗）, who became Military Door Gods. The looks of a pair of Military Door Gods are usually contrasting. Yuchi Gong in the left print looks fierce as compared to Qin Qiong who looks more gentle. They face each other in order to watch out for spirits attempting to pass through the doors. It is considered bad luck to place the figures back to back. Therefore, the position of the door gods is very important.These prints were produced in Yangliuqing, a village in Tianjin province in China. It is one of the most famous places for producing ‘Chinese New Year prints’ (年画, nianhua). The style in Yangliuqing is characterised by overpainting features, especially on the face and finishing details as shown here.
