‘Chinese New Year woodblock print’ (年画) depicting a Military Door God with five children

This print depicts a Military Door God with five children. The children represent the five talented official sons of Dou Yujun (窦禹钧), who lived in the Five Dynasties period. As depicted, the middle child in a civil official robe rides a Qilin (麒麟). This signifies that a successful scholar will be bestowed upon the family by the mythical beast. One boy holds an ‘as you wish’ (如意, ruyi)sceptre while another carries a peach, a symbol for longevity. Such ‘nianhua’ are not only meant for protection but also to invoke an abundance of blessings. It should be pasted facing another laterally inverted one.This print was produced in Taohuawu, a village in Suzhou province in China famous for its New Year prints. The production house, Wang Rong Xing (王荣兴), was established around the 18th century.