World Children's Story Classics: Family Stories

Chapter 65

There has been such a custom among the people in our country for a long time. Every new year, every household has to buy New Year pictures with the "door god" painted on them, and paste them on both sides of the door.So, how did this custom of sticking "door gods" come about?
It is said that during the Tang Dynasty, Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty had a sudden illness. At night, he always heard people throwing bricks and tiles outside the door, crying ghosts and howling wolves.Emperor Taizong was very frightened, so he ordered his generals Qin Qiong and Yuchi Jingde to put on their whole bodies and guard the door of the palace all night.This trick was really effective, and there have been no strange and frightening voices since then.After Tang Taizong recovered from his illness, he asked the painter to draw portraits of the two generals and paste them on both sides of the palace gate to protect himself.

Later, this practice spread to the people.The common people also invited the "door god" home, hoping to drive away demons and suppress evil spirits and keep them safe forever.

(End of this chapter)