Menshen

Menshen
Menshen in Taiwan
Traditional Chinese	門神
Simplified Chinese	门神
Literal meaning	gate god(s)
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin ménshén Yue: Cantonese Jyutping mun4 san4 Southern Min Hokkien POJ Mn̂g-sîn

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Menshen, or door gods,^[1] are divine guardians of doors and gates in Chinese folk religions, used to protect against evil influences or to encourage the entrance of positive ones. They began as the divine pair Shenshu (Chinese: 神荼; Jyutping: San⁴syu¹; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Sîn-su) and Yulü (Chinese: 鬱壘; Jyutping: Wat¹leot⁶; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Ut-lu̍t) under the Han, but the deified generals Qin Shubao (Chinese: 秦叔寶; Jyutping: Ceon⁴ Suk¹bou²; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Chîn Siok-pó) and Yuchi Gong (Chinese: 尉遲恭; Jyutping: Wat¹ci⁴ Gung¹; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Ut-tî Kiong) have been more popular since the Tang. In cases where a door god is affixed to a single door, Wei Zheng or Zhong Kui is commonly used.