BCBL 社區文化 - 門神 Better Community Better Life

Community Culture - Door Gods

鄭暄柔 Gini Cheng

Origin of the Door Gods• 唐朝的時候，有一位算命師他和龍王打賭說 : 明日午時佈雷，未時施雨，共下雨八吋八分八釐。龍王聽了大笑說 : 我是龍王，下雨多少由我決定，算命仙你是明天輸定了！沒想到過了不久玉帝要龍王下雨，但是龍王因為打賭不願服輸，所以下雨時間提早雨量也變多，結果造成水災，淹死了很多人。後來，玉帝很生氣就叫唐太宗的宰相魏徵去殺龍王，結果魏徵就靈魂出竅去殺了龍王之後，龍王就常常晚上來找唐太宗索命，唐太宗因為太害怕，就請兩位將軍守門。從此，龍王就再也沒有來，這就是後來的秦叔寶和尉遲恭兩位門神。• In Tang Dynasty, there is a fortune teller had a bet with the Dragon King on the result of the

rain. Fortune teller bet it would be thundered at 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., then started to rain 8 inches 8 mm and 8 m2 through 3 p.m. The Dragon King laughed and said I am the Dragon King and I’ll decide when and how much it’d rain, you’ll lose anyway. Later on, the Jade Emperor told the Dragon King to pour. Since the bet with the fortune teller, the Dragon King rain cats and dogs earlier which results in disaster. The Jade Emperor got angry and told the Emperor Taizong of Tang’s prime minister, Wei Zheng, to kill the Dragon King. After Wei Zheng killed the Dragon King, its spirit came to the emperor’s bedroom every night threatening the life of the emperor. The Emperor Taizong of Tang was so scared that he asked two generals to guard the bedroom at night. Since then, the spirit of the Dragon King never ever came again. This is the story that Yuchi Gong and Qin Shubao became door gods.

三川殿將軍San Chuan Palace - Generals

• 尉遲恭 • Yuchi Gong• 配箭 • with arrows

三川殿將軍San Chuan Palace - Generals

• 秦叔寶 Qin Shubao • 配弓 with a bow• 兩位將軍一弓一箭表示意見相同。One with arrows, and

the other with a bow meaning they see eye to eye with each other.

三川殿門神Other Door Gods

1 樓三川殿除了有兩位威嚇感覺的將軍，還有四位祈福的門神 ( 代替威嚇 )• In addition to the two frightening general door gods, there are four more door

gods, who are less scary, give blessing in San Chuan Palace.

三川殿祈福門神San Chuan Palace – Door Gods of Bliss

• 壽桃表示長壽 ( long life)• Peach shaped

birthday cake represents long life.

三川殿祈福門神San Chuan Palace – Door Gods of Bliss

• 牡丹表示富貴 (Rich)• The peony

represents wealthy.

三川殿祈福門神San Chuan Palace – Door Gods of Bliss

• 玉印表示責任 (Duty)• The Jade Seal

represents duty.

三川殿祈福門神San Chuan Palace – Door Gods of Bliss

• 加『冠』表示官位、權力 (Power)• The crown

represents official rank and authority.

媽祖殿 - 風調雨順門神Mazu Palace - Four Heavenly Kings

Four heavenly kings watch four directions – north, south, east, and west.

風調雨順門神 – 北方多聞天王Northern Duowen Heavenly King

• 執傘• hold an

umbrella• 雨 • stands for

rain

風調雨順門神 – 東方持國天王Eastern Chiguo Heavenly King

• 執琵琶• carry a pipa• 調• stands for

assimilation

風調雨順門神 – 南方增長天王Southern Zengchan Heavenly King

• 執劍• with a sword• 風• stands for

wind

風調雨順門神 - 西方廣目天王Western Guangmu Heavenly King

• 執龍• grab a dragon• 順• stands for

obedience

Origin of Solar Term• 中國古代居民生活於黃河流域，以太陽曆與四季，依照季節、氣候現象與變化的特色建立了 24 節氣。 其實簡單來說就是將地球繞行太陽

360 度所產生的氣候變化，以春分為 0 度，再以每 15 度定一節氣，所以每一季節就有 6 個節氣喔！• 這裡所呈現的就是 24 個節氣的擬人化神像，同時此門位於凌霄寶殿最高處也表示玉帝掌管，天候的崇高地位。• Ancient Chinese living close to Yellow River built up a ‘solar term’ based on

Chinese lunar calendar, seasons, and changing phenomena of the weather.

• Figures of personified solar term on the highest door at the LingShiau Palace, where is the highest rank of the weather, is controlled by Jade Emperor.

24 Gods of Solar TermLeft Side: Summer Right Side: Spring

立春 start of spring (top)驚蟄 awakening of insects (upper left)雨水 rain water (upper right)春分 vernal equinox (lower right)清明 clear and bright (lower left)

穀雨 grain rain (bottom) Spring----------------------------------------立夏 start of summer(top)小滿 grain full (upper right)芒種 grain in ear (upper left)夏至 summer solstice (lower right)小暑 minor heat (lower left)

大暑 major heat (bottom) Summer

24 Gods of Solar TermLeft Side: Winter Right Side: Autumn

立秋 start of autumn (top)處暑 limit of heat (upper right)白露 white due (upper left)秋分 autumnal equinox (lower right)寒露 cold due (lower left)

霜降 frost descent (bottom) Autumn----------------------------------------------立冬 start of winter (top)小雪 minor snow (upper right)大雪 major snow (upper left)冬至 winter solstice (lower right)小寒 minor cold (lower left)

大寒 major cold (bottom) Winter