The Door Gods are the paired protective images of Qin Qiong and Yuchi Gong in later Chinese popular tradition. Their historical and romance identities as Tang generals are transformed at the household threshold into a standing guard against harmful forces.
The stable legend says the two generals kept watch when Emperor Taizong was troubled at night; painted likenesses then replaced their physical vigil. Museum collections preserve the resulting paired prints, usually presenting the generals in martial dress and facing positions suited to two leaves of a doorway.
The pairing matters more than any single costume formula. Qin Qiong and Yuchi Gong become effective as a coordinated threshold presence: recognizable warriors, arranged across an entrance, converting remembered loyalty and courage into everyday protection.
