Special 274 Door Gods Postage Stamps (1990)
| Stamp SN | D274 |
| Stamp Name | Special 274 Door Gods Postage Stamps (1990) |
| Stamp Cat Standard | Special Stamps |
| Stamp Cat | Lunar New Year |
| Issue date | 1990-01-19 |
| Suspersion date | 民國81年01月19日 |
| Dimension of stamps(mm.) | |
| Size of souvenir Sheet (mm.) | |
| Printer | China Color Printing Co. Inc.,R.O.C. |
| Drawer | |
| Designer | Hu Zerman & Lee Kuang-chi |
| Photographer | |
| Engraver | |
| Creative Director | |
| Sheet composition | S274.1-274.2 10×10 S274.3-274.4 10×10 |
| Print color | |
| Process | Deep etch offset |
| Paper | Locally-made mat finished, watermarked stamp paper with gum |
| Back | |
| Perforation | 13 1/2 |
Description
Figures of Men Shen-the Door Gods, which are sometimes threatening or scary, have been on the front doors of Chinese families for many generations. The gods, invariably two, one on each door, are always clad in military uniforms or official robes and carry weapons for purposes of exorcism, as well as for greeting happiness and wealth. Paintings of these auspicious graphics are normally pasted on the entrance-doors during the Lunar New Year season. The Chinese chiefly use as door gods the images of Shen Shu and Yu Lu two mythical figures (3.00). After the Tang dynasty (618-907 A.D.), they also began to use historical heroes, notably Ch'in Shu-pao and Wei-ch'ih Ching-te (7.50). The latter two were brave and audacious generals who, according to legend, actually kept vigil against the darkness of the night and proved effective for their master Tang Tai Chung, the second king of the dynasty.