backdoor general - "Zhongkui"

backdoor general - "Zhongkui", originally uploaded by china.sixty4.

In a 'makeshift' store in a narrow 'nong tang' (alley) in the east of the city a statue of a "Chinese Door God" or the "back door general" (Zhongkui) sits on a shelf amongst smaller statues, strictly speaking not a "Door God' but a mythical exorcist or 'ghost catcher' nonetheless his image (or a statue of "him") is often displayed as the "back door general".

The door gods usually come in pairs, facing each other; it is considered bad luck to place the figures back-to-back. There are several different forms of door gods. The most frequently used are 'Qin Qiong" and "Yuchi Jingde".
photo: mhobbs