ately bound by them and given over to be devoured
by tigers. When Huang Ti heard of this he had the portraits of the
two spirits painted on peach-wood tablets and hung above the doors to
keep off evil spirits. This led to the suspension of the small figures
or plaques on the doors of the people generally. Gradually they were
supplanted by paintings on paper pasted on the doors, showing the two
spirits armed with bows, arrows, spears, etc., Shen Shu on the left,
Yue Lue on the right.

In later times, however, these Door-gods were supplanted in popular
favour by two ministers of the Emperor T'ai Tsung of the T'ang dynasty,
by name Ch'in Shu-pao and Hu Ching-te. T'ai Tsung had fallen sick, and
imagined that he heard demons rampaging in his bedroom. The ministers
of State, on inquiring as to the nature of the malady, were informed
by the physician that his Majesty's pulse was feverish, that he seemed
nervous and saw visions, and that his life was in danger.

The ministers were in great fear. The Empress summoned other physicians
to a consultation, and after the sick Emperor had informed them that,
though all was quiet during the daytime, he was sure he saw and heard
demons during the night, Ch'in Shu-pao and Hu Ching-te stated that
they would sit up all night and watch outside his door.

Accordingly they posted themselves, fully armed, outside the palace
gate all night, and the Emperor slept in peace. Next day the Emperor
thanked them heartily, and from that time his sickness diminished. The
two ministers, however, continued their vigils until the Emperor
informed them that he would no longer impose upon their readiness
to sacrifice themselves. He ordered them to paint their portraits
in full martial array and paste these on the palace doors to see if
that would not have the same effect. For some nights all was peace;
then the same commotion was heard at the back gates of the palace. The
minister Wei Cheng offered to stand guard at the back gates in the
same way that his colleagues had done at the front gates. The result
was that in a few days the Emperor's health was entirely restored.

Thus it is that Wei Cheng is often associated with the other two
Door-gods, sometimes with them, sometimes in place of them. Pictures
of these _men shen_, elaborately coloured, and renewed at the New Year,
are to be seen on almost every door in China.

Chinese Polytheism

That the names of the gods of China are legion will be readil