New Year pictures were called "door god paintings" in ancient times, and were originally called "door god paintings". According to records in ancient books, it is said that in ancient times there were two brothers, Shen Tu and Yu Lei, who were responsible for supervising all ghosts. So the Yellow Emperor painted the portraits of these two brothers on the door to prevent ghosts. This is how the "door god painting" came into being.
According to "Customs and Customs", during the pre-Qin and Han dynasties, religious beliefs had the custom of offering sacrifices to doors, so Shen Tu and Yu Lei became the earliest gods of door in our country. "Jingchu Years' Records" written by Zongmao of the Jin Dynasty said: "On the first day of the first lunar month, two gods were posted on the left and right sides of the house, the left god Tu and the right Yu Lei, which are commonly known as the door gods."
The content of the New Year paintings
Generally, they are healthy, auspicious, and praise peace. Such as "carp jumps over the dragon's gate", "more than one (fish) every year", "brings wealth and treasures", "is blessed with a precious son", "three friends in cold weather" and so on.
The content of New Year pictures continues to evolve with the changes of the times and the development and progress of society. In recent years, in the past, the God of Wealth, the Three Stars of Fortune, Fortune and Life, fairies, fat boys, and opera characters were the main contents of New Year pictures. Nowadays, the founding leaders have also become the protagonists of New Year pictures. The gold ingots and jewelry in New Year pictures in the past have also changed in recent years. Becoming RMB or even US dollars, to a certain extent, New Year pictures also reflect social mentality and public sentiment.
The New Year pictures have simple lines, bright colors, and warm and joyful atmospheres, such as pictures of spring cows, New Year's Day pictures, Jiasui pictures, pictures of babies playing, family carnivals, watching lanterns, fat dolls, etc., and there are pictures of gods, history, etc. Stories and dramatic characters as themes.