China is a multi-ethnic country, and each has its own door god. The earliest door god I saw was in 1999 in Xiao Cheng Village of Yan Chuan, in northern Shaanxi. Right in front of a residential cave was a full set of two stone carving door gods in military attire. It belonged to the northern nationality of the Northern Zhou Dynasty 1300 years back. Later, I saw four color pictures hand-painted on wooden board kept by Lin Xin Antique Administration, unearthed from the Liao Tombs (816-1125) in 1992, also the property of northern nationality. The pictures Were painted in large brush strokes with distinct national strait of the northerners. Tile painting was made around the same time period in history as the door god of the Song Dynasty found in the Song Tombs in Henan Province.
