Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
The character 門 depicts a traditional double-door gate with two leaves. In ancient oracle bone script, it clearly showed two door leaves with lintels above. The character originally represented gates or entrances to buildings, cities, or important compounds. Over time, it evolved through bronze script, seal script, and clerical script before becoming the modern 門. The character carries meanings related to entrance, gateway, school of thought, and family lineage. In Liushutong, L05634 shows an early form that closely resembles the modern 門 character. Arrived in Japan: The character 門 arrived in Japan during the 5th-6th centuries CE, primarily through the introduction of Chinese writing systems via Korean peninsula. It was adopted into Japanese as 'mon' (gate) and became part of the Japanese writing system during the Asuka and Nara periods when Chinese cultural influence was particularly strong.