City God Temple and Town God Temple

The City God temple Most Popular Attractions and Destination Tourism In Shanghai located next to the Yu Garden and also known today as the Yu Garden Market, the City God Temple was built in the fifteenth century during the Ming Dynasty. The first temple to the God of Shanghai was founded in the Song Dynasty (960-1279) when a shrine was erected to the City God of Huating County. However, the Huating shrine was located in Danjing Temple, far from its current location. The present site was first used during the reign of Emperor Yongle (1403-1425) in the Ming Dynasty. A statue of General Huo Guang of the Han Dynasty was enshrined in the front hall, while a statue of Qin Yubo, the god of the City.

The City God Temple in Shanghai originated as the Jinshan God Temple, dedicated to the spirit of Jinshan, or "Gold Mountain", an island off the coast of Shanghai. It was converted into a City God Temple in 1403, during the Yongle era of the Ming dynasty. During the Qing Dynasty, the temple grew popular. Residents of the old city as well as nearby areas visited the temple to pray for good fortune and peace. The temple reached its largest extent in the Daoguang era. The popularity of the temple also led to many businesses being set up in the area, turning the surrounding streets into a busy marketplace.
The temple In 1951, the Board of Trustees of the City God Temple was dissolved, and the temple was handed over to the Shanghai Taoist Association and made into a Taoist center. The institution made changes to the temple, removing statues representing folk Underworld personalities such as Yama, the judge of the dead, and placing an emphasis on Taoist spirituality instead. When at its prime time, the coverage of the temple reaches up to 49.9 Mu (8.2 acres). Chenghuang Temple became very prosperous during Qing Dynasty.

The popularity of the City God Temple also led to more business to be set up in the area, turning the surrounding streets into a busy marketplace. Local residents and nearby visitors all thronged here in quest of their necessities, boutiques, jewellery. The present temple covers an area of more than 10,000 square meters including the Huoguang Hall, the Yuanchen Hall, the Caishen Hall, the Cihang Hall, the Chenghuang Hall and the Niangniang Hall.

Tourist imagined that the city was protected by a god known as Chenghuang (town god). Under his protection, people could live peacefully. Chenghuang's duty was just like that of the county head in feudal China. Taoists accepted him not only as an executive but as a law officer as well. It was believed that Chenghuang was empowered by the celestial ruler to exterminate evils in towns and cities and make citizens live a prosperous and happy life. He was even capable of granting what people prayed for. He gave rain when it was too dry and gave sunshine when there was too much rain.