Town God Temple

» Shanghai, Jiang Su

Town God Temple Overview & Map Weather Transportation Information

In almost every large and medium-sized city in China, one can find a Chenghuang Temple or Town God Temple. In the temple, sits a statue of the town god. Usually, there are one or two sacrificial ceremonies each year. The ceremonies are important occasions for both old and young.

Who is the town god

In the old days, people imagined that the city was protected by a god known as Chenghuang (town god). Under his protection, people could live peacefully. 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. He brought big crop harvests for farmers and flourishing business for traders. As historical records indicate, the first known Chenghuan Temple was built as early as 239 A.D in the Three Kingdoms Period.

Do people appreciate him

Interestingly, the town god had his mold in the practical society. The mold was always a hero who had done a lot and sacrificed his life for the public. People honored him as a god and believed that he would bring them peace and happiness.

Even today, every year at a fixed time, people come to the temples and show their respect for their protectors by kowtowing and offering some sacrifices. Chenghuang is a god in Taoism, but monarchs of different faiths in history all put him in a very important position.

Something must know

Chenghuangmiao, known today as the Yuyuan Garden Market and located next to the Yuyuan Garden, was built in the fifteenth century during the Ming Dynasty. Originally a temple built to honor the Han statesman Huo Guang (68 B.C.) and temple fairs were held in this Taoist temple on special days. Gradually the permanent temple market was formed, encompassing the Yuyuan Garden and the Zigzag Bridge. There is an authentic local flavor about this busy market area specializing in traditional arts and crafts, where the locals preserved their unique life styles and customs. Outside, however, it still looks like a temple.

What to see

The temple's main courtyard is usually jammed with worshippers praying before the statues of Huo Guang (a local military hero) in the front hall, and the town god in the back. The smell of incense is overpowered only by the smell of money wafting from the nearby shops.

When to visit

Opening hours: Daily 8:30a.m. - 4:00p.m.

A nice place for shopping and dinning

One hundred years ago, as more and more pilgrims came to worship in the temple, many peddlers began to open shops near the City God Temple. Slowly, a popular, old-fashioned market came about. Today, around the temple and in a circumference of one-third of a mile there are more than one hundred small shops and restaurants, and the products the sell number 16,000 or more. Shanghai residents enjoy shopping here, they can find things unobtainable elsewhere and they dine at their favorite restaurants.

Attractions around » Shanghai, Jiang Su

Natural Scene

• Huangpu River
• The Bund
• Port Wusongkou
• Shanghai Wild Animal Park

Historical Site

• Ancient Town of Zhouzhuang
• Jade Buddha Temple
• Town God Temple
• Oriental Pearl TV Tower
• Old Town of Xitang
• Zhujiajiao Old Town
• Former French Concession
• Qibaozhen Ancient Town
• The First National Congress of the Communist Party of China Shanghai Site
• Longhua Temple
• Former Residence of Sun Yat-sen

Cultural Site

• Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall
• Shanghai World Financial Center
• Shanghai Museum
• Yuyuan Garden
• Shanghai History Museum
• Nanpu and Yangpu Bridges
• Guyi Garden

Nightlife

• Night Club Street on Hengshan Road
• Shanghai Concert Hall
• Shanghai Grand Theater
• Xintiandi Bar Street
• Maoming South Road Bar Street
• Tongren Road Bar Street
• Yandang Road Bar Street
• Sasha's Bar
• Bourbon Street Bar
• Julu Road Bar Street
• Mexican madness night at Zapata's Bar

Day Entertainment & Sports

• Shanghai Ocean Aquarium
• Sheshan Golf Club

Shopping & Leisure

• Nanjing Road
• Shopping Heaven on Xujiahui Street
• Dongtai Road Antique Market
• Shopping on Fuzhou Road
• Pudong New Area
• Yandang Road Bar Street
• Xintiandi Area

Town God Temple Highlights

Shanghai Snacks

Shanghai owns varied and appetizing snacks. Some enjoys a long history and great reputation. The Shanghai snacks not only taste delicious but also look delicate. People who visit Shanghai should not miss the chances to try the famous snacks.

Temple & Monastery in Great China

• Shaolin Temple
• Temple of Heaven
• Jokhang Temple
• Confucius Temple
• A-Ma Temple
• Palkhor Monastery
• Sera Temple
• Drepung Temple
• Rongbuk Temple
• Songzanlin Temple
• Id Kah Mosque
• Lingyin Temple
• Labrang Temple
• Great Buddha at Lingshan
• Golden Temple
• Yuantong Temple
• Tashilhunpo Temple
• Sakya Temple
• Temple of Universal Peace
• Putuo Zongcheng Temple
• Eight Outer Temples
• Famen Temple
• Great Mosque
• Nanputuo Temple
• Jade Buddha Temple
• Town God Temple
• Confucius Temple
• Lama Temple
• White Cloud Temple
• Tar Temple
• Santa Sophia Church
• 108 Dagobas
• Memorial Temple of Lord Bao
• White Horse Temple
• Qiongzhu Temple
• Hanging Temple
• Hanshan Temple
• Gaomiao Temple at Zhongwei
• Giant Buddha Temple
• Xiangguo Temple
• Yufeng Lamastery
• Chongshansi Temple
• Dule Temple
• Anyuan Temple
• White Horse Pagoda
• Trandruk Temple
• Dai Temple
• Pagoda of Songyue Temple
• Ramoche Temple
• Guanlin Temple
• Huayan Temple
• Kaiyuan Temple
• Samye Temple
• Jinci Temple
• Confucius Temple
• Ganden Temple
• Dabeiyuan Temple
• Wuhou Memorial Temple
• Shanhua Temple
• Ruins of St. Paul's
• Temple of Universal Happiness
• Great Bell Temple
• Qingjing Mosque
• Hongfu Temple
• Dazhao Temple
• Five Pagoda Temple
• Baoguo Temple
• Wudangzhao Temple
• Shalu Temple
• Bailin Temple, Great Zen Buddhist Center
• Longhua Temple
• Jile Temple
• Chengtiansi Pagoda
• Nanguan Muslim Mosque
• Qingyanggong Temple
• Ba Xian An Temple
• Tianhou Palace
• Guiyuan Temple
• Linggu Temple
• Najiahu Mosque at Yongning
• Haibao Pagoda
• Xilitu Zhao
• Dongguan Mosque
• Jiegu Temple

Town God Temple FAQ & Travelers's Tips

  Weather

1. What should we need to know when visiting Shanghai in different seasons?
2. What's the best season for traveling there?

  Transportation

1. What about the transportation between Shanghai and its surrounding cities?

  Food

1. What's the specialty of Shanghai cuisine?
2. What are the must-eat Shanghai snacks? And what to notice?

  Shopping

1. Where is the most famous area for shopping here?
2. Where can we visit on our spare time?

  Travel

1. How about Shanghai's nightlife?

  Other Hints

1. How many airports do Shanghai have?
2. What is the city code of Shanghai?

• What should we need to know when visiting Shanghai in different seasons?

  The four seasons are easy to tell apart. The weather is pleasant, and the number of all kinds of products is large in Spring and Autumn.

  Every June and July is the mold rain season, so it is usually humid in hotel rooms. Umbrella is a necessary thing to bring with during the rainy weather.

  The coldest time is from late January to early February. Even though there is not much snow, warm clothes are still needed, because cold wind is always unendurable. Hotel rooms are equipped with air-conditions, so please stay warm in the room.

  It is usually super hot in July and August. Weather with higher than 35 C usually stays for about ten days, so that prevention from overheat is very necessary.

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• What's the best season for traveling there?

  After humid mold rain season and cold winter, there comes the Spring with blooming flowers, or the Autumn with falling red leaves, which are the best the seasons for trevaling.

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• What about the transportation between Shanghai and its surrounding cities?

  Travel line in the east China includes Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai. It usually takes about 2C3 hours to travel between cities. Medicine that prevents car-sickness is necessary.

  Multi-city traveling usually requires travelers to put up each night in different cities. Please take care of your belongings when checking out.

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• What's the specialty of Shanghai cuisine?

  Shanghai cuisine is a mixture of five different cuisines and western food. Apart from its local food, it also has Beijing cuisine, Sichuan cuisine, Guangdong cuisine, Hunan cuisine, Yangzhou cuisine, Chaozhou Cuisine, Anhui Cuisine and vegetarian cuisine, etc.

  Of course, Italian food, Russian food, French food, Vietnamese food, Korean food and Japanese food can also be found in Shanghai.

  Local people like food with light seasoning and light sweetness. Rice is their main food. People that like strong seasoning can prepare their own seasonings.

  Travelers with special needs please give us notice before hand, so we can prepare for you earlier according to your requirements.

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• What are the must-eat Shanghai snacks? And what to notice?

  Shanghai Nanxiang Dumplings, Crab Roe Dumplings, Steamed Dumplings Filled with Minced Meat and Gravy, Fermented Rice with Pigeon Eggs, Rib Rice Cakes, Eggs Boiled with Five Ingredients, Five Ingredients Beans, etc. There are a lot of delicious local food.

  Please mind the sanitation when enjoying the tasty food.

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• Where is the most famous area for shopping here?

  The shopping heaven in Shanghai is Nanjing Road. It has a name of 'the number one shopping street in China.' Now all kinds of stores have been opened by all kinds of business people. There are not only old stores that have hundreds of years, but also modern shopping malls like Friendship Europe Shopping Mall, Mancton Square, HUalian Shopping Center, etc.

  Huaihai Road is as famous as Nanjing Road. Shopping malls are standing at each side of the road: Guangna World Center, Paris Spring, Meimei Shopping Center, Parkson, etc. World famous brand can all be found in the shopping malls, which make Shanghai a shopping center of world class.

  Sichuan North Road's stores offer reasonable prices, which attracts a lot of common people. Xizangzhong Road had developed food and travel industry.

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• Where can we visit on our spare time?

  Shanghai is where Chinese movie originated. It is also where a lot of international movie festivals take place. There are world-class theaters. Famous movies and latest movies can all be found in Shanghai's movie theaters.

  Huanyi Movie Theather on Nanjing West Road, Yongle Palace on Anfu Road are the most famous movie theathers in Shanghai.

  You can also go to teahouse. Different from traditional teahouse, the teahouse in Shanghai adds more modern atmosphere that attracts more and more young people.

  New theme parks and amusement parks in Shanghai are good choices too. Modern equipments and beautiful natural scenes will bring you to the ideal land.

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• How about Shanghai's nightlife?

  Bars, KTV and DISCO are indispensable in a busy city like Shanghai. Beautiful lights are like the reflection of the stars, lightening the whole city and bring the city endless liveliness.

  Blue Belt Night Club, Night Paris and the famous Big World are all well known and loved by young people. Dancing people and fragrant martini will make you forget about tiredness and start to enjoy the charm of Shanghai city.

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• How many airports does Shanghai have?

  There are two international airports in Shanghai, which are Hongqiao Aireport and Pudong International Airport.

  Hundreds of airlines are in service, which can reach to every big and medium city in China and some cities in each country.

  Air traffic is very convenient. Pudong International Airport is mainly for international airlines, while Hongqiao Airport is mainly for national airlines.

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• What is the city code of Shanghai?

  Shanghai's area code: 021

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