City God Temple

The City God Temple was built way back in the early 15th century and has had a very rich and interesting history. It is today dedicated to three Chinese individuals considered as city gods of Shanghai.æ

The temple is one of Shanghai's top attraction. During the Daoguang era when the temple was at it's peak, the area around the temple was used to start many businesses and open shops as it was considered auspicious, which makes the entire complex today a bustling expanse of shops, eateries and activities in the present day as well. The three 'city gods' of the temple are Huo Gang, a chancellor of the Han Dynasty back in 68 BCE, Qin Yubo, a civil servant of immense popularity during the reign of the Yuan dynasty and served many roles in the court after the Emperor's requests, and Chen Huacheng, a Qing dynasty general who fought bravely and defended Shanghai during the first Opium Wars and sacrificed himself. The temple complex also includes 9 palaces.æ