Monday, November 16, 2020

City God Temple of Shanghai - Chenghuang Miao

City of God Temple, Shanghai

Chenghuang 城隍 Miao 

"Cheng" means city wall and "Huang" means moat. Chenghuang temple was built to provide protection to the city.

Built in Yongle reign of Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644), it is the officially city temple of Shanghai. It is a folk temple. It originally started as the Jinshan God Temple, dedicated to "Gold Mountain" or the spirit of Jinshan. It was converted into a city temple in 1403. This temple is a Taoist temple which consists of 9 halls with different deities for the people to worship for good fortune and prosperous lives.
Outside of the temple
Very organized guiding the public into the temple with health checks and registration
Do you see KFC? Hehe!




















The Wenchang Hall


The Goddesses Hall or the Cihang Hall






Grand Hall or Central altar honoring 3 city gods of Shanghai

From left: Chen Huacheng, Hua Guang & Qin Yubo

Chen Huacheng (1776 - 1842)
A General of Qing Dynasty. Commanded the Chinese defenses during the first Opium War. Gave his life defending the Yangtze River area from the British.

Hua Guang
Died in 68 BC. Famous Western Han Dynasty politician and chancellor. Greatly admired for his skillful administration of China. He has been the first God for the city of Shanghai since the Yuan Dynasty.

Qin Yubo (1295 - 1373)
A scholar in Shanghai and civil servant in the late Yuan Dynasty. Later, served in the Emperor's Court as a Chief Imperial Examiner.


Taoist guards on both sides of the wall of the Grand Hall




Chen Huacheng
Lovely wall paintings


Goddess Mazu






Huo Guang

Taoist deities representing each year of the Chinese zodiac
Yupp, the 1971 Pig caught my attention!


God of Literature



God of Wealth, also, God of War








Chenghuang Hall


Heavenly couple


A tea shop before the exit


 

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