Zhujiajiao Chenghuang Temple

Zhujiajiao Chenghuang Temple

Zhujiajiao Chenghuang Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Zhujiajiao Chenghuang Temple is situated in Zhujiajiao Town, Qingpu District, about forty kilometers west of Shanghai. The town is a famous historical and cultural destination in the Jiangnan area, surrounded by lakes and featuring intersecting waterways, quaint bridges, and beautiful scenery. Most of its Ming and Qing architecture has been preserved. Traditionally, the Chenghuang Temple played a crucial role in the layout of ancient county towns, ranking only second to the local government office and the Confucian temple. Zhujiajiao Chenghuang Temple serves as the regional shrine of the Qingpu Chenghuang, also known as the "Bo Mansion Platform." The original site was located at Xuejiabang in the southern part of the town but was relocated to its current position in the 28th year of the Qianlong reign during the Qing Dynasty (1763), at the heart of the ancient Zhujiajiao town. Built along the river, the temple’s screen wall faces the Chenghuang Bridge, which spans the waterway. The entire complex is grand in scale, with most of its main structures still intact. It was reopened to the public in 1992 and has undergone subsequent renovations. Nowadays, during traditional worship days and festival periods, worshippers flock here, making it a bustling site of devotion.

The architectural orientation of Zhujiajiao Chenghuang Temple is quite unique—unlike typical Chenghuang Temples that face south, this one is almost east-west facing. Why? Legend has it that during the Western Zhou Dynasty, Laozi (the Supreme Old Lord), the founder of Taoism, exited the Hangu Pass heading west. The gatekeeper, Yin Xi, saw a purple aura approaching from the east the day before and knew an esteemed guest was coming, so he set up an altar for a solemn ceremony and waited respectfully. The next day, Laozi indeed arrived in his blue ox-drawn chariot. At Yin Xi’s earnest request, the Supreme Old Lord left behind the famous “Tao Te Ching” for future generations. The temple’s gate faces east not only due to geographical and river alignment considerations but also to welcome the “purple aura from the east,” symbolizing the arrival of auspicious figures.

The temple's halls are primarily arranged along a central axis, with clear symmetry both vertically and horizontally. Along this axis, starting from the Eight Immortals Screen Wall, there are stone lions, the main gate, the theater stage, an incense burner, the main hall, the bedroom hall, and the rear garden (now gone), flanked by corridors on both sides. The roofs of the halls feature soaring eaves and intricately interlocked brackets, creating a layout that is both spacious and majestic in presence.

In front of the main gate stand a pair of stone lions—one male holding a silk ball, the other female cradling a cub—both carved with soft, flowing lines. Upon entering the three-bay ceremonial gate, you’ll find an ancient theater stage built on a stone foundation and clad in finely polished hexagonal bricks. The backstage area houses makeup rooms, while the stage eaves are adorned with carvings of civil and military dramas, birds, flowers, and weapons—all exquisitely detailed and lifelike. The ceiling of the stage, inspired by ancient Six Dynasties craftsmanship, features no beams or columns, constructed instead with 160 bracket arms forming steps, all tightly fitted together without a single nail. At the center is a relief of two dragons playing with a pearl, symbolizing fire prevention. The entire stage is a masterpiece of craftsmanship, hailed as “unparalleled in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, unrivaled in Guangdong and Guangxi.” The horizontal beam above the stage is inscribed with the four characters “Cheng Ping Ya Song” (Celebrating Peace and Eulogizing Virtue), and the flanking stone pillars bear a couplet:

Building this stage, long and leisurely it stands

Watching past events—dream or truth, who can tell?

The couplets on the stage pillars read:

Roaming the eyes and letting thoughts roam, nothing surpasses admiring flowers and moon

Appearing in person to preach—urge loyalty to the sovereign and filial piety to parents

The upper couplet describes the feelings of the audience: gazing with the eyes, hearts filled with emotion, marveling at the performances that surpass even the appreciation of nature’s beauty.

The lower couplet reflects the performers’ sentiments—using their vivid portrayals to teach people to be filial to their parents and loyal to their country.

The corridors on either side of the stage once housed various rooms: on the left were the Yinqing Hall, Yuzhao Corridor, Yuexiang Room, Xichun Stage; on the right were the Ninghe Study, Hejing Mountain Room, Tan Ying Pavilion, Keyu Studio, Yixiu Pavilion, Huashen Hall, Yiting, and Hanqing Pavilion. The Ninghe Study was a gathering place for local literati, while Tan Ying Pavilion featured a lotus pond with rockeries. Keyu Pavilion had a small stream with a stone bridge, home to hundreds of goldfish and surrounded by lotus, willows, and peach trees. These pavilions, gardens, and ponds were collectively known as the “Twelve Scenic Spots of Chenghuang Temple.” The Qing-era writer Zhou Yubin’s “Zhuli Xiaozhi” lists them as: Xichun Plum Shadows, Green Grass in Spring, Orioles on the Willow Bank, Sunset Glow over Condensing Clouds, Lotus Cooling the Heat, Summer Floods on the Flat Bridge, Winding Waters with Clear Ripples, Fishing Rocks in the Pond Shadows, Bamboos Reflecting Bookish Light, Moonlight Rippling in the Happy Stream, Cool Breeze in the Morning Mist, and Snow-Covered Jade Mountains. Sadly, these were lost during the Republic of China era due to lack of maintenance. The current side rooms were rebuilt in 1998 and now house the Jiazi Hall, God of Wealth Hall, and Fortune-Turning Hall. There is also a side shrine, Cihang Hall, and Mengjiang Hall, dedicated to deities such as Cihang Daozun and General Liu Mengjiang.

In front of the stage is a flagstone plaza, leading to a stone platform. Ascending the steps brings you to the main hall—the oldest structure in the temple. Legend says this hall was originally the field headquarters of Qi Jiguang, a famed Ming Dynasty general who fought Japanese pirates. The main hall consists of a front terrace, offering hall, the main hall itself, and a rear room. Above the hall’s entrance hangs an unusually large abacus, distinct from the plaques usually seen in temples. It displays auspicious numbers: 6-6 for smoothness, 8-directions for peace, and 9-9 for unity. Everyone faces many life challenges, with ages 3, 6, and 9 considered critical, and a full cycle of 60 years comprising 18 such milestones. The three sixes on the abacus symbolize hope for overcoming all hurdles. The three eights signify the 24 solar terms in a year, wishing for favorable weather throughout. The numbers 1 through 9 reflect Taoist belief in a “Book of Merits and Demerits” that records every person’s good and bad deeds. After death, it’s believed that one’s fate in the next life is determined by these records. Thus, the abacus serves as a reminder from the Chenghuang to do good, not to scheme or nitpick—after all, “no matter how much humans calculate, heaven’s calculations prevail.” Beware: the gods are watching. No matter how much you scheme, you can’t outwit divine justice. The vivid paintings of the Ten Kings of Hell on the hall walls serve to frighten the wicked and reassure the virtuous. Each pillar in the hall bears couplets rich in literary meaning:

One is written in seal script:

If you truly have a kind heart, you need not burn incense or candles on the first and fifteenth of the month

But if you deceive heaven and earth, beware my iron chains and steel forks at midnight

Another couplet reads:

Aspire to high ideals, form moderate connections, enjoy simple blessings

Stand at lofty heights, live with a level head, walk the broad path

The central shrine enshrines the main deities of the Chenghuang Temple—Chenghuang and his wife (the bedroom hall behind was destroyed in the 1960s, so they are now seated together). They appear serene and benevolent, and are known for frequent miracles. “Cheng” means city wall; “huang” refers to a dry moat. Together, they imply a guardian deity of a region. The worship of Chenghuang originated in the Zhou Dynasty. In the second year of the Hongwu reign, Emperor Taizu of the Ming Dynasty decreed different ranks and titles for Chenghuang based on the administrative levels of capitals, prefectures, counties, and districts, hence Chenghuang Temples everywhere enshrine different deities. Those honored as Chenghuang are often meritorious officials with historical significance. During the Chongzhen era, Emperor Chongzhen posthumously appointed Shen En, former Sichuan Provincial Administration Commissioner, as the Chenghuang of Qingpu, “to commend his meritorious service,” bestowing him the title “Xianling Bo” (“Bo” being a noble rank). The county annals note: “Shen Gong of Qingpu County, surname Shen, was a native of Shanghai... His tomb is located west of the Baxian Bridge, in front of the vegetable market...”

Legends of the Qingpu Chenghuang’s miracles are widely recounted. When Emperor Qianlong traveled to the south of the Yangtze River, his dragon boat passed through Dianshan Lake when suddenly a storm arose, causing the boat to lose direction. Just as everyone panicked, two lanterns appeared at the bow of the boat, bearing the faint words “Xianling Bo.” The boat then safely entered the harbor. The next day, Qianlong learned that “Xianling Bo” was the Chenghuang’s title, and upon visiting the temple, found water stains still wet on the Chenghuang’s ceremonial robe. In recognition of the Chenghuang’s protection, Qianlong bestowed the additional title “Fuyou Xianling Bo,” the imperial decree of which is still preserved in the Qingpu Museum.

The Chenghuang’s protection of Zhujiajiao is further evidenced by his charred arm. In 1937, Japanese planes frequently bombed Zhujiajiao. Once, a plane circled over the Chenghuang Temple, then suddenly dropped a dark object—a bomb plummeting straight down. At that moment, a group of people were lying on the ground to avoid air raids. Had the bomb hit, they would have perished. With no time to escape or hide, they could only resign themselves to fate. Miraculously, the bomb, which had been falling straight, suddenly curved in the air as if pushed away, narrowly missing the crowd. Even more strangely, it circled the temple several times before landing harmlessly about 30 meters away. Only one collaborator, a tofu shop owner surnamed Zhu, was killed. Those taking shelter near the temple were unharmed. Survivors flocked to the temple to pray for protection. One brave soul noticed a large, scorched mark on the Chenghuang’s arm, his hand blackened and charred. They believed the Chenghuang had miraculously saved the townspeople.

Behind the main hall stands a tall ginkgo tree, 22 meters high with a trunk circumference of over 3.60 meters, classified as a first-class protected tree. Known as a living fossil, this relatively “young” specimen has weathered over 300 years of history, witnessing the town’s changes. The tree branches out and bears abundant fruit each year. Ginkgo seeds, commonly called white nuts, have medicinal value, and the entire tree is useful—even its leaves can be extracted to make blood pressure medication. Ginkgo trees are commonly found in cultural heritage sites.

The Chenghuang Temple is the main activity site for Zhujiajiao’s Taoist followers. The renovated temple covers 3,600 square meters, spanning six to seven acres, and is a district-level cultural relic protection unit. On Taoist activity days, priests conduct rituals for worshippers to pray for blessings and peace. When a follower passes away, residents invite priests to perform funeral rites for the deceased’s soul to ascend. People visit the temple mainly for three reasons: to offer incense and pray for safety, to visit the Fortune-Turning Hall for luck, or to draw a blessing charm for divine guidance. By avoiding evil and practicing kindness, one shall receive blessings.

Time Needed

About 1 hour

Transportation

Located in Zhujiajiao Town, within walking distance

Admission

10 RMB

Opening Hours

9:00-17:00

Location

About 60 meters east of the intersection of Caohe Road and Meizhou Road, Zhujiajiao Town, Qingpu District, Shanghai