Zhangqiu City God Temple

Zhangqiu City God Temple

Zhangqiu City God Temple is a cultural relic protection unit of Liaocheng City and a national geopark.

Zhangqiu City God Temple is located on the campus of Beijie Primary School at the northern end of Beijie in Zhangqiu Town, Yanggu County, and is currently a key cultural relic protection unit of Liaocheng City.

Most towns and cities in China have built a City God Temple. According to ancient legend, the deity that guards a city is called the City God. It is the ruler of the spirit world within the city, and its jurisdiction is equivalent to that of a county magistrate in the human world. Taoism regards the City God as a deity that “eliminates evil and safeguards the nation,” claiming it can respond to people’s prayers—bringing rain during droughts and clearing skies during floods—to ensure abundant harvests and prosperous people. Zhangqiu City God Temple was first built during the Qing Dynasty. It features a brick-and-wood structure with a hip-and-gable roof design. Currently, only one main hall remains. It faces south and is accompanied by a three-room side wing. The main hall is three bays wide and five bays deep, measuring 11 meters in length from east to west, 7 meters in width from north to south, and about 10 meters in height. It has a hip-and-gable roof, wooden beams without bracket sets (dougong), and is topped with gray tiles. The temple complex covers an area approximately 30 meters in length from east to west and 20 meters in width from north to south, with a total area of around 600 square meters.

Zhangqiu Town: Zhangqiu Town is located in the eastern part of the county. The name “Zhangqiu” first appeared during the Tang and Five Dynasties periods, and the town was established in the Northern Song Dynasty. In 1940, the Zhangqiu County Anti-Japanese Democratic Government was formed. In 1964, the county was abolished and replaced with the town, which was successively designated as Zhangqiu District and Zhangqiu People’s Commune. Zhangqiu Town has remained since its establishment in 1984.　

Zhangqiu Town is located 20 kilometers east of Yanggu County seat. It borders Taiqian County of Henan Province to the south and Aicheng Town to the north, covering a total area of 53 square kilometers with a population of 50,000, including 1,780 members of the Hui ethnic group. The world-famous site of Wu Song Fighting the Tiger at Jingyang Ridge is located within its jurisdiction, and the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal runs through the town... More details about Zhangqiu Town++