Chengde City God Temple

Chengde City God Temple

Chengde City God Temple is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The City God originated from ancient worship of Shui (Huang, the god of water) and Yong (Cheng, the god of the city wall), and is one of the Eight Deities in the "Rites of Zhou." "Cheng" originally referred to high walls built by digging earth, while "Huang" originally referred to moats without water. Ancient people built cities to protect the safety of residents within, so they constructed tall city walls, watchtowers, gates, as well as moats and defensive ditches. They believed that things closely related to people's lives and production safety were all guarded by deities, hence the city and its protecting god were deified as guardians of the city. Taoism incorporated it into its own pantheon, calling it a deity that eliminates evil, protects the nation, and governs the spirits of the underworld. The City God is a natural deity; wherever there is a city, there is a City God Temple.

The Chengde City God Temple scenic area is located in the city center of Chengde, on the north side of West Avenue, about 1 kilometer from the Mountain Resort. It is a typical Han-style temple with a simple layout. Just like a casual temple or monastery scattered in a small town in southern China, but with a little attention, you can see that this temple has an extraordinary presence.

First, the Taoist banners hanging high in front of the temple indicate that this is a Taoist temple, which is quite rare on Rehe Street. Most temples around the Mountain Resort are Tibetan Buddhist temples, and the construction of such a Taoist temple was out of respect for the religious beliefs of the Han people. Moreover, the fact that Emperor Qianlong personally designated it as the "Rehe Provincial City God Temple" seems to reflect the political status of ancient Rehe at the time. The Rehe Provincial City God Temple is covered with yellow glazed tiles and adorned with colorful decorations, subtly or not so subtly displaying its nobility above other City God Temples. It currently houses nearly ninety deities, including the "No. 1 City God Temple in the World," with other halls enshrining deities of literature, martial arts, righteousness, wealth, Confucius, Zhu Xi, the God of Literature Wenchang, and the uniquely featured Sixty Jiazi Gods. The main hall, Fuyin Yanjiang Hall, enshrines a seated statue of the City God with a kind face, known as the "No. 1 City God in the World."

Legend has it that the City God is the seventeenth son of Emperor Kangxi, Prince Yunli. Yunli was open-minded and conscientious from a young age and did not participate in power struggles within the imperial family. He was also intelligent, prudent, and achieved remarkable political accomplishments. After his death, Emperor Qianlong deeply felt as though he had lost a vital minister. In the 37th year of Qianlong’s reign, when Minister of Works Zhou Li Yuanli petitioned to build the Rehe Provincial City God Temple, Emperor Qianlong approved the funding for its construction and posthumously appointed Yunli as the City God of Rehe. The City God Temple is now one of the few Taoist temples in Chengde, distinct in style from the Outer Eight Temples, and is definitely worth a visit. Taoist rituals are held here daily from 9:00 to 10:00 AM, and major Taoist festivals are celebrated with special ceremonies.

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Hebei Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Sixth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units