Traditionally, there was a city god temple in each city in China, which used to be dedicated to some immortal or god as protectors of the city. The Temple of the City God, City God Temple or Cheng Huang Temple, in Shanghai is the most famous in China. It was built in the fifteenth century during the Ming Dynasty. It is located in the old town area and next to the Yuyuan Garden.

These days, the Temple of the City God is surrounded by busy and noisy markets and restaurants. In many people's impression, the Temple of the City God includes not only the temple but also the whole area. You can see very heavy traffic everyday.