Walking Tour Through City God Temple In Shanghai

Touring the City God Temple in Shanghai on a Rainy Night After a Cup of Coffee

Shanghai’s skyline at night is miraculous—especially when the rain falls, softening the harsh edges of the city's towering skyscrapers and giving the streets a glistening, cinematic glow. But when that rain pours hard upon one of the most revered temples in the city, the experience transcends the ordinary. Despite having raincoats, we found ourselves getting splashed by the roofs at the City God Temple (Chenghuang Miao) on a stormy evening, feeling the serenity of the centuries-old architecture.

The Prelude: A Warm Cup of Coffee

Before heading out, we took a quiet moment to savor a cup of coffee at one of the charming cafés tucked along the Bund. As we sipped, we could see the rain picking up outside, blurring the neon lights of the city and the darker, more subdued alleyways of the old town. Heading down to the Metro, one of the most well-organized, convenient systems in the world. We took a couple of trains over to the temple.

The City God Temple at Night

After a short but wet walk from the station, we arrived at the City of God Temple, known as Chenghuang Miao. This historic Taoist temple, dedicated to the City God, is nestled within an older part of Shanghai. The temple dates back to the early Ming dynasty and has been an integral part of the city’s spiritual life for centuries.

The temple’s grand architecture, with its intricate wooden carvings, sweeping eaves, and blood red lacquered paint, looked even more striking against the backdrop of the rain-drenched streets. The sound of raindrops tapping on the stone courtyard combined with the faint scent of incense drifting through the air gave everything an almost otherworldly atmosphere.

The Night Market

After spending some time in the temple, we ventured out into the nearby Chenghuang Miao Bazaar, a labyrinth of traditional shops, street food stalls, and market vendors. The market’s energy was alive despite the weather—locals huddled under umbrellas while drenched tourists splashed between stalls selling everything from intricate jade carvings to warm bowls of dumplings.

We couldn’t resist the temptation of some warm, freshly made zongzi (sticky rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves) and some unreal dumpling soup as well.

Reflections on the Rainy Night

With our coffee buzz long since worn off, full bellies, and wet feet, we tracked down a tiny moto clad in plastic. We squeezed into the back of this ride and the driver zipped us in. He was excited, it had been a slow night and I was sure he had been drinking away the boredom. I told him with the app translator where our hotel was, a couple of blocks off the Bund. He agreed and sped off in the wrong direction, the temple’s glow fading into the background.

Maybe it was short cut? What did we know about getting around Shanghai at night, in the rain?

We were definitely cruising away from the lights of the Bund and into a side of Shanghai we had no business in.

Finally, I tapped him on the shoulder and he laughed startled as if he forgot we were there.

Which, he may have. He made an insane maneuver, flipping a bitch in the middle of a four-lane street.

We arrived six blocks from our hotel about 45 minutes later and walked the rest of the way.