城隍

Chénghuáng

popculture

Meanings

1 City God
2 tutelary deity of a walled city in Chinese folk religion; each city had its own 城隍

Characters

city wall; city

Examples

上海的城隍庙很有名。

Shànghǎi de Chénghuáng Miào hěn yǒumíng.

Shanghai's City God Temple is very famous.

城隍爷是守护城市的神。

Chénghuáng yé shì shǒuhù chéngshì de shén.

The City God is the deity who protects the city.

台湾各地都有城隍庙。

Táiwān gè dì dōu yǒu Chénghuáng Miào.

There are City God temples all over Taiwan.

Tips

culture

城 = city wall, 隍 = dry moat; literally "wall and moat deity" — the god of city defenses. Each major city had a 城隍庙 (City God Temple), often housing the deified spirit of a local historical official. Shanghai's 城隍庙 is now a famous bazaar and tourist district. Also widely worshipped in Taiwan and among overseas Chinese.

Stroke Order

城 chéng

隍 huáng