Shaanxi Tourism | One of the Top Three City God Temples in China The Unmissable Xi'an City God Temple

Xi'an City God Temple was founded in the 20th year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty, and was one of the top three City God temples in the country at that time. Over the past 600 years, the City God Temple has suffered numerous fires. In the first year of the Yongzheng reign of the Qing Dynasty, a great fire broke out at the temple, leaving only the Ming Dynasty's main hall intact. In the same year, Nian Gengyao, the Governor of Sichuan and Shaanxi, dismantled the Ming Qin Prince's Mansion and used its timber to repair the City God Temple, which was also renovated many times thereafter. The main deity worshipped is Ji Xin, a general under Liu Bang. During the Battle of Xingyang, Liu Bang was defeated, and Ji Xin was captured by Xiang Yu to cover Liu Bang's retreat. Xiang Yu locked Ji Xin in a cage and burned him alive. After Liu Bang unified the country, to commemorate this history and the general, Ji Xin was enshrined as the City God. Today, the Xi'an City God Temple and Xiangzi Temple are the only two remaining Taoist temples in Xi'an. Stepping out of the City God Temple, you will see a plaque behind the gate tower that reads 'Have you arrived?', which is to remind you that there are divine spirits three feet above your head, so do not commit evil. There is also a couplet with this plaque: the first line reads 'In the world of the living, to do good or evil is all up to you'; the second line says 'In the underworld, who has ever been spared from ancient times to the present'; and the horizontal scroll reads 'Have you arrived?'. ☯️Address: No. 129 West Street 🚇Transportation: Guangji Street Station on Metro Line 6, Guangji Street Bus Station. ⏱️Hours: 8:00—17:30 (Entry stops at 17:00) 🎫Ticket: Free!