·                        Traditionally Chinese believe that each city is watched over by its own guardian god. The earliest temple to the God of Shanghai was founded in the Song Dynasty when a shrine was erected to the City God of Huating County. The present site was originally used in the Ming Dynasty during the reign of Emperor Yongle.  Legends say that in the early Ming dynasty Qin Yubo was an irreprehensible scholar who, out of disdain for politics, refused to become a court official. After Qin Yubo's death in 1377, the emperor lamented that he had never been able to persuade the matchless official to take up a post in the central government, which was rife with corruption.  The emperor decided to deify Qin Yubo in order to honour his learning and honest nature. The area surrounding his temple has grown into a bustling market, with over 100 stores selling countless varieties of traditional products.