'god of the boundary'), is a tutelary deity in Chinese folk religion who is believed to protect the people and the affairs of the particular village, town or city of great dimension, and the corresponding location in the afterlife.

City God cults appeared over two millennia ago, and originally involved worship of a protective deity of a town's walls and moats.

[4] Over time a large number of City God positions were created by official decrees, along with accompanying temples and images.

The associated activities were designed to help legitimize the state in the eyes of the common people and preserve local social status distinctions.

[7] The official worship of a City God was a solemn and dignified event, with various ceremonies held inside the temples.

[6] The animals and food that were sacrificed to the Chenghuangshen were carefully inspected by the religious officials to make sure that they were good enough for the City God.

[7] On the other hand, the City God was liable for punishment if he failed to perform his duties as requested: for example failure on his part to bring rain when properly asked could result in his sacred image being exposed to the burning rays of the sun, or being bodily whipped by the governor or magistrate.

These ceremonies often draw huge crowds of people and involve theatrical performances, sales of refreshments, fireworks, firecrackers, beating of gongs and drums, and incense burning.

In 1877 Hong Kong built their first Shing Wong temple, which was originally named Fook Tak Tsz (福德祠).

Often his images are worshiped and enshrined with other deities in shrines or temples in different cities, such as Four Heavenly Kings in Wat Mangkon Kamalawat, etc.