城隍是城市的守护神。城隍演变成城隍信仰经历了漫长的发展历程。《周易》、《礼记》等均有对城隍早期形态的记载,但学界普遍认同的城隍祭祀开始于南北朝时期,即北齐郢城守将慕容俨受梁军围困,万般无奈之际率众祭拜城隍之事:“城中先有神祠一所,俗号城隍神,公私每有祈祷。于是顺士卒之心,乃相率祈请,冀获冥佑。须臾,冲风欻起,惊涛涌激,漂断荻洪。”~1此段文 City 隍 is the patron saint of the city. Chenghuang evolved into Chenghuang belief has experienced a long course of development. “Book of Changes”, “Book of Rites” and so on have recorded the early form of Chenghuang, but academics generally agree that the sacrifice of Chenghuang began in the Northern and Southern Dynasties period, that is, The worship of the city of things: “The city has an ancestral temple, a commonweal city God, public and private prayer each .So Shun Shou’s heart, is the rate of prayer, Ji was Mingyou. Tao Chung excitement, drifting Di Di. ”~ 1 this section of the text