Thousands of cyclists use Henan Road Bridge every day, but few know about a century-old temple nearby.

Tianhougong Temple was built in 1884, but after its main hall was relocated to Songjiang District in the 1970s, no one seemed to care about its remnants - a 120-year-old opera performance stage and an old wing-room where worshipers once rested.

Officials of the Zhabei District government recently said they will preserve the area along Suzhou Creek. Still they didn't specify whether that includes the temple.

Jin Baogen, director of the district's Urban Planning Administrative Bureau, said: "We have noticed there are a large number of heritage buildings along the northern bank of Suzhou Creek and we will preserve those worth protection."

It was one of the city's biggest temples at the time and was devoted to the sea goddess.

Since the 1970s, the site was divided, rebuilt and now packed by 30 families. Only the roof of the main building can be recognized as something resembling a temple.

"The living conditions are terrible," Zhou Caidi, a 75-year-old woman who has stayed in the wing-room for more than six decades, told Shanghai Daily yesterday. "When it rains, my house will be flooded."
Zhou's dark, damp room with no windows is less than 10 square meters including the bathroom. She shares the space with her 25-year-old grandson.
However, Zhou doesn't want to be relocated by the government because of steep housing prices. Her pension does not allow them any luxury.
Zhou said she and her parents started living there around 1937 when Japan invaded Shanghai.