If you can import food and/or hemp, consider doing that rather than building farms during the first year. It doesn't cost that much, and you save workers since two irrigated farms require 54 workers, and a trading post only needs 9. Also, you get food to your folks earlier resulting in earlier housing evolution bringing in more workers..
Shrines will give you religious walker coverage,m but you must have a temple somewhere in the city before you can summon a Daoist or Buddist hero.
[This message has been edited by Grumpus The Elder (edited 11-27-2002 @ 03:14 PM).]