History and Culture

Filial Piety Culture

The filial piety culture is so famous. Since from Western Han Dynasty, the love story between Dong Yong and Seventh Fairy is so popular in Xixi. According to textual research, there are more than 50 relics of place names related to the story (Heluo House, Dongijaduo, Shezitou, Fenghuangquan Spring, Cilanghe River, Muyunzhuang Village, Dong & Xi Xieerzhuang Village, Saosijing Well and Dong Yong Grave of dutiful son in Han Dynasty as well as the Dong Filial Piety Temple). On October 26, 2002, the ceremony to mark the first publication of stamps of Folk Legend-Dong Yong and Seventh Fairy, is in Dongtai, Jiangsu, Xiaogan, Hubei and Anqing, Anhui, at the same time (Xiaoga, Hubei focuses on the culture of filial piety, while the Anqing, Anhui pays attention to the hometown of Huangmeixi drama). In May 2016, Dongtai’s Legend of Dong Yong has been listed to first national list of non-material cultural heritage. Cultural Park of Dong Yong and Seventh Fairy plans to cover 146 mu with the total investment of 67 million yuan. The first phase is 45 mu to build such scenic spots as sculptures of Dong Yong and Seventh Fairy, Dong Xian Temple, Cameo Corridor, Old Pagoda Tree and Land Temple. In December 2010, it has been awarded as national "2A" tourist scenic spot. By far, based on the eight spots in the first phase, all kinds of tourist facilities such as walking paths, Landscape Bridges and so on have been built up and the twenty-four spots of the fairytale of Dong Yang and Seventh Fairy have been perfect. The love story between Dong Yong and Seventh Fairy has been zoomed in. The whole park is officially open to the mass on the cultural tourism festival of Dong Yong and Seventh Fairy in 2013. It has been awarded as national "3A" tourist scenic spot

Baysalt Culture

There are abundant relics in Xixi, including ancient temples, ancient pagodas, ancient bridges and ancient ways. Haichunxuanta Pagoda, the landmark of Dongtai, locates in the north side of Qindonghe River of Xixi. It is built in Tang Dynasty and it is repaired in Song Dynasty. It is a two-story brick pagoda with inside of Tang style and outside of Song style. It has been more than 1380 years and the age of pagoda is the oldest among the 58 pagodas in Jiangsu. The folk calls it as Xixi Baota, and it is called as Xiaomu Pagoda, Zhenhai Pagoda and Weichi Pagoda. It is determined to be provincial cultural relics protection unit in 1982 and it is determined to be national cultural relics protection unit in 2013. Tongshengqiao Bridge and Baziqiao Bridge, these two bridges are single-hole arch structure. Tongshengqiao Bridge is in the Yanxihe River in front of the Taishansi Temple. Baziqiao Bridge is in the conjunction of two rivers of Yanxihe River and Xionghe River. The Baziqiao Bridge with the reputation of “Stepping on the top of two bridges by one step and two bridges lead to three banks” is more than 200 years earlier than the double bridge of Zhouzhuang. They are Dongtai cultural relics protection units. Pearwood Street, in the north side of Yanxihe River. It is made with black brick and there are residence houses in Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasty. During these two dynasties, pearwood and agricultural tools were sold in the street, and it was so popular in Xiahe River Township in Central Jiangsu Province, so it is called as Pearwood Street. Sanli Road, a plank road of ancient sea mouth. It is begun from the east of Pearwood street with the length of more than 1600 meters (commonly known as Sanli Road). It was built in the establishment of the Xixi town and it has been more than 2000 years. It is several thousand years earlier than Mr. Fan to build dam.  Xixi Ancient Town is in the east side of Taishan Avenue of Xixi spot area. According to the basic principle of “Embodying with Ancient Town and Souling with Culture, the theme of Song Dynasty culture is highlighted. There is reproduction of the historic prosperity of Xixi ancient salt town to build up a Song Dynasty style business groups integrating classical and modern, culture and commerce. These are correspondent with Taishan Huguochan Temple, Cultural Park of Dong Yong and Seventh Fairy and Haichun Pagodas Yard to form a point-line tourism concentration area.

Buddhist Culture

The history of religion culture in Xixi has been so long and it is called as east Turkish Buddhist kingdom. Guangfu Temple is built in Western Han Dynasty (about 76 A.D.). There have been more than 800 temples at all sizes and there are 13 formal forests. Taishan Huguochan Temple is built in Southern Song Dynasty with the history of more than 900 years, so it has been one of famous temple in Jiangsu Province released by Chinese Buddhist Association, and it is also one of 23 Buddhist key protected temples in Jiangsu Province. The project of Haichun Pagodas Yard is cored with Haichunxuan Pagoda in Tang Dynasty and "One Temple with Five Temples" in the millennium ancient temple of the Song Dynasty, Taishan Temple. Relying on rich ecological water network system in Yanxihe River, Wuzhuahe River and Fenghuanghe River, it focuses on building Taishan Temple, Buddhist Education and Culture Museum, Lotus Square, Cixiao Culture Museum, Guangfu Temple, Zizhu Jingshe and other scenic spots. The Haichun Pagodas Yard will have organic combination of Zen Culture and Cixiao Culture, so there is organic integration of local culture of Xixi and religion culture of Buddhist, so as to promote the taste of scenery with culture connotation and to show the harmony of human and nature.