Xixi is the birthplace of Dongtai’s history and culture. Since the Han Dynasty, Xixi has "boiled the sea into salt" and is known as the "sea salt warehouse in the world". During the Northern Song Dynasty, three salt officials (Yan Shu, Lu Yijian, and Fan Zhongyan) came to the court from Xixi to serve as prime ministers. Guangfu Temple in Xixi was built in the Han Dynasty and is the earliest temple in the history of Buddhism in Jiangsu. Taishan Huguo Zen Temple was built in the Southern Song Dynasty and is one of the famous temples in Jiangsu. "The Legend of Dong Yong's Seven Fairies" was listed as the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage by the State Council in 2006, and there are more than 50 related place name remains within the territory. Haichunxuan Pagoda is the oldest existing Tang Pagoda in Jiangsu and has become the seventh batch of national key cultural relics protection units.
Dongtai carefully builds Xixi tourist cultural scenic spot, organically integrating love culture, three-phase culture, sea salt culture and Buddhist culture, with the theme of "Xianyuan Holy Land" tourism experience, integrating cultural leisure, ancient town tour, Buddhist experience in one.
Xixi, located on the bank of the ancient Salt River in the west of Dongtai City, is the birthplace of Dongtai history and culture, the origin of Huaihai salt culture, and the origin of the national intangible cultural heritage "Dong Yong Legend". It is known as " It is also known as the "Root of Dongtai". The town was established in the sixth year of Yuanshou in the Western Han Dynasty (117 BC) and has always been affiliated with Yangzhou Prefecture. In the 33rd year of Qianlong's reign in the Qing Dynasty, Dongtai County was established, and Xixi began to belong to Dongtai. Xixi is a gathering place of humanities, especially famous for its "Three Phases". The three prime ministers of the Northern Song Dynasty, Yan Shu, Lu Yijian and Fan Zhongyan, all served as salt officials in Xixi. Xixi Academy founded by Yan Shu is one of the earliest academies in Chinese history, and Yanxi River is also named after Yan Shu; Lu Yi is famous for planting peonies by hand and built a peony pavilion; Fan Zhongyan presided over the construction of Fan Gongdi, and once named it "Modao Xixi Xiao" Xixi has produced great talents; I know that the two prime ministers once came here and praised Xixi. Xixi is rich in relics, with numerous ancient temples, pagodas, ancient bridges and ancient roads. Haichunxuan Tower - a landmark of Dongtai, located on the north side of Taidong River in Xixi. It was built in the Tang Dynasty and the Song Dynasty. It is a two-story brick structure tower with "inner Tang and outer Song". It has been more than 1380 years old and the age of the tower is 58 years old in Jiangsu. The most ancient pagoda, it is commonly known as the "Xixi Pagoda" among the people, also known as the "Filial Mother Pagoda", "Zhenhai Pagoda" and "Yuchi Pagoda". It was designated as a provincial-level cultural relics protection unit in 1982 and a national-level cultural relics protection unit in 2013. Tongsheng Bridge and Bazi Bridge - both bridges are single-hole arched brick bridges in the Song Dynasty; Tongsheng Bridge is located on the Yanxi River in front of Taishan Temple, and the "Bazi Bridge" is located at the intersection of the three banks of the Yanxi River and the Xiong River. "One step, two tops" The "eight-character bridge" with two bridges connecting three banks was built more than 200 years earlier than the Zhouzhuang twin bridges. They are both now cultural relics protection units in Dongtai City. Limu Street - located on the north side of Yanxi River, with blue brick pavement and many existing Ming and Qing folk houses. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the plowwood and farm tools sold on Limu Street were famous in Xiahe Water Town in Central Suzhou, hence the name Limu Street. Sanli Road - is an ancient Haikou plank road.
Starting from the east end of Limu Street in the west, with a total length of more than 1,600 meters (commonly known as Sanli Road), it was first built during the establishment of Xixi Town. It has been more than 2,000 years ago and was earlier than Fan Gongdi was built over a thousand years ago. Xixi Ancient City is located on the east side of Taishan Avenue in Xixi Scenic Area. According to the basic principle of "ancient town as body and culture as soul", it highlights the theme of Song Dynasty culture, reproduces the prosperity of ancient Xixi Yancao trade, and creates a classical and modern, cultural and commercial city. Song Dynasty style business group. The newly built attractions mainly include the Chengmen Tower Exhibition Hall, Yanxi Academy, Sanxiang Pavilion, etc. Xixi Ancient City has become a landmark building group in the Xixi Scenic Area, echoing the Taishan Huguo Zen Temple, Dong Yong Seven Fairies Cultural Park, and Haichun Pagoda Garden, forming a tourist concentration area that combines points and lines. The Haichun Pagoda Garden and Buddhist Cultural Park project is centered on the two remains of the "Haichunxuan Pagoda" in the Tang Dynasty and the Taishan Temple, a thousand-year-old temple in the Song Dynasty. The ecological water network system focuses on building tourist attractions such as the Suzhai Hall, Lotus Square, Sutra Turning Corridor, Buddhist Education and Culture Center, Guangfu Zen Temple, Haichunxuan Pagoda, Cixiao Cultural Center, and Zizhu Jingshe, forming a concentrated experience area for Buddhist culture. Make the pagoda, temple and garden an organic whole. After completion, Haichun Pagoda Garden will organically unify "zen culture" and "filial piety culture", organically integrate Xixi's local culture and Buddhist religious culture, enhance the taste of the scenic spot with cultural connotation, and reflect the harmony between man and nature.