Gongji Terrace, located by Haizi Pond in the north of Xinghua City, stands 6 meters high and covers an area of 1,300 square meters. Here, pavilions and towers are nestled against the city and by the water, shaded by towering trees, creating an elegant and serene landscape. The terrace was first built during the Southern Song Dynasty. In the first year of the Baoqing era (1225), Chen Gai, the magistrate of Xinghua County, constructed defenses to guard against northern troops such as the Jin and Mongols attempting to cross the Huai River...
Outside the east gate of Xinghua City, Taizhou, there is a Ming–Qing dynasty thoroughfare, anciently known as Tongtai. From the Qing dynasty onward, it has been called Dongchengwai Dajie (East Outer City Street), also known as Xinghua Zhuangyuan Fang. Slightly to the east lies Zhuangyuan Lane, which extends northward — the place where Li Chunfang, the top imperial scholar of the Ming dynasty’s Jiajing era, spent his early years. As a youth, Li Chunfang was diligent and studious, often reading alone in the Earth God Temple at Shenghu Li. The temple had three bays, …
Xinghua Dongyue Temple is located at No. 41 Pailou Road in downtown Xinghua. The main structure was first built during the Yongle era of the Ming Dynasty (1403–1424), while the Four Saints Temple was constructed in the late Yuan Dynasty, during the Zhizheng era (1341–1368), making it the largest Taoist complex in Xinghua’s history. The site underwent multiple renovations during the Ming and Qing Dynasties as well as in modern times, but fell into disrepair due to war...
Lizhong Water Forest Ecological Park is an artificial ecological forest base, initially established in the early 1980s, covering a total area of 18,894 mu. The currently developed area spans 1,500 mu, including 1,050 mu of forested land, with 100,000 trees such as metasequoia and bald cypress planted, forming a tall, dense, and vibrant water forest. …
The Xinghua Ancient City Wall was first built in the first year of the Baoqing era during the Southern Song Dynasty (1225 AD). At that time, the people of Xinghua dug a river and used the excavated earth to construct an earthen wall encircling the city, stretching 6 li and 157 steps in length and over one zhang in height. The wall had four city gates, each topped with a tower, and was surrounded by a moat. By the fifth year of the Hongwu era in the Ming Dynasty (1372 AD), the...
The Banqiao Bamboo and Stone Garden is located along the Che Road River southwest of Yingwu Bridge in Xinghua City. It primarily combines landscaping with garden architecture, covering a total construction area of approximately 60,000 square meters. The garden features a variety of bamboo species such as moso bamboo, tea pole bamboo, yellow stem black bamboo, white bamboo, fountain bamboo, filial piety bamboo, early bamboo, purple bamboo, spicy leek bamboo, water bamboo, small violin bamboo, …
Zheng Banqiao Forest Park is located in the northwest corner of Guanruan Village, Daduo Town, Xinghua City. The area is commonly known as Zheng Family Ground and serves as the ancestral burial site of the Zheng family. Five rivers converge here, resembling five dragons playing with water and shaped like a phoenix tail, hence it is called the Phoenix Treasure Land. Since its planning and construction began in 1986, Zheng Banqiao Forest Park has undergone three major renovations and expansions in 1993, 2003, and 2007...
Zhao Haixian’s Western-style House, also known as the Former Residence of Zhao Haixian, is located at No. 16 Jia Shu Lane, outside the east city of Xinghua City, and was built in the late Qing Dynasty. Zhao Haixian, whose given name was Lü’ao (1830–1904), was born into a traditional Chinese medicine family in Xinghua during the late Qing period. He began studying medicine from childhood and fully inherited his family's knowledge. Building upon his profound understanding of ancestral medical skills, he further promoted and developed them, mastering classical Chinese medical texts...
Banqiao Cultural Park is located to the west of Zheng Banqiao’s former residence. Though not large in scale, it is rich in cultural atmosphere. It is a garden deeply infused with the artistic essence of Zheng Banqiao, with its couplets and plaques all reflecting the core ideas of his philosophy. The "Woting Pavilion" (literally “Pavilion for Listening While Lying Down”) is designed based on the poet’s verse: “Lying in my official chamber, I hear the rustling bamboo, and suspect it to be the people’s cries of distress. For us, minor officials, every twig and leaf is of concern…”
The Memorial Hall of Zheng Banqiao & Fan Zhongyan features six permanent exhibition areas, including “The Versatile Genius – Zheng Banqiao,” “The Long Flowing Chu River – A Brief History of Xinghua,” and “Memorial Hall of Fan Zhongyan,” as well as two temporary exhibition halls, and several cultural heritage sites such as the Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit Li Garden, the former Xinghua County Government Office, the Four-Gate Tower, the ancient architectural complex along East Street in the city, and the Four-Gate Tower Cultural...
Shangfang Temple is located at the northern end of Wujindang Park in the northern suburbs of Xinghua. The ancient temple was built during the Chongzhen era of the Ming Dynasty, but unfortunately, it was destroyed in warfare in 1944, leaving no trace of the original structure. In 1996, the municipal government decided to rebuild Shangfang Temple in the Wujindang Scenic Area, reconstructing it in the original architectural style: including the screen wall, mountain gate hall, Heavenly King Hall, Mahavira Hall, scripture depository, lay practitioners’ quarters...
Liyuan is located on the west side of Wu’an Street in Xinghua City. Built during the Xianfeng reign (1851–1860) of the Qing Dynasty, it was originally a private garden of Li Xiaobo, a wealthy merchant from Yangzhou, and is a water town garden noted for its unique design style, exquisite craftsmanship, and distinctive regional character. Due to its elongated layout, it is also known as “Yu Garden Half Mu.” During the Qing Xianfeng…
The former residence of Liu Xizai is located in the bustling urban area of Xinghua City. The ancient gate tower exudes a serene and contemplative atmosphere amidst the hustle and bustle. The residence is divided into front and rear sections, with simple and elegant furnishings. The front section served as a reception hall, featuring an antique table and several chairs. The long doors and lattice windows are carved with various patterns, mostly depicting orchids and slender bamboo. The lines are...
When people talk about wooden pagodas, they often think of the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda in Shanxi or the Zhangye Wooden Pagoda in Gansu. In fact, the Changrong Wooden Pagoda in my hometown is also a hidden gem that remains relatively unknown. According to historical records, during the Changqing era (821–824) of the Tang Dynasty, the eminent monk Master Dexin traveled to what was then a strategically important coastal defense town of the Eastern Sea, bestowed by Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, with the title “Great—
The "Xuanwu Lingtai" scenic area by the Haichi River features pavilions and towers nestled against the city and the water, shaded by towering ancient trees, creating an elegant and picturesque landscape. It is the largest cultural landmark within Xinghua City, boasting a history of over 700 years. Historical records indicate that in the first year of the Baoying era during the Southern Song Dynasty (1225), Chen Gai, the magistrate of Xinghua, constructed defenses against invading Jin troops and the newly rising Mongol forces from the north...
The Four-Gate Tower is located in Taizhou City, Jiangsu Province. Inside, there are layers of calligraphy plaques in various sizes and styles. The works of 47 contemporary calligraphy masters such as Qi Gong, Sha Menghai, and Zhao Puchu shine alongside one another, creating an overwhelming visual feast. That such a small structure could attract so many distinguished artists speaks volumes about its cultural significance. The Four-Gate Tower was originally built...
The Wujin Pond Tourist Scenic Area is located in the northern part of Xinghua City and enjoys convenient transportation. It is a wetland ecological reserve that integrates leisure and entertainment, water tourism, agricultural sightseeing, ecological regulation, and cultural tourism. Wujin Pond features a water surface of approximately 3.2 square kilometers and surrounding wetland landscapes, with an enclosed area of about 8.3…
Haichi is located in the northwest corner of Xinghua City, adjacent to Gongji Platform (also known as Xuanwu Lingtai). Legend has it that long ago, a poor young couple was forced by an evil yamen runner to commit suicide by jumping into the pool one after the other. They were later saved by a dragon, who transformed them into goldfish and helped them exact their revenge. It is said that the dragon was sent by the Dragon King of the Sea, hence the name "Haichi" (Sea Pool). The waters of Haichi surround…
Water Forest Park is located 17 kilometers from Xinghua City and features the largest artificial ecological forest in the province — the Lizhong Town Water Forest Park. It’s an ideal getaway for city dwellers to reconnect with nature and enjoy leisure time, serving as a natural oxygen bar. This artificial ecological forest spans 1,500 acres and adopts a three-dimensional model of forest, mound, ditch, and fish. Towering metasequoia and pond cypress trees provide a habitat where birds thrive in the treetops…
The Taohua Island Ecological Agricultural Sightseeing Park was established in June 2008. Located 9 kilometers south of Xinghua City, within the Lincheng Town High-Efficiency Agricultural Demonstration Zone, on the east side of Xingtai Avenue, its main entrance is directly connected to Xingtai Avenue. The park covers a total water and land area of 1,500 mu. It features a specialty fishing center, an osmanthus nursery, …