Hekou Scenic Area

　　    The Sheyang River Hekou Scenic Area is situated in the lower reaches of the Sheyang River, within Haitong Town, Sheyang County. It spans a total area of about 20,000 mu, with 10,000 mu of water area, featuring broad river surfaces and abundant flora and fauna, making it distinctly unique. Currently, the scenic area includes the first temple in the Jianghuai region—Xixin Temple, the Sheyang River Sluice built with the assistance of Soviet experts, a seaside resort, the Sheyang Coastal International Golf Course, the Sheyang River Sandy Beach Bathing Area, a provincial water sports training base, Sheyang Island Park, as well as Mingda College. Established in 1993, Sheyang Island Park covers an area of 73 hectares and features attractions such as Plum Blossom Hill, Osmanthus Hill, a winding bridge, a fishing center, pleasure boats, a macaque park, and a peacock garden. Originally named Xixin Nunnery, Xixin Temple was first built during the late Qing and early Republican period, covering an area of over 10 mu. In 1929, lay Buddhists Jiang Yiyuan and Jiugai’an invited Master Yin Guang, the 13th patriarch of Pure Land Buddhism and renowned for his chanting practice, to the temple.

　　    There are various legends about Nuwa and the Sheyang River. Some say the Sheyang River is the “intestines of Nuwa,” described in the Classic of Mountains and Seas · The Great Wilderness: The West as lying “in the vast wilderness, stretched across the path.” Others believe the Sheyang River was the rope Nuwa used to lift mud while “kneading yellow earth to create humans.” Still others claim the meandering course of the Sheyang River resembles the “seventy transformations in a single day” when Nuwa proliferated tribal branches. But no matter which legend is told, none can diminish the mystical allure of the Sheyang River.