An ancient town with a history of more than 2,500 years can be called the first Jinshi town and the cradle of westward journey culture.

Huaian, a national historical and cultural city with the reputation of "China Canal Capital", is located at the intersection of the ancient Huaihe River and the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. It is one of the birthplaces of ancient culture in the Jianghuai Valley, and it has flourished with the development of the Grand Canal for thousands of years. Located in the northwest corner of Huai 'an District, Huai 'an City, there is such a thousand-year-old town at Gukou, where Guhangou flows into Huai 'an. It is one of the core protected areas of Huai 'an historical and cultural city, the famous "the first scholar town in China" and also known as "the cradle of westward journey culture". This is the ancient town of He Xia.

When it comes to ancient towns in Jiangsu, people must first think of the three ancient towns, namely, Jasper Zhouzhuang, rich in soil and Tongli, and simple in folk customs, ranking among the six ancient towns in the south of the Yangtze River. They are connected by rivers, bridges and streets, with white walls and tiles. They are simple and quiet, and they are poetic and picturesque. In contrast, this Jiangxia ancient town, which is only 2 square kilometers along the coast of Liyun in Huai 'an City, is not as famous as these three ancient towns, but it can be said that its cultural heritage and historical features are not worse than or even worse than these three ancient towns.

He Xia Ancient Town, formerly known as "Beichen Town", is located in He Xia Street, Huai 'an District, Huai 'an City, Jiangsu Province. It has a history of about 2500 years since its establishment in the late Spring and Autumn Period. It used to be one of the important commodity distribution centers on the Grand Canal. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, due to the development of water transport, it reached its peak. Clothes are ready, merchants gather, things are beautiful, and people are outstanding. Historically, there used to be 108 streets, 102 gardens, 63 archways, 55 temples and 44 bridges here. The ancient town of He Xia is truly the "First Jinshi Town in China", because in the Ming and Qing Dynasties alone, there were 67 Jinshi, 65,438 Juren and 65,438 Hanlin.

There are many stories about The Journey to the West in the ancient town of He Xia, Zhong Ling, where there are many famous people. Speaking of The Journey to the West, one of the four classical novels, everyone knows everything. Even if you haven't read a book, you must have seen a TV series. But many people may not know that even though the great writer Wu Cheng'en was born here, it is precisely because of this that it is called "the cradle of Journey to the West". Wu Cheng'en's former residence, located in Datong Lane under the river, is the only place in China that fully displays the culture of Journey to the West and commemorates Wu Cheng'en. Although the main entrance looks unremarkable, it is full of exquisite, simple and elegant courtyards. Whether it is a garden or an exhibition hall, there are traces of The Journey to the West everywhere, which symbolizes the heroic portrayal of Wu Cheng'en's life, and also reflects his creative origin and the historical value of The Journey to the West.

With the joint efforts of all walks of life, today's He Xia ancient town is the best preserved historical block in Huai 'an ancient city, and at the same time, "one river, two streets and five views" has begun to take shape. Although the ancient town of He Xia, like most ancient towns in the south of the Yangtze River, mostly maintains the architectural style of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, its unique and elegant streets and lanes, as well as the heavy vicissitudes of Qingshiban Road, exude a strong cultural atmosphere everywhere. Strolling, I only feel that the prosperity of the past and the simplicity of today are intertwined, and people can't help but want to savor it, and this is exactly a thousand years of history!