[1] The pavilion was first established in the 14th century, at the dawn of Ming dynasty (1368–1644), but because of war and natural disasters has been restored and renovated numerous times since then.

In 1746, namely the 11th year of Qianlong period of the Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Yang Xibei (杨锡被) rebuilt on the site.

To prevent the famine victims from rising in rebellion, Zuo Zongtang, the then-assistant to Grand Coordinate Zhang Liangji recommended using the secret tunnel under Tianxin Pavilion.

The secret tunnel led to the outside of the city and was dug for emergency needs long before the arrival of the Taiping army.

[4] One day, Zhang Liangji met alternate magistrate of Shaanxi Jiang Zhongyuan who came to rescue in Tianxin Pavilion.

It the King of cannon weighing 5,000 jin inside Changsha city is moved to Tianxin Pavilion, it well benefit the progress of the battle a lot."

At that time, Xiao Chaogui thought the main reason why their attack failed was that they did not destroy the cannons of the Qing army in Tianxin Pavilion.

Therefore, he thought that before they attack the city again they must destroy Tianxin Pavilion first in order to make the south gate lose its support.

The Tomb of Lord Cai (蔡公坟) on the other side of Tianxin Pavilion was the commanding height in areas in the outer city of the south gate.

[4] The next day Xiao Chaogui braved the gunfire and flying stones, mounted a horse in front and commanded the troops to attack the Tomb of Lord Cai.

Knowing that the chief commander was badly wounded by the bomb, the Taiping army which was attacking was thrown into confusion.

After that, the Taiping army repeatedly attacked the city and failed and retreated at the end of November that year.

Changsha, which held up for 81 days, was the only city which was not captured since the Taiping army entered and fought in Hunan.

[4] After Xianfeng Emperor heard that, he issued an imperial decree and bestowed on the King of cannon the "Red Robe General" (红袍大将军).

[4] On 7 July 1937, after the Marco Polo Bridge Incident, as the Imperial Japanese Army drove straight in, large quantities of people in the coastal and occupied areas moved to Changsha.

[5] On 25 October 1938, Wuhan annexed by the Imperial Japanese Army, the rear base Hunan was turned into the front of the Second Sino-Japanese War.

[5] On November 7, holding a military meeting in Changsha, Chiang Kai-shek said that all strategic materials that were not evacuated in time and ground architecture were used by the enemy after Wuhan fell.

Chiang Kai-shek directly telegraphed to Zhang Zhizhong, the then governor of Hunan government to tell him that if Changsha fell, (he) must burn and destroy the whole city.

[5] Late at the night of November 12, outside of the south gate of Changsha, a hospital for wounded soldiers caught fire accidentally.

In 2013, it was listed as a "Major National Historical and Cultural Sites in Hunan" by the State Council of China.

[1] The tone of Tianxin Pavilion is dignified and powerful, and the style abandons the flourish and saves the primitive simplicity.