Tomb of Hai Rui

Tomb of Hai Rui

The Tomb of Hai Rui is a national key cultural relics protection unit.

The Tomb of Hai Rui is a national key cultural relics protection unit. Located in Bin'ai Village in the western suburbs of Haikou City, Hainan Province, it is a rectangular cemetery. The site is enclosed by stone walls, and the grounds are lush with greenery all year round, offering a clean, tranquil, and solemn atmosphere. The Hai Rui Tomb was first built in the 17th year of the Wanli reign during the Ming Dynasty (1589), commissioned by the emperor who sent Xu Ziwei specifically to Hainan to oversee its construction. It is said that when Hai Rui’s coffin arrived at the current site, the ropes used to carry it suddenly snapped. People believed this was Hai Rui himself choosing an auspicious burial spot, so he was buried there on the spot.

Hai Rui (1514–1587), courtesy name Ruixian, also known as Guokai, with the pseudonym Gangfeng, was a native of Jinhua Village, Fucheng Town, Qiongshan City. After passing the provincial imperial examination and going to the capital, he was bestowed the title of Jinshi (presented scholar). He initially served as a teaching officer in Nanping, later being promoted to county magistrate positions in Chun’an and Xingguo. During his tenure, he implemented land surveys and equitable corvée labor systems, and was known for his integrity, with people saying "he could live on plain clothes and coarse grain." In the 45th year of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty, he served as the principal official of the Yunnan Division of the Ministry of Revenue. At that time, Emperor Jiajing favored alchemists and was obsessed with Taoist rituals, seeking elixirs for immortality. With the court in chaos and no one daring to remonstrate, only Hai Rui, prepared to die, dared to admonish the emperor bluntly. His actions shocked the court and the public, resulting in his dismissal and imprisonment. He was released after Emperor Jiajing’s death. In the 3rd year of the Longqing reign (1569), he became the regional inspector of Ying Tian, where he oversaw the dredging of the Wusong River and the Baimao River, and strongly promoted the "Single Whip Law." He faced opposition from figures such as Zhang Juzheng and was dismissed from office and returned home. Throughout his life, Hai Rui was upright and unyielding. During his service, he redressed a number of wrongful cases and was honored as "Hai the Blue Sky," also referred to as the "Second Coming of Lord Bao" or "The Southern Lord Bao." At age 72, he took office as the Right Censor-in-Chief of the Metropolitan Surveillance Commission in Nanjing, where he continued to combat corruption. He soon passed away in his residence. After his death, the court offered eight sacrificial ceremonies, posthumously awarded him the title of Minor Tutor to the Crown Prince, and gave him the posthumous name Zhongjie (Loyal and Upright). On the day of his funeral, the streets of Nanjing were packed with people; merchants closed their shops and farmers stopped working, as crowds lined the roads to mourn him, with wailing heard for miles.

Hai Rui lived an upright and unyielding life and was an outstanding statesman and a renowned clean-handed official in history. Upon his death, he left behind only 8 taels of salary silver and a few old robes, but he earned the lasting reputations of “The Southern Lord Bao” and “Hai the Blue Sky.” When his coffin began its journey back to his hometown, the citizens of Nanjing mourned him by shutting down markets for several days. When the coffin reached its current location in Bin’ai Village, Qiongshan County, Hainan Island, the ropes carrying it suddenly broke. People believed that the deceased had chosen the burial site himself, so a tomb garden was built there.

The grayish-blue stone memorial archway at the entrance of the cemetery bears four bold red characters reading “Righteous Qi of Eastern Guangdong.” A wide bluestone path leads directly from under the archway to the burial site. Along the pathway are stone statues of sheep, horses, lions, and figures, some standing, sitting, or lying down—all exquisitely lifelike. At the front of the tomb lies a stone tortoise situated in the middle of the path. The layout of the tomb resembles that of Yue Fei’s Tomb in Hangzhou, though on a slightly smaller scale. It includes a stone offering table, a stone platform, five railings, and a circular stone tomb mound. The tomb mound has a diameter of 1.6 meters and a height of 2.6 meters. The tombstone in front bears an inscription of 30 characters: “Tomb of Hai Gong, the Right Censor-in-Chief of the Metropolitan Surveillance Commission in Nanjing, Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, conferred posthumously as Minor Tutor to the Crown Prince, and granted the posthumous name Zhongjie, buried here by imperial decree of the Ming Emperor.” The stele is 4 meters tall, 0.8 meters wide, and 10 centimeters thick, and is an original from when the tomb was built 400 years ago.

Today, the Tomb of Hai Rui is an empty grave. In 1982, the local government renovated the tomb garden. On the 20th day of the second lunar month each year, the anniversary of Hai Rui’s death, local residents come to pay their respects. Though Hai Rui was a feudal official, his lifelong integrity and uprightness have earned him the respect and remembrance of later generations.

Location: No. 39 Qiuhai Avenue, Xiuying District, Haikou City, Hainan Province

Transportation: In Haikou City, take Tourist Route A, or Buses 2, 16, or 19 to reach the Tomb of Hai Rui

Type: Cemetery/Historical Site

Recommended Visit Duration: About 1 hour

Phone: 0898-68916604

Opening Hours:

8:00-17:30

Further Reading:

· Fourth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units