The Former Residence of Hai Rui in Shixia

　　The Former Residence of Hai Rui in Shixia is situated in Shixia Village, Xinxing Town, approximately 2.5 kilometers east of the 70-kilometer marker on the Haiyu Middle Road. The site preserves relics of the Hai family’s ancestral residence as well as a cluster of ancestral tombs of the Hai family.

　　In the 28th year of the Jiajing reign during the Ming Dynasty, Hai Rui returned to Shixia Village to pay respects to his ancestors and stayed here for 25 days. During this time, he witnessed and heard about soldiers brutally killing Li ethnic minority people, which filled him with great indignation. This experience became the basis for his later writings, “The Strategy for Governing the Li People” and “The Memorial on Pacifying the Li People.” In these two memorials, Hai Rui proposed many constructive approaches to handling issues related to the Li people, refuted Han chauvinism, and contributed to the unity of Hainan’s various ethnic groups as well as the improvement of the living conditions of the Li people.

　　The Hai family had lived in Shixia Village for generations, known for their benevolence and good deeds. Later, the family produced a loyal statesman—Hai Rui—so the villagers have long held the Hai family in high esteem. Over the years, especially during the Qingming Festival, people would bring incense, candles, joss paper, and offerings such as chicken, duck, fish, and meat to pay homage at the ancestral tombs of the Hai family. The former residence of Hai Rui has been preserved to this day largely through the voluntary protection of local residents.

　　As the birthplace of a loyal statesman, Shixia Village boasts a long history and is an important historical site in Tuncheng County, holding significant value for tourism, sightseeing, archaeology, and research.