Ancient Yazhou City

　　The ancient city of Yazhou, now known as Yazhen Town in Sanya, is located over 40 kilometers west of downtown Sanya. Established as Yazhou during the Northern and Southern Dynasties, it served as the seat of prefectures, counties, and administrative districts from the Song Dynasty onward. Today, Yazhen is a popular tourist destination in Hainan, renowned for its long history and numerous historical sites.

　　Historical records indicate that before the Song Dynasty, the ancient city of Yazhou was built with earthen walls. It wasn’t until the fourth year of the Qingyuan era in the Southern Song Dynasty (1198) that brick walls were constructed. Subsequent expansions during the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties turned it into one of the more substantial and fortified cities on Hainan Island. Parts of the city gates have now been restored. The city’s prosperity was significantly influenced by the exile and residence of literati, scholars, and high-ranking officials throughout various dynasties, as well as merchants from developed regions such as Guangdong, Zhejiang, and Fujian who settled here.

　　Starting from the Tang Dynasty, many officials and dignitaries who fell victim to court intrigue were exiled to Yazhou. Among them were no fewer than 14 high-ranking officials, including Vice Chancellors such as Wei Zhiyi and Tang Yuan of the Tang Dynasty, Ding Wei, Zhao Ding, Lu Duoxun, and Hu Quan of the Song Dynasty, Wang Shixi of the Yuan Dynasty, and Wang Ge and Zhao Qian of the Ming Dynasty. As a result, Yazhen also earned the nickname “Home of Reclusive Scholars.” Notably, the famous Tang Dynasty Buddhist monk Jianzhen, during his fifth attempt to sail to Japan in 748 AD, was caught in a violent typhoon and shipwrecked at Yazhou. He helped build the Dayun Temple there and left behind a collection of Buddhist scriptures intended for Japan—precious cultural relics that add a touch of legend to Yazhou’s history. Huang Daopo, a renowned female textile innovator of the Yuan Dynasty, also lived in Shuinan Village near Yazhen for nearly 40 years. By the Ming Dynasty, Yazhou had flourished to the point where it was described as having “the sounds of strings and recitations among the people, bustling with life, so much so that officials called it a little Suzhou or Hangzhou.”

　　After Hainan Province was established and developed as a special economic zone, the city gates of Yazhou were renovated and now stand grand and majestic, attracting a constant stream of domestic and international tourists. Yazhen is also home to the world-famous scenic spots of Da Dongtian and Xiao Dongtian (Big and Small Grotto-Heavens), which resemble a giant sea turtle perched on the cliffs by the ocean. The area features competing peaks, layered forests, uniquely shaped rocks, lush banyan trees, red beans scattered like stars, and springs as clear as sweet liquor. During the Ming Dynasty, the “Ao Mountain Academy” was built here. On the southwestern side of Ao Gate, along the seashore, lies the “Big and Small Grotto-Heavens.” During the Chunxi era of the Southern Song Dynasty, Zhou Kang, the military commander of Jiyang, visited this place and wrote famous works such as “Carved Cliff Inscriptions” and “Records of Stone Marks.” In the Chunyou era, Magistrate Mao Kui authored the “Record of Big and Small Grotto-Heavens.” Upon entering Xiao Dongtian and ascending the “Hook Terrace,” visitors can see water blending seamlessly with the sky—a vast expanse where water and sky become one. Towering rocks stand firmly against the waves, and atop one of them is the square-shaped character “钩台” (Hook Terrace), each stroke about a foot wide, inscribed by Mao Kui. There is also an exquisitely carved cliff inscription left by Guo Moruo during his visit in 1962, featuring his poetry and inscriptions. A long stone formation resembling a “rope” extends from the terrace down the cliffside into the sea—an intriguing and mystical sight. Below the Hook Terrace lies a winding, secluded cave path, with the striking characters “小洞天” (Little Grotto-Heaven) engraved above the cave entrance. To the east lies the enchanting “Sea and Mountain Scenery,” along with the “Sword-Testing Peak,” whose layered rocks soar toward the clouds, and the “Sky Ladder,” formed by stacked stones. There is also the “Stone Boat,” vividly described as “hollow inside, unable to carry river or lake cargo, solid outside, needing no chisel or axe,” as well as the remarkably lifelike “Immortal’s Footprint Rock” and the mysterious “Shark Tomb Stone.” Most captivating of all is the “Big Grotto-Heaven,” described as “strangely marvelous and profoundly hidden,” which draws even more visitors.

　　Northwest of Yazhen lies the enchanting “Jade Well Hot Springs,” consisting of two adjacent pools. Originally, one pool had lukewarm water while the other was boiling hot; now, the once-warm pool has cooled, and the boiling one remains hot—perfect for bathing. During the Zhengde era of the Ming Dynasty, stone walls were built around them but later collapsed. In the 15th year of the Guangxu reign during the Qing Dynasty, Magistrate Tang Yiyuan renovated the site and constructed the “Jiji Pavilion.” Though the pavilion is now gone, the springs remain, still as mirror-like as jade and suitable for bathing in all seasons.