The former residence and tomb of Qiu Jun

　　Qiu Jun, courtesy name Zhongshen, also known as Shen’an, Yufeng, Qiongshan, and by the alias “Old Man Haishan,” was born in Xiatian Village (also called “Zhujuli,” now “Jinhua Village”) of Fucheng Town, Qiongshan, Hainan. He was a renowned Neo-Confucian official and an outstanding scholar of the mid-Ming Dynasty during the 15th century. Along with Hai Rui, he is hailed as one of the “Two Jewels of Hainan” and is a well-known historical figure recognized by both young and old in Hainan. He was born in the 18th year of the Yongle reign (1421), lost his father in childhood, and was raised by his mother. Diligent and exceptionally intelligent, he gained fame for his poetry from an early age. Qian Qianyi, a great poet from the late Ming and early Qing periods who compiled the “Collected Poems of Dynasties,” included Qiu Jun’s poems in his anthology and noted in Qiu Jun’s short biography that “at the age of seven or eight, [Qiu Jun] could compose poetry with astonishing speed. In his lifetime, he produced tens of thousands of poems, many of which were composed extemporaneously and not carefully selected, yet still numerous.”

　　Qiu Jun’s former residence is located at No. 9, Lane 3, Jinhua Road. The entrance of the courtyard is adorned with four large characters reading “Former Residence of Qiu Jun,” inscribed by Luo Zhewen, a renowned expert in ancient architecture and calligrapher from the National Cultural Heritage Administration. The residence was originally built in the second year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty (1369) and covers an area of about 700 square meters, making it the oldest surviving wooden structure in Hainan. The residence currently consists of two sections: the “Keji Hall” and the front hall. The front hall is three bays wide and four rafters deep, with a single-eave flush gable roof covered in simple board tiles, standing 4 meters tall. The Keji Hall is also three bays wide but 13 rafters deep, with a similar roof style. The former residence has a history of over 640 years. It was once a multi-courtyard complex, and at its largest, it was said to comprise “eighteen residences of the Qiu people.”

　　Qiu Jun’s tomb is located about 4 kilometers from his former residence, near the tomb of Hai Rui. Covering an area of approximately 2,500 square meters, it preserves structures such as the burial mound. The main tomb is constructed of stone, with a round top that stands 6 meters high and is divided into six tiers with 16 steps. The base features a Bagua (Eight Trigrams) design, with the “##” (wan, meaning ten thousand) symbol in between — an ancient emblem representing good fortune. In front of the main tomb stands a 4.4-meter-high stele, adorned at the top with a carving of “two dragons dancing,” and flanked by patterns and motifs such as pine trees, cranes, and auspicious clouds. The upper part of the stele bears the inscription “Imperial Burial Site of the Ming Dynasty,” while the central text reads: “The Tomb of Qiu Gong, the Duke of Guanglu, Pillar of the State, Junior Guardian, concurrently Grand Guardian of the Heir Apparent, Minister of Revenue, Grand Secretary of the Wuying Hall, specially posthumously honored as Left Pillar of the State and Grand Tutor, with the posthumous title ‘Wenzhuang.’ Together with his wife, Madame Wu, who was posthumously granted the First Rank Title, this is their joint burial site.” In front of the main tomb stands a stone memorial archway inscribed with “Famed Neo-Confucian Official.” The tomb path is lined with stone statues such as civil officials (wengzhong), stone sheep, stone lions, and stone horses, with a pair of stone ornamental columns (huabiao) at the very front. The entire tomb complex faces a clear spring-fed pond at the front, open fertile fields at the front, and a lush green hill at the back. It presents an atmosphere that is rustic, elegant, solemn, and dignified.

　　In 1996, the former residence and tomb of Qiu Jun were listed in the fourth group of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level by the State Council.