The Vast Sea Has Not Severed the Lineage: a General History of Central Plains Culture in Hainan

Hainan possesses a unique historical and cultural heritage. Although the ancient Li people lacked a written script for their ethnic group and were long isolated from the Central Plains, with distinct customs, this does not mean that Hainan's historical and cultural development stagnated. Long-term historical and cultural accumulation, combined with the continuous infiltration of Central Plains culture, formed the foundation for the development of Li and Han cultures and provided the primitive conditions for enlightenment and development. Since the Sui Dynasty's reform of the talent selection system and the establishment of the Jinshi examination to select scholars, Hainan Island, due to geographical barriers, had no examination halls, and for a long time, no one passed the provincial or imperial examinations. During the Tang and Song dynasties, groups of famous ministers were exiled to Hainan, where they transmitted Central Plains culture, ushering in a new era of civilized development for Hainan Island. Mr. Dongpo lived in Danzhou for three years, personally teaching his disciple Jiang Tangzuo, breaking the primeval record; as a result, the first provincial graduate and the first imperial graduate emerged in overseas Qiongzhou.

I. Overview

"Four prefectures surround an island, a hundred caves wind within it." The first line of the first poem written by Su Dongpo when he landed in Hainan briefly depicts the early geographical characteristics and the state of ethnic culture on Hainan Island. The mainland farming culture, especially the mainland Confucian culture, moved to the isolated Hainan Island overseas with the Han people, undergoing a historical evolution process from nothing to something, from few to many, and from weak to strong, exerting a profound and extensive influence. Since the Han Dynasty established counties and prefectures in Hainan and immigration began, through the Tang and Song dynasties when famous ministers were exiled to Qiongzhou and large-scale Han people migrated and registered, the immigration history has been long, the sources of immigrants have been wide, and there have been many cultural elites among the immigrants. They mostly upheld farming and reading, valued culture and education, and relied on imperial examinations. Hainan Island gradually formed a cultural scene of prosperity where "the sounds of string instruments and chanting are abundant, the people and goods are prosperous, and traveling officials all call it a little Suzhou and Hangzhou" (words of Xing You). Among them, the one with the widest influence, the most achievements, and the greatest contribution to the prosperous development of Hainan's culture is Su Dongpo. The poem he wrote and gifted to Hainan scholar Jiang Tangzuo, "How has the vast ocean ever severed the earth's vein? The white-robed scholar is truly fit to break the primeval record," vividly and profoundly depicts that the Central Plains and overseas Qiongzhou are not separated by the Qiongzhou Strait in terms of the vein of civilization, and that the diligent scholars on the desolate southern island will surely be able to open up a new world for Qiongzhou's culture.

II. The Integration of Exile Culture Became the Foundation of Hainan's Humanities

Native culture and Central Plains culture gradually merged in folk activities and daily life, showcasing the rich connotation and unique charm of Hainan's island culture. This tropical land in the South China Sea, with its thousand years of historical precipitation and mysterious regional characteristics, has become a beautiful landscape for the beginning of Hainan's culture.

In the era of Xia Yu, the people of Hainan Island were already making clothes from kapok (cotton). The Five Rites General Examination (Wuli Tongkao) puts forward the view: "In the time of Yu, the island barbarians had already made it into clothing, so it was specifically called 'Hui Fu' (plant/clothing). And the finest of the cotton was taken to make woven shells (Zhibei) to be placed in tribute baskets." It was only because they were far from the Central Lands that most people in the Central Plains did not know about this unique primitive state of culture of the Hainan Island people.

The Book of Han: Treatise on Geography records: "Going south into the sea from Hepu and Xuwen, one reaches a large prefecture (state), a thousand li from east to west and north to south. In the first year of the Yuanfeng era of Emperor Wu, it was conquered and established as the commanderies of Dan'er and Zhuya."

The Book of the Later Han records: "When the son of Chu (King of Chu) declared himself hegemon, the Baiyue tribes paid tribute. When Qin annexed the world, its awed and subdued the barbarians, beginning to open the territories beyond the borders, establishing the commanderies of Nanhai, Guilin, and Xiang. When the Han arose, Wei Tuo proclaimed himself King of Nanyue, passing down the state for five generations. In the fifth year of the Yuanding era of Emperor Wu, it was finally destroyed and divided into nine commanderies, administered by the Inspector of Jiaozhi. Among them, the two commanderies of Zhuya and Dan'er are on the island in the sea, a thousand li from east to west and five hundred li from north to south."

Although jurisdiction was briefly abandoned between the Han and Jin dynasties, by the Tang Dynasty, it was re-established in the registers. The central administrative management of Hainan Island became increasingly strict day by day. Moving troops to garrison, exiling guilty ministers, banishing prisoners, and merchants traveling back and forth caused Central Plains culture to continuously infiltrate. The Chronicle of Hainan Island records that during the 500 years of the Tang and Song dynasties, people from the Central Lands lived in exile on the island, their descendants multiplied to more than ten thousand households. Immigrants mostly came from the coastal areas of Fujian, while exiled officials mostly came from the Central Plains. Many ancestors who moved to Qiongzhou did so by crossing the sea to the south due to exile and settling, official migration, trade circulation, or avoiding disaster and chaos.

It can be seen that early Hainan culture was a diverse historical combination. The Li, Han, Miao, and Hui ethnic groups migrated to Hainan Island in different periods, forming the basic structure of Hainan's social culture. Hui culture did not play a main role in the foundation of Hainan culture formation. The culture of the Miao people, especially the Li people who were the earliest residents, and the mainland culture exiled to Hainan Island—mainly Minnan culture in the early days—became important components of the germination period of Hainan culture. Excellent cultural traditions such as diligence, frugality, honesty, trustworthiness, hospitality, and unity and mutual assistance in Li culture thus became important parts of Hainan culture that are respected and advocated by the world.

In his Record of the Fubo Temple Stele, Su Dongpo wrote: "Crossing the sea from Xuwen to Zhuya, looking south at the continuous mountains, they seem to exist and not exist, indistinct like a single hair... From the end of the Han to the Five Dynasties, many people from the Central Plains who avoided chaos settled here. Now, clothing, caps, rites, and music are distinct and evident..." Dongpo recorded the contributions made by families from the Central Plains who avoided chaos from the end of the Han to the Five Dynasties to the dissemination of culture and the foundation of civilization on Hainan Island.

Organized immigration to Hainan Island starting from the Qin and Han dynasties brought the advanced culture of the Central Plains region. For Hainan Island, isolated overseas, this was the sprout of comprehensive economic, social, and cultural development. The Wanli Qiongzhou Prefecture Gazetteer of the Ming Dynasty records: "In the beginning, prefectures and counties were established around the sea, mostly inhabited by exiles from the Central Lands and people influenced by nearby prefectures and counties."

Qiu Jun analyzed in his Ode to the Strange Land of Nannan: "After the Wei and Jin dynasties, there were many troubles in the Central Plains. Families of clothing and caps (literati and officials), whether as officials or merchants, whether migrating or garrisoning, came daily in droves. Gathering to build huts and settle down, influenced and transformed over time, different every month and changing every year. The world changed and customs shifted; after a long time, guests became the masters. Taming the fierce and tough to be benevolent and gentle, changing scales and armor (barbaric gear) to cloth and silk." Due to turmoil in the Central Plains, cultured people came to Hainan for various reasons. Changing customs and habits with each passing day, over time, foreign culture became the mainstream culture in the southern ocean; rough and fierce people became benevolent and gentle, and people who went naked wore clothes.

Hai Rui wrote in his Preface to Congratulating Mr. Tang Luzhai of Changhua on Receiving a Prize: "When Mr. Tang Luzhai first arrived in Changhua, he did not know how far Shanggao was. Since he started his official post until today, three years later, occasionally we would meet. At each meeting, he would say: 'The beauty of Confucius' words about dwelling in benevolence is exactly what my Changhua is.'" In Changhua, Mr. Luzhai felt that he was truly living in a place of benevolence.

The Changhua River basin has a long history of flourishing culture and education. In the third year of the Daye era of Emperor Yang of Sui (607), the counties of Ji'an and Changhua were established here. Civilization and enlightenment had initially laid a new foundation for the flourishing of humanities.

III. Famous Officials of the Tang and Song Dynasties Opened the "Prosperity of Clothing, Caps, Rites, and Music"

During the 600 years of the Tang and Song dynasties, culture was prosperous. It also permeated Qiongzhou, which was separated by the vast ocean, through multiple channels and levels, forming an unprecedented prosperity in the cultural development of Hainan Island. Many high-ranking exiled officials represented by Su Dongpo lived in Hainan. With their outstanding talents and knowledge, they spared no effort to transmit Central Plains culture, continuing the vein of civilization, innovating the form of civilization, and passing on the torch of culture for the "primeval" island that had no examination halls, no provincial graduates, and no imperial scholars. During this period, overseas cultural exchange and integration also began to rise.

In those days, Hainan Island was considered by scholars of the Central Plains to be a "place beyond civilization" and a "land of miasma." Northerners could not survive living in the south, so it became the best choice for the imperial court to exile guilty ministers. From the Tang and Song dynasties to the Yuan dynasty, more than 100 members of the imperial family, prime ministers, ministers, and generals were successively exiled to Hainan Island. These famous officials and good ministers, with extraordinary talent and knowledge and rich experience, tirelessly spread Central Plains culture, forming a unique "exile culture" or "residency culture" in Hainan, becoming a unique and important force in the development process of Hainan's history and culture. Today, in the Five Officials Temple (Wugong Ci) in Haikou, a couplet written by Sichuan poet Liu Shahe is still hung: "How many perfect men were there in the Tang and Song? If they had not been banished to the south, how would the overseas lands know these wise ministers; The vast ocean has no severed veins, why must one soar north to study? Within this tower, there are naturally great Confucian masters."

1. Wang Yifang, the "First Person of Confucian Education in Hainan"

The Guangxu Changhua County Gazetteer records: "Wang Yifang, a native of Lianshui, Sizhou. In the last year of the Zhenguan era, he was exiled to be the Assistant of Ji'an. He promoted rites and music, and everyone was pleased and compliant." Wang Yifang (615–669), in the twentieth year of the Zhenguan era of Emperor Taizong of Tang (646), was implicated by the crime of Zhang Liang, the Minister of Justice, and was demoted to serve as the County Assistant of Ji'an County, Danzhou (roughly located in the area from Haitou Town in present-day Danzhou City to Haiwei Town in Changjiang Li Autonomous County). During his tenure as County Assistant, he devoted himself to teaching and educating people, giving lectures and running schools, becoming a pioneer in Li ethnic education and thus earning the title of "First Person of Confucian Education in Hainan."

Wang Yifang once served as a Serving Censor in the Censorate, a supervisory official of the sixth or seventh rank. He did not have the prominent official position of other officials exiled to Qiongzhou, but he is recorded in Sima Guang's Zizhi Tongjian. The Old Book of Tang records examples of Wang Yifang being sympathetic to people's livelihood and civilized and frugal when he was exiled to Hainan: "When arriving at the sea, the boatman was about to offer sacrifices with wine and dried meat. Yifang said: 'Millet and sacrificial millet are not fragrant; righteousness lies in manifest virtue.' So he scooped up water to sacrifice and wrote a text saying: 'Thinking of the Emperor's land, I look north; gazing at the sea bay, I float south. If there are faults in my own actions, it is righteousness letting down former cultivation. Great whales strike the water, the Sea God Tianwu overturns the boat. Because of loyalty, I encountered disaster; because of filial piety, I was blamed. The four dimensions (virtues) are cleared of mist, a thousand li is a safe flow. May the spiritual response be like an echo, do not bring shame to the spirit.'" When Wang Yifang took a boat across the Qiongzhou Strait, the wind and waves were strong on the sea. The boatman prepared to sacrifice to the sea with wine and fruit. Wang Yifang believed that "sacrifice lies in manifest virtue, not bribing the Sea God." So he scooped up water to sacrifice, praying to the sea with human morality.

When Wang Yifang arrived in Qiongzhou, "It was mid-summer, the wind and waves were steaming with poison. Soon after, it cleared up, and he went south to Ji'an. The customs of the barbarians were desolate and stubborn. Yifang summoned the various leaders, gathered students, and personally lectured on the classics, performing the rites of offering sacrifices (Shidian); singing clear songs and playing the flute, ascending and descending in order. The barbarian chiefs were greatly delighted." He spread Central Plains culture, summoned the leaders of various Li caves, discussed cultural and educational matters together, selected students, started classes to give lectures, personally taught the scriptures, and civilized the desolate customs. In July of the twenty-third year of Zhenguan (649), Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, passed away. Wang Yifang was reassigned as the Assistant of Huanshui (southwest of the old Wei County in present-day Wei County, Hebei Province) and left Qiongzhou for the north. He served in Ji'an for less than three years and was limited to the territory of Ji'an. As a pioneer of civilization, his influence obviously did not play out more strongly.

The "Arts and Literature" section of the Kangxi Changhua County Gazetteer records: "Although Changjiang is remote and secluded, the prosperity of clothing, caps, rites, and music was already praised by Zizhan (Su Dongpo) when he came in the Northern Song Dynasty, let alone those who had outstanding achievements in major politics and education!"

2. Wei Zhiyi of Yazhou, Who Promoted Education and Assisted Agriculture

Wei Zhiyi (764–812), courtesy name Zongren, was a native of Duling, Jingzhao (present-day Xi'an City, Shaanxi Province). He served as Prime Minister during the reign of Emperor Shunzong of Tang. After the failure of the "Yongzhen Reform," Wei Zhiyi, at the age of 41, was exiled in the first year of Yongzhen (805) to be the "Registrar of Yazhou, placed as a regular member of staff." At that time, the seat of Yazhou was located in present-day Qiongshan, Haikou City. Li Jia, the Prefect of Yazhou at the time, valued him and appointed him to "manage the affairs of the commandery." Wei Zhiyi was in Yazhou for seven years and made outstanding contributions to the local culture, education, agriculture, forestry, and animal husbandry development. Both Datang Chuanzai (Records of the Great Tang) and Tang Yulin (Forest of Tales from the Tang) have records, and the people respectfully called him "Wei of Yazhou."

Wei Zhiyi had a strong sentiment of loving the people. Local culture was backward, and Wei Zhiyi enthusiastically spread Central Plains culture, valued talent, and taught and educated people. Right in the room where he lived in exile, he taught and influenced customs, established schools, and cultivated talents. The place where he lived now belongs to the Xinlian Village Committee, Longquan Town, Qiongshan District, Haikou City. The site of his exile from the Tang Dynasty has always been used as a school, and the Xinlian Primary School is still open there today.

There was a Yantang (Rock Pond) at the place where Wei Zhiyi was exiled. Pond water gushed out from the mountain rocks, with clear flowing water continuously accumulating and flowing away. The wilderness near Yantang was desolate and difficult to cultivate, making people's livelihood difficult. Wei Zhiyi ran around to inspect, measure and plan, guiding the people to build the Yantang Water Weir (Shuibi), raising funds to hire workers, chiseling rocks, building them into embankments, diverting pond water to the wasteland, opening up water fields, and planting rice. However, the project was not completed when Wei Zhiyi fell critically ill. He instructed his descendants to do everything possible to build water conservancy projects. In the seventh year of Yuanhe (812), Wei Zhiyi passed away here at the age of only 49. In the Song Dynasty, Wei Kui, the eighteenth-generation grandson of Wei Zhiyi, led the crowd to complete this water conservancy project. After a thousand years, the stone canal still diverts water to irrigate fields. The local people call this piece of fertile land "Wei Gong Tianyang" (Mr. Wei's Fields). Today, Wei Zhiyi's tomb is located west of Yayong Village, Longquan Town.

Thirty-six years later, the Tang Prime Minister Li Deyu was exiled to Yazhou. Witnessing the relics of that year, he wrote The Sacrificial Text for Prime Minister Wei Zhiyi, praising and sacrificially honoring him: "The imperial way is tranquil, relying on the wise minister. Virtue surpasses Gaoyao, merit is declared like Lu Shang. Literary talent is a hero of the generation, wisdom and strategy are a divine gift. Once encountering slander and illness, throwing oneself into the desolate miasma. Although the earth is thick, it does not discern; although the sky is high, it is hard to understand... If one knows you, one measures that you are innocent. Those who do not know me, what do they say I seek? The heart is like water, the death is like rest. Respectfully mourning in the wind, wishing to roam with the spirit."

3. Li Deyu, the Head of Hainan's "Five Officials"

Li Deyu (787–850), courtesy name Wenrao, was a native of Zanhuang, Zhao Commandery (present-day Zanhuang County, Shijiazhuang City, Hebei Province). He was an outstanding politician, military strategist, and writer of the Tang Dynasty. He served as Prime Minister twice, with both civil and military strategies. His merits were in his time, and his name lasts forever. Generations have evaluated him very highly. Li Shangyin praised him as a "good prime minister for eternity," and Liang Qichao listed him alongside Guan Zhong, Shang Yang, Zhuge Liang, Wang Anshi, and Zhang Juzheng, calling him one of the "Six Great Politicians." Therefore, his exile to Hainan has a more tragic color, and later generations respect him as the head of Hainan's "Five Officials."

In the first month of the third year of Dazhong (849), Li Deyu was exiled to Hainan Island. Those who moved with him included his wife Lady Liu, two sons and two daughters, as well as clan relatives and house servants, totaling more than a hundred people. This group of a prime minister's clan family migrating to Hainan Island in the Tang Dynasty made many contributions to spreading Central Plains culture. Li Deyu was committed to teaching Central Plains culture, clarifying ethics and spreading education, and advocating the development of production. Many stories about Li Deyu relieving the people, controlling water, etc., are circulated in Hainan, leaving an image of integrity, bravery, and closeness to the people among the people of Hainan.

In August of that year, his 62-year-old wife Lady Liu died of illness at the place of exile. Li Deyu personally wrote the Epitaph for Lady Liu to record the miserable situation of sharing weal and woe.

Living in the place of exile and living in poverty, he often climbed high to look north, worrying about the country and the people. In October of the third year of Dazhong, he fell ill and could not get up. While sick, he wrote The Sacrificial Text for Prime Minister Wei Zhiyi, lamenting that a generation of good ministers suffered a heavy injustice at the end of the world, and sighing that Wei Zhiyi was eventually vindicated, while he himself still "encountered slander and illness, throwing himself into the desolate miasma," sinking in injustice.

Li Deyu lived in exile on Hainan Island for nearly a year and died of injustice at the place of exile on December 10 of the third year of Dazhong. The scholars and people of the island respected Li Deyu as a sage, built temples to worship him, praised him to the utmost, and established him as the head of the "Five Officials" admired by the people of Hainan.