Yazhou District 崖州区

Setting and landscape

The district borders Tianya District (天涯区) to the east and Ledong (乐东) to the northwest. The Ningyuan River flows into Yazhou Bay (崖州湾), which runs from Nanshan Ridge (南山岭) to Jiaotou Ridge (角头岭) and is described as Sanya's largest bay, with a rocky seabed. Villages along the bay are known for sea cucumber, lobster and Spanish mackerel.

History

The Hainan provincial government, citing the local gazetteer Yazhou Zhi (崖州志), counts more than two thousand years of administration here since Emperor Wu of Han founded Zhuya commandery (珠崖郡). The walls were earth and timber in the Tang and were rebuilt in stone and brick in 1198. Yazhou was also a place of exile: the Northern Song chancellor Lu Duoxun (卢多逊), the minister Ding Wei (丁谓), and Zhao Ding (赵鼎) and Hu Quan (胡铨) of the Southern Song were all banished here. Yazhou Bay was a departure and supply port on the ancient Maritime Silk Road; the monk Jianzhen (鉴真) came ashore here after a typhoon, and Huang Daopo (黄道婆) was born in Yazhou. Yacheng was the first place in Hainan named a national historic and cultural town.

What to see

Yazhou Old Town (崖州古城) was restored in period style by the Sanya city government in 2016, following the shape and scale of the old city; its southern gate is Wenming Gate (文明门). About 100 m from the gate, the Yacheng Confucian school (崖城学宫), founded in 1044 and moved to its present site in 1823, is called by Xinhua the southernmost Confucian temple of imperial China; it became a national key cultural relics protection site in 2013. Daxiaodongtian (大小洞天), at the foot of Nanshan 40 km west of Sanya, was rated a national 5A scenic area in 2007; the Daoist master Bai Yuchan (白玉蟾) taught here in the Southern Song. Baoping village (保平村) is a typical Ming and Qing village of Hainan houses and was among the first Chinese traditional villages listed in 2012.

Highlights

• Yazhou Old Town 崖州古城: Restored in period style in 2016 on the old city's shape and scale; the south gate is Wenming Gate.
• Yacheng Confucian school 崖城学宫: Founded 1044; a national key cultural relics protection site since 2013.
• Daxiaodongtian 大小洞天: Seaside scenic area at the foot of Nanshan, rated 5A in 2007.
• Baoping village 保平村: Ming and Qing Hainan houses; a Chinese traditional village since 2012.
• Yazhou Bay 崖州湾: Sanya's largest bay and an ancient Maritime Silk Road port.