Tomb of Hai Rui
Located at Biya Village, Xiuying District, Haikou City in Hannan Island, the Tomb of Hai Rui is the burial ground of the upright official in Ming Dynasty. Today it is a famous scenic spot in Hannan Island.
The Tomb of Hai Rui was built in the 17th year of the reign of Wanli in Ming Dynasty (1589A.D.) Legend said that the Emperor Wanli especially appointed officials to go to Hannan Island and supervise the construction of the tomb.
According to legend, when people were transporting the coffin of Hai Rui, the rope on the coffin suddenly broke and people thought that the place where the rope broke was the burial ground selected by Hai Rui himself. Therefore, they buried Hai Rui there.
The graveyard of Hai Rui is simple and solemn. In the middle of the front gate of the graveyard erects a memorial archway, on which was inscribed with four red Chinese characters - "Yue Dong Zheng Qi" (Healthy Atmosphere In Eastern Canton).
The 100-meter-long tomb passage was paved with granite. There are three stone archways in the middle of the passage. On either side of the way are magnificent stone sheep, stone horse, stone tortoise, stone human figures, and so on.
The tomb of Hai Rui also built with granite. The top of the tomb is in the shape of arc and the base in the shape of hexahedron. In front of the tomb stands a stone tablet. The inscriptions on the tablet were by Xu Ziwei, the fellow-villager of Hai Rui and the supervisor of the construction of the tomb.
Behind the tomb is Yang Lian Xuan (Hall of Advocating Honesty). On the stone pillars of the hall are hanging two antithetical couplets written by Hiarui before his death. In the front of the hall stands the statue of Hai Rui.
Behind the hall is Qing Feng Ge (Pavilion of Cool Breeze), in which the documents about Hai Rui's achievements and relics used by Hai Rui during his life time is on display.
The reason why the Tomb of Hai Rui becomes a resort is that in the graveyard are growing bamboo, pines, binzi, coconut trees, and other evergreen trees. The densely wooded graveyard shows the solemnity and graveness of the tomb.
Numerous people who cherish a feeling of great reverence for the uprightness of Hai Rui have come here to pay respect to him. The Tomb of Hai Rui has become a famous resort in Hannan Island.