Chang-Hua, Hainan

Chang-Hua is north-west of the Li-mu mountain, and is the same as the ancient Tan-chou.

The city walls are 14 feet high and 220 paces in circumference.

• The city was built by the noblewoman Tan-ir
• She made the goblins work for her.
• With basket and shovels, they completed the whole work in a single night.

According to another version, the people were called Tan-ir (pendant ears) because their ears hung down on their shoulders.

Although at the present time no children are born in Ch’ang-hua with long ears, nevertheless the Li, as devout Buddhists, put big rings in their ears, making them reach down to the shoulders.

The country is free from epidemics [malaria] and marshes.

The climate is absolutely different to that of China. All flowers bud early in the year and have already ceased blooming in the spring. Only the water-lily blooms from May to June to the end of the December. The plum and chrysanthemum follow it immediately.

The people are simple, honest, and frugal folk.

The women:

• do not wear silk gauzes.
• do not whiten their faces nor blacken their eyebrows as Chinese women do
• follow the orthodox (Chinese) fashions in the marriage and funeral ceremonies.

Their common people do not suffer from hunger or cold (i.e. there are no indigents).

The College was originally situated in the south-eastern section of the city.

It was later transferred to the western. But in the shau-hing period (1131 — 1163), it was again transferred to the eastern.

The Memoir concerning it was written by Minister Prime Minister, Duke Li Kuang.

15 li from the Departmental Capital is Tan-ch’ang.

Chau Ting was demoted to the rank of Magistrate in Ki-yang

He was later canonized as Duke Chung-kien.

After his demotion, he passed this place, where the springs had gone dry during a great drought in midsummer. He dug a well and found water under a few feet depth.

This well has not dried up to the present day. It is called the Siang-tsuan or «The Minister’s spring»

It is also well-known as the Pai-ma-tsing-tsuan or (White horse well spring). It has has wonderfully good water, and trading junks supply themselves from it for the voyage home.

There is a shrine called the Ling-tsi-miau inside the Chon-an gate which is dedicated to the worship of the noble-woman Tan-ir.

During the shau-hing period (1131-1163), she was raised to the rank of official deity called Hien-ying Fu-jon (the the Noblewoman not invoked in vain).

When the Li villages in the mountains get much loot from raiding the Tan District, they thank the power of Fu-jon.

50 li west of the city there is a big laguna on an islet of the sea, a rocky peak shaped like a lion which the people call the Lion god.

It has one of the temples consecrated to the manes of the Marquess Chon Li where the trading junks pray for good wind.

The district has 3 cities:

1. I-lun
2. Chang-hua
3. Kan-on

340 li south is the border of the military district of Ki-yang which is southwest of the Li-mu mountain.

Its capital, a 2nd class prefecture, is founded on the site of the (older city of) Ki-yang-hien.

The different districts of Hainan can be reached by land. But they are nevertheless so cut off from the Capital by the villages of the wild Li, that one must go by sea to get to them.

That is why Hu Tan-an meant when he said:

“Again, I had passed a great billowy danger”

To the south of the district city (of Ki-yang) is the post-station of Hai-kon below which traders moor their junks. There is a small pavilion in front of this place for the reception of travellers.

The country is a narrow strip (along the foot of the Li-mu mountain). It is sparsely peopled.

The climate is not normal. The spring is usually excessively dry. Rain comes after the summer has passed.

They cultivate the land without either manuring or weeding it.

Wood-choppers, herdsmen, fishermen and huntsmen must go about carrying bows and arrows, as they are always falling in with Li savages.

The women do not occupy themselves with raising silkworms and making silk. They weave with cotton (ki-pel) flowered coverlets, and sarongs in Li patterns. The men have no occupation, and live simply from hand to mouth.

They all believe in spirits, and have neither medical science nor medicines.

When someone is ill, they slaughter a bullock, then, with beating of drums and music, they an offering of it. They call it making good luck.

No one is allowed to pass by the door of the sick person.

In their mortuary ceremonies, they have music.

The country is full of lofty peaks and picturesque mountain scenery. This has allowed the district’s scholars to make reputations as able poets.

The College is in the northeastern part of the district capital.

13 li from the city, there is a rock with a surface which is as flat as the palm of the hand, without any human labour having been used.

It is some tens of feet in circumference. This allows visitors to sit on it.

Here there is a grove of thick, luxuriant trees, and a cool, clear brooklet ripples by.

At this spot, the Marquess of Chou built a reed hut. Over the entrance, he put this superscription «untroubled enjoyment».

The villages of the semi-civilized Li are few and far between. Their dwelling-places are from 5-7 li apart.

The wild Li who formed over 100 villages, from time to time raid the country of the Chinese settlers.

The Marquess of Chou sent a head-man of the semi-civilized Li on a mission to them to get them to make an arrangement of a weekly market.

After this, they came on foot with their goods on their backs and shoulders, or floated down on rafts to trade with the Chinese settlers.

The district (of Ki-yang-kiin) was divided into 2 districts (hien):

1. Ki-yang
2. Ning-yuan

In the chong-ho period (1111—1118), these were united into one, Ning-yuan-hien.