| Hainan Island
 Hainan
Island lies in the southernmost part of China with a great climate and charming
pace of life. Its blue sky, clean beaches, palm groves, fresh seafood and
coconuts all make it one of the most popular destinations in China. While
visiting the beautiful tropical island, there are several must-see scenic spots
like: Tianya haijiou (Ultima Thule, the remotest cape of the earth), Lu Hui Tou
(Deer Turning Its Head) and the Wu Zhi Shan Mountain (Five-Fingered Mountain),
of each there is a beautiful legend.
Tianya haijiou---The Remotest Cape of The
Earth
Tianya haijiou literally means "the end of
sky and the corner of the
sea" in Chinese. Situated at the southern tip of Hainan Island, about 20km
west of Sanya City, Tianya haijiou is actually a section of seacoast on the
South China Sea. On the beach are scattered many enormous and grotesque rocks
with towering scarped cliffs overlooking them.
 Among
those huge rocks, there are two rocks with Chinese characters "Tian ya"
(the end of the sky) and "Hai jiou" (the corner of the sea) carved
on. About these two rocks, there is a romantic legend. It is said that long
time ago, a couple of lovers who came from two different nationalities, which
had a long history of fighting against each other. They deeply loved each other
but were opposed by their families. They finally ran away to the southernmost
island and jumped into the sea. After their death, they incarnated into two
huge rocks and stood on this beautiful beach with their love everlasting in
this remotest cape of the earth. To commentate their faith for love, people
have the characters "Tian ya" (the end of sky) and "Hai jiou"
(the corner of the sea) carved on these colossal rocks.
According to historical documents, there is another
story about the two rocks. In Qing Dynasty (1616-1911), an exiled government
official was strolling in the beach where the sea meets the sky. A wild and
fanciful though came to his mind: Did I come to the end of the earth? He then
had two characters of Tianya (the end of sky) carved on one of the huge rock.
On another colossal rock he carved the other two characters of Haijiao (the
corner of the sea). The sculptures of historical celebrities on the grotesque
rocks never fail to meet tourists' culture need.
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