Lingshui Li Autonomous County
A county since 610 and once seat of Tang Wan'an, Lingshui lines Hainan's southeast coast with monkey island and Tanka fishing rafts.
A place shaped through time
Lingshui Li Autonomous County lies on Hainan's southeast coast, with the South China Sea to the east, Sanya to the south and Wanning and Qiongzhong to the north. A county was first set up here in 610, it served as the seat of Wan'an prefecture under the Tang, and in the Ming the seat moved to the Nanshan garrison, today's county town. Macaques roam the Nanwan peninsula inside Xincun harbour, where Tanka boat people have lived on floating fishing rafts for generations. Fenjiezhou Island is said to divide the island's northern and southern climates, and Diaoluo Mountain keeps dense tropical montane forest. Lingshui sour rice noodles, tangy, spicy and sweet, are one of the defining tastes of Hainan.