Five Officials Temple
五公祠
A complex of shrines honoring five ministers exiled to Hainan during the Tang and Song dynasties, featuring the wooden tower known as 'Hainan's First Tower,' the Su Gong Shrine and the Floating Millet Spring. It is Haikou's most important historic site.
Five Officials Temple is on Haifu Road in Qiongshan District. It was built to commemorate five distinguished officials exiled to Hainan during the Tang and Song dynasties: Li Deyu, Li Gang, Zhao Ding, Li Guang and Hu Quan. The surviving main structures date to 1889, the 15th year of the Guangxu era, and it was listed as a national key cultural heritage site in 2001. The central building, the Five Officials Hall, is a two-story wooden pavilion about 10 meters tall. It was called 'Hainan's First Tower' because it was the tallest building on the island at the time, and it houses statues and biographies of the five officials. To the east is the Su Gong Shrine, honoring Su Dongpo, who was once exiled to Danzhou. The Floating Millet Spring in front of the shrine is said to have been dug at Su Dongpo's direction, and its water has never run dry. Other buildings include Guanjia Hall, Xuepu Hall, West Study, and the Fubo Shrine, which honors Han-dynasty generals Lu Bode and Ma Yuan, along with many stone inscriptions. The grounds are shaded by ancient trees and surrounded by lotus ponds, making it the most historically atmospheric place in Haikou. Admission is about 20 yuan, and visitors over 60 enter free. Guided tours are available. Suggested route: main gate, Five Officials Hall, Su Gong Shrine and Floating Millet Spring, Guanjia Hall, then the Fubo Shrine. The route takes 1 to 1.5 hours. Combine it with the Hainan Provincial Museum, about 2 km away, for a half-day cultural itinerary. Getting there: take the bus to the Five Officials Temple stop. It is about 4 km from Qilou Old Street, or about 15 minutes by taxi. Notes: Smoking and open flames are prohibited inside the wooden hall. The stone paths are slippery in the rainy season. The inscriptions and calligraphy throughout the site help explain how the culture of exiled officials shaped Hainan.
Opening hours
08:00–18:00
Nearby sights
- Qiongtai Academy
- Hainan Provincial Museum
- Meishe River National Wetland Park
- Haikou Qilou Old Street
- Haikou Clock Tower
- Jinniuling Park
- Wanlüyuan (Evergreen Park)
- Xiuying Fort