Xúwén

Xúwén stands at the southern end of the Léizhōu Peninsula, across the strait from Hainan. Its ancient harbour was one of the points from which Han ships sailed towards Southeast and South Asia, carrying gold and silk to exchange for pearls, glass and other treasures. The coast and the passage to Hainan continued to give the district a strategic importance long after the Han.

The county seat moved several times. It was transferred to Bīnpǔ in 1291, then to Hǎi'ān during the Ming, before returning to Bīnpǔ in 1501, when a stone wall was built. Hǎi'ān had its own fortified military post, founded in 1394 and repaired under both Ming and Qing rule. Its harbour was a crossing point for officials, merchants and other travellers bound for Hainan.