What I knew about Hainan Island before this trip were only a handful of facts: Hainan is the southernmost you can go in China. Hainanese people speak a strange dialect which is so different from Cantonese and Mandarin that I cannot understand it. Hainanese Chicken is a famous dish in South East Asia.
Its far-flung location made it a place of exile for out of favour officials in ancient days. You might think what a great place to have a holiday but in those days, it was rough being away from the comforts of Chinese civilisation. Communication was slow, so you were out of touch with any family you had to part with. As late as mid last century it was still a place of exile. This poignant story tells of a woman exiled for being the wife of an official on the wrong side when the communists won, who then made a new life at the End of the Earth (天涯海角). Her only regret was that she had not the chance to learn to waltz.
Hainan was also where many Chinese emmigrated to South East Asia early last century. The town they embarked from gives its name to the dish Wenchang Chicken, the forerunner of Hainanese Chicken which came into its present form in South East Asia.
The weather in Hainan never gets too cold. China is trying to promote it as the Chinese Hawaii. Hence the flurry of construction and promotion of property sales and timesharing. However it is subject to humid weather, heavy rains and typhoons so you have to come in the right season. I figured late March and early April would be still cool and pleasant.
Its far-flung location made it a place of exile for out of favour officials in ancient days. You might think what a great place to have a holiday but in those days, it was rough being away from the comforts of Chinese civilisation. Communication was slow, so you were out of touch with any family you had to part with. As late as mid last century it was still a place of exile. This poignant story tells of a woman exiled for being the wife of an official on the wrong side when the communists won, who then made a new life at the End of the Earth (天涯海角). Her only regret was that she had not the chance to learn to waltz.
Hainan was also where many Chinese emmigrated to South East Asia early last century. The town they embarked from gives its name to the dish Wenchang Chicken, the forerunner of Hainanese Chicken which came into its present form in South East Asia.
The weather in Hainan never gets too cold. China is trying to promote it as the Chinese Hawaii. Hence the flurry of construction and promotion of property sales and timesharing. However it is subject to humid weather, heavy rains and typhoons so you have to come in the right season. I figured late March and early April would be still cool and pleasant.
No comments:
Post a Comment