In the southeast of Hainan Island, at the junction of Lingshui Li Autonomous County and Wanning City, on the surface of the South China Sea east of Niuling, lies a treasure island called "Demarcation Island".
▲From the air overlooking the whole view of Demarcation Island, the nearest distance from Hainan Island opposite is only 2 kilometers. Photography / Jin Xiang
Unlike many outlying islands on Hainan Island, the nearest distance from the shore of Demarcation Island is only about 2 kilometers, and it is said that some people have swam to the opposite shore in about 1.5 hours. From the Hainan East Line Expressway Niuling Tunnel under the highway, it is only 15 kilometers away from the demarcation island, and it takes only 10 minutes by boat, which is very convenient to get to the island.
<h1 class = "pgc-h-center-line" > orphans at sea, islands outside the island</h1>
The demarcation island is a northeast-southwest direction, with a long strip, which looks like a saddle from a distance, with an area of about 0.41 square kilometers and a coastline of more than 2800 meters. It consists of two low peaks, the northern large peak has a maximum elevation of 100.9 meters, and the southern small peak has a maximum elevation of 96.1 meters.
▲From perfume bay, you can see the demarcation island from afar, like an oasis on the sea. Photography / Jin Xiang
The two flanks of the coast opposite the demarcation island are the two natural bays of Perfume Bay and Sun Moon Bay stretching for more than 10 kilometers on the east coast of Hainan Island, and the two bays are separated by the Niuling Mountain Range. Niuling is named for its terrain that resembles a cow's head facing the sea and its tail is backed by a mountain. From the perspective of formation, hundreds of millions of years ago, the continental plate squeezed, the demarcation island is the collapse of niuling extending to the South China Sea, the glacier period seawater intrusion, submerged the lower area, so it seems to cut off the connection with niuling, forming a delicate uninhabited island hanging overseas - demarcation island. But in fact, the demarcation island and the cow ridge are inseparable as a whole.
▲ The "Double Female Stone" pulled up from the flat ground on the perfume bay, the local legend is that the fairy in the sky was transformed into a mortal. Photography / Jin Xiang
The sea light is often bright, and the mountains are more beautiful. The eastern and western sides of the island are very different – the eastern side is dominated by exposed granite sea cliffs, and the cliffs are towering and spectacular, so there are only reefs and no beaches. The waves collide under the cliffs of the South China Sea, forming a scene of perennial waves lapping at the reef; to the west is a beach, the wind and waves are calm, the sea sand is bright and soft, a bay is straight to the sea, and a bay is concave to the east.
▲The eastern side of the demarcation island is covered with reefs, and the waves from the South China Sea continue to pour in, forming a scene of perennial rapid waves lapping at the reef. Photography / Jin Xiang
<h1 class = "pgc-h-center-line" > ridges are separated from north to south, and the boundary landmark is located</h1>
Demarcation Island has a unique "demarcation" personality, which is first reflected in the demarcation of climate. Niuling, which is 976 meters above sea level on the opposite shore, is like a "high wall" separating the north and south, making the weather in this area unpredictable and obviously differentiated. In summer, Niuling let the monsoon from the south slow down to the north, the rain in the north of the mountain is torrential, but the sun is shining in the south; in winter, it makes the cold air from the north difficult to go south, the north of the ridge is obscure and dull, and the south is sunny. This is also one of the reasons why Cow Ridge is very "cattle".
▲ Niuling, which is nearly a thousand meters above sea level, is like a "high wall", making the weather in this area unpredictable, and the north-south differentiation is obvious. Photography / Tong Guoqiang
Driving in the summer, taking the east line highway from Lingshui to Haikou, often in the territory of Lingshui or the sun is shining, through the Niuling Tunnel on the dark clouds and even rainy. "The head of the bull is raining, and the tail of the cow is clear, teach people how not to turn back?" This weather became a common spectacle in the Niuling and Demarcation Island areas.
In addition to being regarded as the natural dividing line of Hainan's northern and southern climates along with Niuling, the name of the demarcation island is also related to the cultural distinction. Since ancient times, the demarcation island has been the dividing place between Qiongzhou And Yazhoufu in Hainan, and is now the administrative dividing point between Lingshui Li Autonomous County and Wanning City. At the same time, this area is also the boundary between han and ethnic minority concentrated areas. In the past, Niuling was densely forested with high mountains and deep hinterland, which became a settlement of ethnic minorities; the Han people mostly lived in the plains north of Niuling, and the Niuling line separated different ethnic cultures at both ends. Today, some historians also regard it as a demarcation landmark between the Qiongnan and Qiongbei regions.
▲ To the west of The Boundary Island is a beach with calm winds and waves, bright and soft sea sand, which is a good place for tourists to play, surf and dive. Photography / Jin Xiang
<h1 class = "pgc-h-center-line" > traffic fortress, the post road is open</h1>
The demarcation island has a long history and was once known as "Kato island". During the Qianlong period, it is recorded in the "Chronicle of Lingshui County": "Jiazhiyu Island, forty miles east of the city." Outside the katoyu Stream is the sea, an island in the middle, more than 30 meters high. "In ancient times, Demarcation Island and Niuling were military fortresses, and they were also places for merchants to sail and avoid the wind and rain.
▲ The newly created stone carvings on the island introduce the origin of the name "Demarcation Continent". Image source/network
Niuling has a post road, which is the main passage connecting Lingshui and Wanning, known as the Wanling Ancient Road, also known as the Jiuqu Ancient Road, which was founded in the Ming Dynasty. Previously, people walked along the coast to and from the north and south of Niuling, but the sea was full of dangers, the weight could not be crossed, and it was often blocked by the tide, so the Niuling Ancient Road was excavated.
▲The highest point on the island of the demarcation continent, standing here can absorb the surrounding scenery. Photography / Jin Xiang
In 1957, the Guangdong Provincial Museum team found a stele in Niuling, and the inscription on the back was: "Rebuild the Jiuqu Niuling Road Stele, Daoguang Twenty-second Year (1842) June 5, 20184, Wanzhou and Lilingshui County Zhengtang Qi, department is a new repair, supervising the construction of Nanmentang." Unfortunately, this repeatedly renovated and weathered ancient post road was filled in in 1996 when the Eastern Highway was built.
Although the yidao is now no longer traceable, Niuling has been an important gateway for hainan's north-south transportation, and in the classic revolutionary film "Red Women's Army", there is an important scene "Demarcation Ridge", which refers to Niuling. The demarcation island connected to it is therefore also known as an important node of maritime traffic.
<h1 class= "pgc-h-center-line" > coral kingdom, a diving destination</h1>
The sea around The Island of demarcation is crystal clear, and standing on a high place to see the surrounding waters, coral reefs and fish schools can be seen. The latest survey found that the coral reef ecosystem in the sea of the demarcation island is relatively intact today, with coral distribution around it, with a coral coverage rate of 13.16% and a coral coverage rate of 30%-40% in its shallow water areas.
▲ Artificially planted coral reefs in the waters around demarcation islands, like a large mushroom. Photography / Tong Guoqiang
In the sample survey, it was found that the incidence of reef-building stony corals here is zero, which is a typical healthy coral reef ecosystem. The main dominant species are porous staghorn coral, umbrella house antler coral, delicate flat-brain coral, warty cup coral, clump helmet coral, etc., and common coral species are standard honeycomb coral, Chenghuangbin coral, beautiful staghorn coral, hyacinth antler coral, secret horn honeycomb coral, deer horn cup coral, etc.
In the past, due to the illegal personnel's fish frying, illegal mining and other acts, the coral reefs on the seabed were destroyed to pieces, and there were not many marine life, and it was lifeless. For more than a decade, demarcation islands have demarcated coral reef protection areas, prohibited fishing, and put coral reef attachment bases such as iron frames and artificial reefs on the seabed to provide conditions for coral growth, so that the surrounding coral reefs can slowly recover their vitality and reappear colorful. At the same time, shipwrecks and aircraft wrecks have been released on the seabed, creating "safe houses" for the habitat and reproduction of marine life such as corals and marine fish, and also creating a different underwater landscape.
▲ The shipwreck dropped on the bottom of the sea has become a different kind of underwater landscape, attracting divers to explore. Photography / Tong Guoqiang
Today, this tropical sea, which is slowly restoring its beauty, is favored by many young people. People come here to experience diving, sea fishing, paragliding and sailing, watch the underwater world, and interact closely with marine animals such as dolphins, sea lions, turtles, rays, etc., of which diving is quite popular.
▲ Coral reef groups have become home to the habitat and reproduction of seabed organisms such as fish. Photography / Tong Guoqiang
Diving into the seabed, you can see a relatively complete group of living coral reefs, coral artificial conservation beds, "underwater village" antique sites, "underwater Buddha country" stone statue array, you can see lobsters, bricks, sea urchins, sea cucumbers, sea lilies, starfish and other large benthic animals, you can also watch the seabed shipwrecks, fighter jets and strange sea erosion cave landforms under the sea cliffs.
The beauty of the demarcation island is natural and pure, and the spirit is moving. This beauty comes from the gift of nature, but also inseparable from the perseverance of many people!
▲ The beauty of the demarcation island is natural and pure, and the spirit is beautiful and moving. Photography / Tong Guoqiang
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Written by Tong Guoqiang Photo by Jin Xiang Tong Guoqiang
Editor/Yang Yalin Photo Editor/Zhou Honglei Review/Chen Yi
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