Sanya has a long and colorful history, stretching back to the Qin period. The area has had many names over the years, including Yazhou and Tianya Haijiao, which means “The End of the Earth”, showing how distant this southernmost Chinese region was from the capital. Exiled officials often made their way here, leaving an imprint both on the area’s culture as well as a very literal imprint as they carved inscriptions on many of the large stones scattered throughout Sanya. These inscriptions can still be seen today at many of Hainan’s attractions, including Tianya Haijiao (the End of the Earth park) and Daxiao Dongtian Cave Park.