"The Five Lords" refer to the five famous officials in the Tang and Song Dynasties who were suppressed and sent into exile on Hainan. They are Li Deyu, prime minister of the Tang Dynasty, Li Gang, prime ministers of the Song Dynasty, Li Guang and Hu Quan, the great scholars of the Song Dynasty. Although the periods of time the Five Lords lived in the island were not the same, they were all best-known as being patriotic officials and national heroes, and were deeply remembered by the people of Hainan for their propagation of advanced culture of Central China and their influence on the development of Hainan's civilization.
In 1889, the local official of Qing Dynasty constructed the First Temple of Hainan as a memorial to the Five Lords, hence the name of The Five-Lord Temple. Actually it refers to the main building of the First Temple of Hainan and a group of ancient Chinese buildings around it.
Su Gong Temple was built in commemoration of Su Dongpo, an outstanding poet and writer in the Song Dynasty. In 1097 when he was suppressed and sent into exile on Hainan. He directed the local people digging two springs. Three years later when he returned north under an amnesty, the wells were named "Fu Su Spring" and the pavilion on it was named "Jiong Zhuo Pavilion". Since there left a relic of Dongpo's Study, later in the Yuan Dynasty, "Dongpo Shu Yuan", a college named after him was set up there. Su Gong Temple was built on the same site during the Ming Dynasty, and thus, the temple, having experienced several renovations was standing as it is now.
There was a Fubo General called Lu Bode in the Western Han Dynasty and another Fubo General called Ma Yuan in the Eastern Han Dynasty who put down the rebellion in Hainan. And Hainan from this time on has been included in China's territory. The Two-Fubo Temple was built in commemoration of their heroic achievements.
Going out of the Lord Su Temple, about the islet in the lake and over an arch bridge, you will see the Exhibition Hall of the Five-Lord Temple, in which there is a fine exhibit of the historical relics of the Five Lords and Hainan.
The Five-Lord merits will go down in history forever. Their heroic spirits inspire the later generations to exert themselves in the service of the nation.
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