Haikou Impressions

First Arrival in Haikou

"The aircraft will land at our destination—Haikou Meilan Airport—in 20 minutes…" announced the flight attendant. Through the cabin window, I saw towering, cotton-candy-like clouds rising abruptly in layers—cluster upon cluster—beneath which stretched a sapphire-blue sea.

Stepping out of the airport terminal, I fully escaped the 'restraint' of air conditioning and stood exposed beneath brilliant sunlight, breathing deeply the air of southern China. To my surprise, the subtropical weather wasn’t as hot as I’d imagined—it felt refreshingly cool, almost like Beijing’s. My friend’s Q7 was already waiting outside; after brief pleasantries, we boarded and headed straight for the city center. The sun shone intensely—brighter than Beijing’s—and the sky was vividly blue, with clouds blooming in clusters. Sunlight filtering through the clouds embroidered the ground with shifting patches of light and shadow, while vehicles darted in and out of these dappled zones, alternately brightening and dimming. The air was exceptionally fresh, prompting me to inhale deeply. Greenery lined the entire route—a feast of subtropical scenery.

Entering the urban area, everything felt familiar. Aside from the lush vegetation flanking the streets—which continually reminded me that I was at China’s southernmost tip—the city bore no striking difference from other cities I’d visited…

"The world is not lacking in beauty; what it lacks is eyes capable of perceiving beauty!" If you lack such eyes, no destination will ever become scenery; but if you possess them, the most beautiful landscape lies right beside you! Thus, I often arrogantly declare: "I don’t enjoy traveling. Unless friends’ hospitality proves truly irresistible, I have no desire to visit unfamiliar cities." And yet even more audacious words remain unspoken: "Because I dwell daily amidst the most beautiful scenery—why then should I deliberately pursue so-called 'scenic wonders'?"

Days by the Sea

Today, I went to the seaside. My first encounter with the sea was in Dalian—15 years ago—when I accompanied my father on business there and seized a chance to visit Tiger Beach. That was my first glimpse of the ocean, my first experience of its boundless vastness, and my first awareness of life’s profound smallness. Facing the sea, my heart surged with indescribable emotion—known only to myself, impossible to articulate! Later, I visited the seashores of Beidaihe, Qinhuangdao, and Tianjin Port—but never again felt that same stirring intensity I’d experienced along Dalian’s coast.

Today marked my first time seeing the South China Sea. Its seascape was breathtaking—like gazing upon a magnificent landscape painting. Fine, pale-yellow sand felt soothing underfoot; seawater shifted gradually from light blue near shore to deep blue farther out, extending seamlessly toward a faint horizon line where sea met sky. Gently caressed by the sea breeze, immersed once more in that sense of boundlessness, I suddenly felt the same heart-pounding surge I’d felt 15 years earlier—between heaven and sea, how infinitesimally small I truly am! And those matters I obsess over daily—success and failure, gain and loss, greatness and insignificance, love and hatred—how, precisely, are they distinguished or defined? Do any of them truly matter?

Closing my eyes, I sensed myself dissolving into a single drop of water—merging into the azure expanse of sea and sky—no longer 'you', no longer 'me'; no 'distance', no 'closeness'; no 'separation', no 'union'—only drifting, freely and unbound…