In the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127), when the ‘jade island’ of the South China Sea was still regarded by the people of the Central Plains as a barbaric and uncivilized land, the grand aspirations harbored by Danzhou-born Fu Que led him to dedicate himself to scholarly pursuits.

One day, as the exiled statesman and poet Su Dongpo sat by the riverside composing a couplet, Fu Que was able to come up with an elegant second line that was better than anything the poet or his companions could come up with. Contextually appropriate and philosophically profound, his elegant responde so impressed Su that he accepted him as a disciple, beginning with the guiding principle: "Root yourself in the land of your forefathers and always keep the people in your heart."

Fu Que's devotion to study bordered on obsession. He is said to have been so absorbed in classical texts that he once unknowingly dipped his New Year’s rice cake (niangao) in ink instead of syrup. After successfully passing the provincial examination in Zhenzhou, he journeyed to Kaifeng for the national-level exams.

When confronted by snobby mainlanders who dismissed Hainan as incapable of producing talent, he retorted with conviction: "Since when does the path of wisdom recognize a man's birthplace?”

In 1109, Fu Que achieved the distinction of becoming Hainan's first native-born Jinshi (the highest and final degree in China's imperial civil service examination system). Throughout his career, he maintained integrity and diligently served the people. Upon retiring to his hometown, he established the "Xingxian Fang" Academy, which—funded through salt field rents—would nurture generations of scholars.

From the rivers of Danzhou to the imperial court, Fu Que’s perseverance shattered prejudice and ignited Hainan's scholarly tradition. His legendary story of the rise from small town backwater to the courts of the emperor has continued to inspire people across the island for centuries.