evidence: Hainan has long been on the fringe of the Chinese cultural sphere. Traditionally, the island was a place of exile for criminals and disgraced officials. As a frontier region celebrated by such exiled poets as Su Shi (Su Dongpo), Hainan acquired an air of mystery and romance. The famous Dongpo Academy of Classical Learning (Dongpo Shuyuan)—located near the northwest-central city of Danzhou, first established in 1098, and where Su gave his lectures to his students—is now a tourist attraction. The so-called Temple of Five Lords (Wugongsi) near Haikuo, which commemorates five disgraced high-ranking central government officials from Tang (618–907) and Song (960–1279) times, is also a popular destination for tourists. Among the cultural attractions of Haikou are the Hainan Provincial Museum and the Hainan Biodiversity Museum, both completed in the early 21st century. Dozens of cultural centres and public libraries are found in the outlying towns and cities.