Wuhan

Wuhan, People's Republic of China

The Yellow Crane Tower on Snake Hill in Wuchang glows at sunset above the Yangtze River, framed by a stone balustrade in the foreground.

Wuhan is a vast river city where the Yangtze meets the Han, with a famous tower, lakes, lively breakfast streets and deep history.

The place

Wuhan sits on the flat Jianghan Plain in central China, at the point where the Han River runs into the Yangtze, and almost everything about the city follows from that meeting of waters. It is the capital of Hubei province and home to about 12.3 million people, sitting at an elevation of just 37 m, so the air is heavy and the land is threaded with lakes. The name is a fusion of three older towns: Wuchang on the south-east bank of the Yangtze, Hankou on the north bank beyond the Han, and Hanyang on the south-west side of the Han. Locals still talk about the Three Towns, and each has its own character. Wuchang is the university and museum side, with the Yellow Crane Tower and the old uprising sites. Hankou is the commercial heart, with a long riverfront, shopping streets and railway connections. Hanyang is quieter and more residential, with older neighbourhoods and fewer visitors. Because the rivers are so wide, the metro and its bridges and tunnels do much of the work of joining the three together, and a ferry across the Yangtze is as much a local commute as an outing. Wuhan has long been a trading crossroads, and it still behaves like one: busy, talkative, practical and proud of its food. It is an honest big city rather than a polished showpiece. Summers are very hot and humid, winters are damp and cold, and spring and autumn are the pleasant stretches for walking.

Its story

Wuhan has been inhabited for roughly 3,500 years. At Panlongcheng, in today's Huangpi District, archaeologists have uncovered a Bronze Age settlement linked to the Erligang culture, showing that the middle Yangtze mattered to early Chinese states long before any city of this name existed. Later the region fell under the State of Chu, which in 648 BC defeated the neighbouring State of Huang and moved its people into the area; Huangpi still carries that old name. Qin then absorbed Chu in 223 BC. Under the Han dynasty, Hanyang grew into a busy river port, and the surrounding region became a battleground in the dynasty's closing years because whoever held the Yangtze crossings held the middle of the country. The modern city's best-known moment came in 1911, when the Wuchang Uprising against the Qing set off the end of imperial rule. Wuhan briefly served as the national capital twice: in 1927 under a left-wing Kuomintang government, and again in 1937 as a provisional wartime seat. In 1938 it was fought over in the Battle of Wuhan during the war with Japan. More recently, a novel coronavirus was first identified here at the end of 2019, and in January 2020 the city went into the first lockdown of the pandemic. Many residents feel that this chapter has overshadowed the rest of a long and layered history, which is worth remembering when talking to people in the city.

What to see

Culture

Wuhan's culture is shaped by its role as a river crossroads: direct, sociable and food-obsessed. The city's emblem is the plum blossom, chosen partly for the long local history of plum growing and partly for the fruit's modern research and economic value. Wild plums were used as medicine as far back as the Qin and Han periods, and some traditional new-year customs still revolve around planting plum trees. People here speak a local variety of Southwestern Mandarin, known as Wuhan dialect, with small differences between Wuchang, Hankou, Hanyang and Qingshan. Visitors who know standard Mandarin will follow much of it, but the rhythm is brisk and the vowels distinctive, and locals are usually pleased when a stranger tries a word or two. Hubei cooking, which grows out of the ancient cuisine of Chu, is one of China's ten major regional styles, and meals are taken seriously. On the third day of the third lunar month, many families eat eggs boiled with shepherd's purse, a small seasonal ritual meant to protect against illness through the year. Teahouses, riverside exercise groups, dance classes in parks and outdoor card games are everyday sights, and early mornings are the liveliest time in most neighbourhoods. Pride in the city is strong, and so is sensitivity about the pandemic years. Do not describe the pandemic as the "Wuhan virus" or "Wuhan disease" in conversation, as residents find the phrase hurtful and unfair.

What to wear

Wuhan's traditional dress belongs to the wider Chinese repertoire rather than to one distinctive local costume. The region has a long tradition of silk and of Han embroidery, a needlework style from the Jianghan Plain, and these appear on festival clothing, wedding wear and craft shops. The qipao, a close-fitting dress usually cut from silk or brocade, and the Hanfu revival, with wide sleeves and layered robes, are worn mainly for photographs, weddings, cultural events and festivals, often around the Yellow Crane Tower and East Lake. Everyday dress is casual and practical. Students in the university districts wear sportswear, hoodies and trainers; office workers favour smart-casual shirts and trousers; and in summer many people carry umbrellas against the sun as much as the rain. Winter brings padded jackets, scarves and thermal layers, because damp cold feels sharper than the thermometer suggests and many older buildings have little heating. A visitor should dress for the weather first. In summer, pack light, breathable cotton or linen, a hat, sun protection and shoes that can handle wet pavement. In winter, bring warm layers and a waterproof coat. Comfortable walking shoes matter, since sights are spread out and the best days involve plenty of stairs. Shoulders and knees do not need covering in the city generally, but modest clothing is sensible at active temples, and short shorts or sleeveless tops draw more attention in religious settings than in malls.

What to eat

Plan it

Best time. March–April for plum and cherry blossom and mild days, and October–November for cooler, drier weather. Summer is very hot and humid, and winter is damp and cold.

How long. 2–3

Getting there. Wuhan Tianhe Airport is linked to the city by Metro Line 2, taxis and a commuter rail line to Hankou Railway Station, where long-distance trains and the metro connect. Wuhan is also well served by rail and road from other major cities.

Budget. low

Tips

Etiquette

Nearby

Sources