All about Wuhan, Hubei Province

The Hanjiang, a large river, joins China's great Yangtze in Hubei Province creating a river-crossed fertile land known as Jianghan Plain. Situated on the Plain, Wuhan, the capital city of Hubei Province, is the biggest hub city in Central China. Divided by the Yangtze, Wuhan has come to be known as the Three Towns of Wuhan with Hankou and Hanyang on the west bank, and Wuchang on the east.

Wuhan is a city with both an ancient history and a thriving present. Historic relics excavated from ancient tombs tell the city's long history dating back 3,500 years. In the period of Pre-Qin (770 B.C. - 221 B.C.), this was the land of the State of Chu (one of the seven warring states before Qin, in China's first feudal dynasty) and was the cradle of the brilliant Chu Civilization. Starting here, merchants followed the great Yangtze River and lake network to expand businesses throughout the entire country.

In the Qing Dynasty, Hankou became one of the four best-known towns in the country. For centuries, this city has been the center of trade and transportation in central China. Today it is an important hub in central China and a feature of Yangtze River cruises.

Climate
Wuhan has a subtropical monsoon climate with four distinct seasons. In November, the temperature varies from 7.2 to 16.4oC.

Time Zone
Wuhan is 8 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time. Clocks are not adjusted for daylight saving.

Languages
The national language is Putonghua or Mandarin, which is one of the five working languages at the United Nations. Most of the 55 minority nationalities have their own languages.

Nationalities
China is made up of 56 ethnic groups. The Han people make up 91.02 percent of the total population, and the other 55 national minorities 8.98 percent. They are Mongolian, Hui, Tibetan, Uygur, Miao, Yi, Zhuang, Bouyi, Korean, Manchu, Dong, Yao, Bai, Tujia, Hani, Kazak, Dai, Li, Lisu, Wa, She, Gaoshan, Lahu, Shui, Dongxiang, Naxi, Jingpo, Kirgiz, Tu, Daur, Mulam, Qiang, Blang, Salar, Maonan, Gelo, Xibe, Achang, Pumi, Tajik, Nu, Ozbek, Russian, Ewenki, Benglong, Bonan, Yugur, Jing, Tatar, Drung, Oroqen, Hezhen, Moinba, Lhoba and Gelo. All nationalities enjoy equal status according to the Constitution. The State protects their lawful rights and interests and promotes equality, unity and mutual help among all nationalities.

Transportation
As one of the most important economic and business hubs in central China, Wuhan is one of the few transportation hubs in China with a reasonably efficient transportation system.

By Air
There are more than 150 domestic and international lines connecting Wuhan with over sixty metropolises inside China and abroad. Currently Wuhan has five direct international lines to Osaka, Fukuoka, Seoul, Bangkok, and Singapore. Another line sponsored by China Southern Airlines is from Wuhan to Guangzhou and on to Paris.

Wuhan Tianhe International Airport is the biggest airport in central China, located 26km northwest of Wuhan. Transport to and from the airport to the city are convenient. Airport coaches go between the Hankou bus terminal and the airport. The journey takes approximately 23 minutes (RMB15). There are daily flights linking Wuhan and numerous other destinations in China. A taxi ride to the city area is between 80 to 120 Yuan.

Airport Enquiry: 027-85818888
Southern Airlines Enquiry: 027-85300000
Eastern Airlines Enquiry: 027-63623820

By Train
Wuhan consists of three districts; Wuchang, Hankou and Hanyang. Each district has its own railway station serving different destinations across China.

Wuhan has three main railway lines; the Jingguang railway (from Beijing to Guangzhou), the Handan Railway (Hankou to Danjiangkou and on to Chongqing and Chengdu), and Wujiu railway(from Wuchang to Jiujiang and further to Shanghai). The two major railway stations are in Wuchang and Hankou. 77 trains depart from Wuhan every day.

By Bus
Transportation to Wuhan by bus is fairly convenient. New express routes have been constructed in the past year and destinations as far away as Nanjing and Shanghai can be reached on an overnight trip. In Hankou, the major station is on Jiefang da dao at the intersection of Youyi Lu. This is the biggest station in the city and buses to some northern cities leave and arrive from here. In Wuchang, the bus station is on Wu Luo Lu. Buses to some southern cities leave and arrive from here. Buses for Nanjing, Shanghai and Hefei leave from both stations. (Telephone: 8579-2424)

By Boat
Wuhan is one of the largest intermediate ports along the Yangtze River in China. There are passenger ships between Wuhan and Shanghai as well as Wuhan and Chongqing. Because the speed of ships is relatively slow, the number of passengers who go to Wuhan by ship has decreased sharply in recent years. It is advisable to enquire in advance if you wish to travel to Wuhan by boat.

Wuhan Passenger Port: 027-82839546
Shipping Department of Wuhan Marine Board: 027-8375952
Port Department of Wuhan Marine Board: 027- 83752516

Traffic Rules
Road drive side is on the right in Mainland China.

Food
The wealth of food available in Wuhan reflects the city's location between Shanghai and Chongqing. Most of the places around here serve a good mixture of eastern Sichuan cuisine and more oily braised dishes. Wuhan cuisine can be very spicy. Wuhan style cuisine focuses on preparation, cooking time and the appearance of dishes. Fish and shellfish are especially good.

Drinking Water
Unlike in most western countries, the tap water in China is undrinkable, even in hotels. Bottled mineral water can be found in local supermarkets and convenience stores.

Currency
Chinese Money is called Renminbi (RMB). The popular unit of RMB is Yuan. 1 Yuan equals 10 Jiao, and 1 Jiao equals 10 Fen. Chinese currency is issued in the following denominations: one, two, five, ten, fifty and a hundred Yuan; one, two and five Jiao; and one, two and five Fen.

All major international currencies can be exchange for RMB in hotels and banks in Wuhan. Visa, Master Card, American Express, Diner's Club, Federal Card, Million Card, and JCB credit cards are accepted at most hotels and state-run shops in Wuhan. You are however advised to pay in Yuan when shopping in smaller shops, at restaurants, and in smaller hotels.

Tipping is not customary in China, but is generally appreciated.

Communications and Telephone Codes
You can get a SIM card at any of the cell phone shops. Usually, a new SIM card user is required to install a certain amount of money (100 CNY at most) in the card.

Three kinds of card will be served: China Mobile SIM card China Telecom SIM card and China Unicom SIM card. Mobile phone number in China has 11 Arabic numerals usually beginning with 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 159, 158 and 189.

You can buy prepaid cards to recharge the value in your phone. Prepaid cards are usually sold in dominations of 30 CNY, 50 CNY, and 100 CNY
Mainland China Country Code – 86
Wuhan Area Code – 27

Emergency Telephone Numbers
Police – 110
Fire – 119
Emergency – 120
Directory inquiries and information – 114

Electricity
Electrical appliances will require an adapter that can change the shape of the plug prongs. Throughout China 220V, 50Hz is used, although 4 & 5-star hotels are wired for use of 110V electrical appliances.

Postal Services
Mailing service is available in post offices and some hotels. The international postal service is efficient, and airmail letters and postcards will take between 5 to 10 days to reach their destinations. Postage for domestic letters up to 20g is ￥O.80. For international mail, the charges vary according to country. There are discounts for printed matter and small packets. Maximum weight is 30kg.

There are a number of foreign private couriers in China that offer international express posting of documents and parcels, including United Parcel Service, DHL, Federal Express and TNT Skypak.

Official Working Hours
The working days are Monday through Friday. Official hours are from 8:00am to 17:00pm with one hour for lunch.
 

Places to Visit in Wuhan
The Yellow Crane Tower it one of three famous historical towers south of the Yangtze River (the other two being Yueyang Tower in Hunan Province and the Prince Teng Tower in Jiangxi Province). East Lake is a state-recognized scenic spot loved for its natural beauty. And the Guiyuan Buddhist Temple is known as "the ancient temple at the Buddhist centre.” It is also the most convenient base from which to explore the Three Gorges and other famous prime sights in Central China. The city has a solid industrial foundation, with metallurgy, machinery, light industry, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, electronics and building materials is its pillar industries. Some promising high-tech sectors are rising, including fiber optics, biological engineering, lasers, microelectronics, and new materials.

Yellow Crane Tower (Huang He Lou)
Located on the south bank of the Yangzi River, the Yellow Crane Tower is often rebuilt throughout China’s history. It is said to have been built in 333AD during the Three Kingdoms period. In the centuries that followed, it was destroyed and rebuilt several times. In history, the tower inspired many poets and artists. It was last rebuilt in 1983.

Tourists can obtain a fine view of the Yangtze River from the top of the tower. Yellow Crane Tower is considered one of the Four Great Towers of China. The Tower is 50 meters high with five stories stretching upwards from the ground. The roof of the structure is covered with thousands of tiny tiles glazed in gold. Frescos decorate the walls and the entire construction is hung together with red auspicious columns. In its modern version it has the appearance of an ancient tower but is built of modern materials and includes an elevator.

The East Lake (Donghu Lake)
East Lake, the biggest scenery tourist attraction in Wuhan and also the largest lake within a city in China, is located on the south bank of the Yangtze River and in the east suburb of Wuchang. It covers an area of 87 square kilometers (33 square kilometers of water area) that is five times greater than the area of the West Lake in Hangzhou. Because of its winding banks and crisscrossing ponds and brooks, it is called 'a lake with 99 bays'. The East Lake is famous for its blue water, a rich variety of aquatic birds, a large number of pleasure boats and fishing boats, and elegant pavilions and flower garden.

The East Lake has many scenic spots along its bank. The six major ones are Tingtao (Listening to Surging Waves), Mo Hill (Millstone Hill), Luoyan (Diving Wild Goose), Baima (White Horse), Chuidi (Playing Flutes), and Luohong Hills.

Wudang Mountain

The Wudang Mountain is a small mountain range located in Junxian County, western Hubei, covering an area of 400 square kilometers.

The mountains of Wudang are known for the many Taoist monasteries. As early as the Eastern Han Dynasty (25–220 AD), the mountain attracted the Emperor's attention. During the Tang Dynasty (618–907), the first site of worship—the Five Dragon Temple—was constructed. In the 15th century, the Ming court sent 300,000 soldiers and workers there to build 160 monasteries, temples, pavilions and other structures. It took more than 10 years to complete the construction. It then became a major center of Taoism. The monasteries were abandoned and neglected during the Cultural Revolution of 1966–1976, but have lately become increasingly popular with tourists from elsewhere in China and abroad due to their scenic location and historical interest. The monasteries and buildings were made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994. The palaces and temples in Wudang, which was built as an organized complex during the Ming Dynasty (14th–17th centuries), contains Taoist buildings from as early as the 7th century. It represents the highest standards of Chinese art and architecture over a period of nearly 1,000 years. Noted temples include the Golden Hall, Nanyan Temple and the Purple Cloud Temple.

Ximen Night Market

Located down an alley off Lumo Lu in Wuhan's Wuchang district, the Ximen Night Market is a sprawling lane of restaurants and stalls that mainly sell food, but also delve into such random items as antique books and knock-off shoes and clothes.

Ximen is a street lined with tables and vendors, waitresses coming to serve you their tese kaoyu (special flavor grilled fish in a pan), oudai (spicy lotus stalks) and other traditional Chinese fare.

Mao Zedong Villa

The famous villa of Chairman Mao Zedong in Wuhan is strategically located at the scenic bank of East Lake of Wuchang. It was once a retreat house for Chairman Mao and other privileged ruling members of the Politburo. During the Chinese Cultural Revolution, Mao in a letter nicknamed it 'Home of the White Clouds and Yellow Cranes' where he enjoyed the quiet ambiance and great relief it offered. The attractive scenery of tree-lined footpath, dense grove, flying songbirds, and Chairman Mao's favourite pines, bamboo trees and plums seen everywhere can undoubtedly, make one reluctant to leave.

Gui Yuan Temple

Guiyuan Temple (Temple of Original Purity) is one of the four biggest temples for Buddhist meditation in Hubei as well as an important Buddhist temple in China.
First built in the early Qing dynasty (1644-1911) by two monks, the temple got its name from a Buddhist hymn: "With purity kept in mind, one has the thoroughfare everywhere." Guiyuan Temple has survived through more than 300 hundred years of repeated cycles of prosperity and decline.

The temple was destroyed and rebuilt for several times in its history and the present temple dates from the early Republic of China (1912-1949). Covering an area of 46,900 square meters with a floor space of 20,000 square meters, the temple is famous for its perfect architecture, excellent sculpture and rich collection of Buddhist doctrine among Buddhist temples. In 1956 Guiyuan Temple was listed as preserved antiques unit of Hubei province and in 1983, it was appointed as one of the key Buddhist temple of Han nationality district in China by the State Council.