Story & photos by Joshua Berida
I’ve been to different parts of China; the breakneck pace at which everything is changing is prevalent, from the smallest of towns to the biggest of cities.
The transformation from mountains to skyscrapers, forests to urban jungle happens within a span of hours and a couple hundred kilometers. Bullet trains cut through cities from without, while subways link ancient routes from within. Despite the modernization all over the country, it hasn’t lost its old soul. Wuhan is no exception to this.
Where the rivers meet
Situated near the concourse of the Yangtze and Hanjiang Rivers, Wuhan was and still is an important port city in central China. In ancient times, boats sailed from different directions to stop here and trade, or restock before their next voyage. Traders from a bygone epoch walked its streets, ate, entertained themselves and did business, transferred knowledge, and some even decided to settle.
Many wars have been fought to gain control of the region because of its strategic location; kingdoms fell and rose upon its liberation and capture. One of the most famous battles in Chinese history, the Battle of Red Cliff, took place within proximity of Wuhan. In the 1860s, foreign powers saw the city’s importance and wanted to secure it as a trade and port route. At the time, China gave concessions to the Europeans, giving them their own zones.
Centuries may have passed, but Wuhan is still what it was. Its modern iteration no longer sees rickety boats, carts and carriages coming and going. Massive steel ships, planes and bullet trains have replaced these. As a transportation hub in central China, the city is at the heart of the flow of people, both domestic and foreign, for commerce, to learn and go to different parts of the country.
Modern, old soul
Wuhan has continually remade itself throughout the centuries, rising out of the ashes whenever an empire falls or when it was razed to the ground. At the end of the Japanese and American bombings, and the internal uprisings, the city is still here, rediscovering what’s lost while adapting to the modern milieu. It is a centuries-old metropolis, dating back to more than 3,000 years, with a contemporary façade.
One of its most prominent structures is the Yellow Crane Tower, the popular symbol of the city. It shares the city’s skyline with skyscrapers, finished or currently under construction, and bridges that connect Wuhan’s districts. Sun Quan, the King of Wu from 182 to 252, had the tower built to serve as a watchtower. Hundreds of years lapsed and people forgot its military use. During the Tang Dynasty, artists wrote poems that attracted many to visit. Throughout the centuries, the tower was destroyed and rebuilt, with its most recent reconstruction in 1981.
While exploring Zhong Shan Avenue, I saw remnants of the city’s colonial past. Neoclassical and art deco style buildings lining the streets, shops selling the latest brands, neon signs, and the hustle and bustle of cars, people and motorcycles flowing through.
Inside the Hubei Provincial Museum, visitors will see ancient relics that have historical and cultural value, some of which include instruments, porcelains, weapons and pottery, just to name a few. One of the most important treasures of the museum is the centuries-old Chime Bells. In the Music Hall, musicians perform using a duplicate of the bells.
Nostalgia is in the air aboard Wuhan’s multidimensional immersive theater, Zhiyinhao. The ship sets sail along the Yangtze River with passengers getting an up-close look at the performers telling their personal stories about 1930s Wuhan. The show combines a nostalgic atmosphere, vintage costumes and set pieces, sentimental music and tone, and state-of-the-art technology.
A city full of stories
Wuhan has a storied past that fills books; bloody and history-altering battles and uprisings took place within its boundaries or just outside of it; historical figures called it home even for a short time (Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai to name two); and old colonial buildings lining pedestrian streets. As finished and unfinished skyscrapers, and more than a century-old structures define the city’s skyline, it will continue to evolve and write a new story.
If you’re looking for a modern and old version of China outside of Beijing and Shanghai, Wuhan is the place to be.
Image credits: Joshua Berida