China
Hubei
Country
Continent
Asia
Best Cities to Visit
- Enshi
- Yichang
- Jingzhou
- Shiyan
Size
185,900 KM2
Population
57,752,557
Spending Budget
$456 - $1,800
Famous For
- Shennongjia Scenic Area
- Xianning Hot Spring
- Enshi Grand Canyon
Best Time to Visit
- January
- February
- October
- November
- December
History
The Hubei region was home to sophisticated Neolithic cultures. By the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC), the territory of today's Hubei was part of the powerful State of Chu. Chu was nominally a tributary state of the Zhou dynasty, and it was itself an extension of the Chinese civilization that had emerged some centuries before in the north; but it was also a culturally unique blend of northern and southern culture, and was a powerful state that held onto much of the middle and lower Yangtze River, with power extending northwards into the North China Plain.
Present Day
On 1 December 2019, the first case of COVID-19 in the COVID-19 pandemic was identified in the city of Wuhan. In January 2020, the SARS-CoV-2 virus was officially identified, forcing local and federal governments to implement massive quarantine zones across Hubei province, especially the capital Wuhan as the epicenter of outbreak. 15 cities were partially or fully locked down, affecting 57 million people directly. Following severe outbreaks in numerous other countries, including in different areas of the world, the outbreak was subsequently declared to be a pandemic in March 2020. However, after more than eight weeks, the lockdown on most cities in the province was lifted.
Future
Every effort has been made to make up for the time lost, and to seize the opportunities to build capacity and shore up weak areas. The pandemic and post-COVID reopening have served as an opportunity to boost economic upgrading and transformation. From post-COVID recovery to steady economic and social development, and from winning a decisive victory over extreme poverty to fully building a moderately prosperous society, Hubei has again scored impressive achievements in the major test of rebuilding and reviving development. Its economic and social indicators are improving across the board and its GDP growth is expected to surpass 10 percent this year. Having emerged from the trying times of the pandemic, the ancient land of Hubei will show still greater vigor and vitality.
Jingzhou City Wall
Located in Jingzhou City, the Jingzhou City Wall has over 2000 years of history. First established in the East Han Dynasty (25 AD - 220 AD), it has been damaged and repaired multiple times during the Song, Yuan, and Ming dynasties. The current wall was built in the third year of Shunzhi Reign (1646) of the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911). The wall has three parts: inner earth city, middle brick city and outer water city. It is 9 meters in height and 10 meters thick. The perimeter of the wall is 11.03 kilometers.
Enshi Grand Canyon
Located in Banqiao Town of Enshi City, the Enshi Grand Canyon reaches 108 kilometers in length and consists of 11 attractions including a forest park, steep mountains, spectacular waterfalls and exciting attractions. Besides, it features karst landforms, including over 200 karst caves, which are spectacular.
Hubu Lane
Located in Ziyou Road, Wuchang District of Wuhan City, Hubu Lane is one of the most famous streets in Wuhan with over 400 years of history. The 150-meter long street is crowded with various kinds of stores, including snack stalls, shopping and entertainment. It has become Wuhan's official ‘snack street', containing 160 stores selling 170 types of breakfast foods and snacks. In here, you can try authentic Re Gan Mian (hot-and-dry noodles), Fried Tofu Skin and shaomai (Steamed Pork Dumplings).
Hubei Provincial Museum
Located in Wuchang District of Wuhan City, it is the only provincial comprehensive museum in the province. Covering an area of 49,611 square meters, it houses over 200,000 historical and cultural relics, including pottery, porcelains, jade, bronze, and ancient musical instruments, of which nearly 1,000 are listed as first-class relics of China. The Chime Bells Exhibition Hall contains two parts: the Exhibition Hall and the Music Hall, which is the largest ancient instrument exhibition hall in China.
Xianning Hot Spring
Located in City, the hot spring has over 1,400 years of history. In the Song Dynasty (960 - 1279), the boiling waves of the hot spring were deemed as one of the "eight attractions of Xianning". The spring has over 14 mouths, and the temperature of the springs can reach 50 centigrade. As the spring water contains more than ten kinds of minerals, such as sulfate, carbonate, calcium and magnesium, it can cure various kinds of skin diseases, Rheumatoid Arthritis and canker. Besides, Xianning is the well-known destination to enjoy sweet-scented osmanthus. So when you travel in August, you can smell full-bodied sweet-scented osmanthus, which is an amazing experience.
Xianling Mausoleum of Ming Dynasty
Located in Chunde Mountain, 7.5 kilometers north of Zhongxiang County, Xianling Mausoleum was the mausoleum of Zhu Youyuan and his wife, the parents of Emperor Shizong of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It was built in fourteenth year of Zhengde Reign (1519) and was completed in 1540. Covering an area of 183.13 hectares, it is surrounded by red walls 6 meters high and 1.8 meters in width. On both sides of the passageway there are various kinds of animals, including lions, elephants, unicorns and sitting and standing horses. It was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Shennongjia Scenic Area
Shennonjia Scenic Area, located in the south part of Shennongjia Forestry District, is famous for its varied plant species as well as solemn mountains. Regarded as the "Lungs of Central China", the forest coverage exceeds 90 percent of the area. The average latitude in the mountains is 1,700 meters and the Shennong Peak, the highest mountain of the area, features a height of 3,105 meters above sea level. Due to the special climate, it is neither too hot in summer nor too cold in winter. Sometimes clouds stretch around mountains, rewarding tourists will unforgettable views. Besides, the area is home to some rare animals such as golden monkeys, white bears and antelope.
Three Gorges
The Three Gorges, which are comprised of the Qutang gorge, Wuxia Gorge and Xiling Gorge, stretch from Baidi City in Chongqing to Nanjinguan of Hubei with a total length of 192 kilometers. Taking a boat cruise, visitors can enjoy the river and mountain vistas. As a historically and culturally important location in China, the area has many important historical scenic spots, including Shennv Peak, Gaotang Temple and Baidi City. Besides, it is home to the world famous Three Gorges Dam.
Yellow Crane Tower
Located on Snake Hill of Wuchang, Yellow Crane Tower is known as one of the Three Famous Towers South of Yangtze River, together with Yueyang Tower in Hunan and Tengwang Tower in Jiangxi. First built in 223 A.D during the Three Kingdoms period (220-280), it has been destroyed multiple times and the current structure was rebuilt in 1981. Covering a constructing area of 3,219 square meters, it has five-stories, totaling 51.4 meters high. It covered with more than 100,000 yellow glazed tiles, which looks very glorious and magnificent in good weather. It is now regarded as the symbol of Wuhan city.
Ancient Building Complex in the Wudang Mountains
Located in southwest of Danjiangkou City, Wudang Mountain, also known as Taihe Mountain, is both a famous scenic spot and a holy site of Taoism, China's indigenous religion. It has served as the birthplace of Taoism since Tang Dynasty, so it has a large amount of well-preserved Taoist buildings. The temples of the complex feature the architecture characteristics of Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties. Besides, as it contains 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. It was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994.