Wuchang

The James Jackson Museum is an art and design museum inside the former James Jackson Stadium, China's oldest modern indoor sports stadium, which was built in 1921. It is named after James Jackson, a British theology professor who was the first chancellor of Wenhua University, the forerunner of today's Central China Normal University.

One of Wuhan's most famous Buddhist temples, though generally quieter than most of the others. The Lianxi Temple was founded in the early Ming Dynasty but has been rebuilt several times. The present structures date mainly from the late Qing Dynasty. Today it is perhaps best known for being Wuhan's only nunnery.

The Wuhan branch of the world-famous wax museum.

Shahu Lake is the 2nd largest lake in Wuchang after the East Lake. It is physically connected to the East Lake via the Chu River.

A comprehensive museum about the Xinhai Revolution.

Historically known as Zhonghe Gate (中和门), this was one of the nine gates of the Wuchang City Wall, which was completed in the early Ming Dynasty. In 1911, the first battle of the Wuchang Uprising took place at the gate and it was through this gate that the Revolutionary Army entered the city. The gate was thereafter renamed Uprising Gate in commemoration of the event. The wall was largely demolished in the 1920s and the gate was damaged during the subsequent wars. The present gate is a 1980s reconstruction, but it does give you an idea of what the original may have looked like.

On October 10, 1911 the Wuchang Uprising started the Xinhai Revolution, which led to the fall of the Qing Dynasty and the election of Sun Yat-Sen as the provisional president. This was one of the biggest events that shaped modern China, making its headquarters a must-see for anyone interested in historical travel. The Revolutionary Army was here, and inside the Red Chamber (the main building) they issued the edict to bring down the Qing Dynasty. In the outside Uprising Plaza (首义广场), stands a statue of Sun Yat-Sen.

A museum about the Communist revolution in Wuhan.

At night, the riverfront is spectacularly lit up, with a huge tract of buildings all creating coordinated light patterns. The full show is around 20:00 for half an hour.

Built in 1270, the Wuying Pagoda is the oldest standing architectural structure in Wuhan. It used to be part of the Xingfu Temple until the temple was destroyed by the Taiping rebels in the mid-19th century. It was moved to the present location in the early 1960s. The name Wuying Pagoda literally means Shadowless Pagoda, which derives from the myth that when the pagoda was in its original location, it never once cast a shadow, or at least never cast a shadow at noon on the summer solstice.

It has repeatedly burned down, so the present tower completed in 1980 is mostly concrete, on the site of twelve previous wooden incarnations. Tower and associated buildings are atop the ridge of Snake Hill, looking down on Number One Yangtze River Bridge and the confluence of Yangtze and Han rivers. The complex includes Snake Hill Park, the Yellow Crane Tower, and the Mao Pavilion into which many of the poems of Chairman Mao are etched for your pleasure and erudition.
The ground floor of the tower has a large entrance hall, two stories tall, with enormous decorative lamps and a giant ceramic fresco displaying the mythical story of the initial construction. The second story, essentially a balcony around the entrance hall, has a souvenir shop as well as displays of traditional Chinese paintings and calligraphy. The third story has a residence in the ancient Chu style, the sort of sitting room used by nobility to receive guests. The fourth story contains another souvenir shop and a set of models displaying the tower in previous incarnations, as it morphed from a watchtower into today's showpiece. The highest accessible story has pay telescopes and some nice art displays. There are lifts for those who can't use the stairs. An enormous bronze bell is just behind the tower, and ¥30 buys you nine bongs - it doesn't have a clapper, you swing a log against it. The teahouse has performances of Chu-era music (free, but you should order at least a drink or small snack.)