Wuchang Uprising tourism regions for the 1911 Revolution

( chinadaily.com.cn )

Updated: 2011-11-29

The Wuchang Uprising culture stemmed from the first shots fired during the 1911 Revolution. In the early 20th century, revolutionists of Hubei region worked under the guidance of the revolutionary ideas of Dr. Sun Yat-sen. On October 10, 1911, the group shot the first gun during an uprising against the Qing regime. On the second day, the revolutionary army set up the Hubei army government office, the first republic government of China, at the Red Tower of Wuchang. They elected Li Yuanhong as the governor, declared to annul the Qing dynasty reign title, and founded the Republic of China. The uprising ricocheted nationwide. In two months, the Qing regime fell apart. It put an end to the 2,000-year imperial dictatorship and opened up the gate towards a democratic republic. Wuchang was thus known as “the first to rise in revolt.”

Today, as we stroll around the streets of Wuhan city, we may still see many relics of the first uprising. These remnants include a dozen of sites, such as the riverside avenue historical quarters (concession quarter), Jiji water and electricity company and water tower, Western Merchant Horse Racing Club and grandstand, Dazhimen railway station, Gongjinhui office site in Hankou, the former Rizhihui site, Three Martyr Sacrifice site, 8th Engineering Battalion site, Chuwangtai site, Uprising Gate, Hubei Army Governor Office site (Red Tower), Baobing Hall, Baijiangtai site, and Baotong Temple in Wuchang, and Guiyuan Temple in Hanyang.

Dazhimen railway station

The city has also set up a large number of monuments in memory of outstanding contributions from revolutionary martyrs. The city has erected the 1911 Revolution Wuchang Uprising Monument, Sun Yat-sen Monument, Wuchang Uprising National Day Stele, and Victory Pavilion. There are two bronze statues of Sun Yat-Sen at Wuchang and Hankou, and a Huang Xing bronze statue and sculpture.

Memorial temples and tombs include Genzi Martyr Temple, Sanlie Temple, Li Yuanhong Tomb, Tian Tong Tomb, Hankou Liji Road 1911 Revolution Martyr Cemetery, Hankou Qiuchang Road 1911 Revolution Martyr Cemetery, Hanyang Biandanshan 1911 Revolution Martyr Cemetery, Funiushan 1911 Revolution Celebrity Tomb and Shimenfeng 1911 Revolution Martyr Tomb.

The Uprising Gate

Parks and squares cover Shouyi Park, Zhongshan Park, and Shouyi Square. Roads named in memory of the uprising include Zhongshan Avenue, Zhongshan Road, Sanmin Road, Minzu Road, Minquan Road, Minsheng Road, Minzhu Road, Shouyi Road, Qiyi Street, Huang Xing Road, Cai E Road, Li Huangpo Road and Peng Liuyang Road.

Wuchang Red Tower is a landmark scenic spot out of all the memorial relics. The tower is based in the horse inspection yard of Wuchang, Wuhan city, Hubei province. It gets its name from its red walls and tiles. The Red Tower served as office of the Hubei consultative bureau of the Qing regime, which was set up in 1910. On October 11 of 1911, the revolutionists founded the government office of the Hubei army of Republic of China in the Red Tower. In 1961, the Red Tower was listed by the State Council in the first group of cultural relics under state protection, in the name of the “former site of Wuchang Insurrectionary Army Government.”

Wuchang Red Tower

In October 1981, the 1911 Revolution Wuchang Uprising Memorial Hall was established in honor of the Red Tower. In 2002, it was renamed 1911 Revolution Museum. So far, the museum has become a “national adolescent education base”, one of the “100 Chinese patriotism education demonstration bases”, “China Overseas Chinese Federation patriotism education base”, and national AAAA class tourism site. The museum exhibits the recovered former site of the Hubei army government office and historical sites of the Wuchang Uprising for the 1911 Revolution. With its excellent geographical position, profound historical cultural heritages, grand and elegant exhibitions, the Red Tower of Wuchang displays the infinite charms of the first shots for the 1911 Revolution.

The Victory Pavilion