Entering an Era Worth Treating
Both past and present, the Yangtze River beach has always been a great place for tourists to explore the authentic 'Wuhan-style life'. There are no scenic spots or amusement parks, but there is the transformation of Wuhan. Under the bright moonlight of the clear night sky, Wuhan locals cool off here during the long, hot summer. And I drove a Dongfeng Honda Elysion here, facing the warm afternoon sun to watch the boats coming and going on the waterway, with rows of bridges lined up like the bones of a river dragon. Water is the lifeblood of Wuhan, nourishing life and beautifying daily existence.
If there is anything ancient in this rapidly developing modern metropolis of Wuhan that is alive—not just in historical memory or in books—it might be the museums, art galleries, and the art districts transformed from old industrial sites.
A few hundred meters from the river-viewing platform on the beach is the former site of the Pinghe Packing Factory, built in 1905. Originally established as a processing and packing warehouse by British merchants in the old Hankou concession, it was expanded multiple times to its current scale of six single buildings with hundreds of rooms. From a British warehouse to a Wuhan commercial storage and transport company warehouse, and now to a Wuhan outstanding historic building and first-class industrial heritage, the former Pinghe Packing Factory has become an open art district. The rooms within the rustic buildings are now cafes, bookstores, and art design companies. The mottled walls of the old red-brick buildings, the neat wooden-frame windows reflecting the evening shadows, and the cast-iron railings and ornaments project the strength of the architectural structure.
Wuhan has always been a forefront of China's industrial development. In the late Qing Dynasty, Zhang Zhidong's construction layout in Wuhan and Hubei covered the entire chain of steelmaking, ordnance, textiles, and papermaking. Among them, the Hanyang Arsenal at the foot of Tortoise Mountain became famous nationwide as 'Hanyang-made'. Today, Hanyang-made has been transformed into an art district, lush with greenery, where artworks made from industrial parts catch the eye at every turn. As a representative of China's 'Industrial Revolution' and 'Renaissance', Hanyang-made shines with its industrial soul and artistic shell, where restaurants, galleries, art centers, and creative companies gather and sprout. The successive updates of industrial technology have ruthlessly abandoned the old era. People's nostalgia turns it into art.
The result of industrial development is technology. In the 1980s, a new wave of global technological revolution surged, and at the same time, the precursor of Optics Valley, the 'Wuhan East Lake High-tech Development Zone', emerged. From old industry to new technology, you can see the rapid development of a city and how it is not what it used to be, as well as the high-quality living experience that technology provides to the city.
Art and industry have always been twin flowers of design, branching out from the soil of humanistic care. By breaking away from uniform assembly lines, industrial products become works of art. The Elysion I drove features an exaggerated matrix chrome dynamic front face, new LED headlights and sequential turn signals, newly designed LED smoked stylish taillights, and full-series luxurious 18-inch aluminum alloy wheels. In addition, it has an ultra-cool red interior, new genuine leather quilting door panels, high-quality metal pedals, and high-quality seat buttons. Sitting in the car feels like sitting in a room full of artworks.
A Wuhan morning begins with a bowl of hot dry noodles or a piece of beef and bean curd skin. Every Wuhan local says that the taste of 'guozao' (breakfast) cannot be judged by reviews; everyone has their own soulful recommendations, and everyone has a favorite shop tucked away in the narrow alleyways. This is a universal rule for exploring a city's flavors.
After spending so many days in Wuhan, I finally found a soulful flavor worth recommending. A seemingly simple yet splendid bowl of beef offal rice noodles is available at the Spectrum breakfast restaurant of the Fairmont Hotel. On the à la carte menu, you can also get bean curd skin, with ingredients and taste far superior to the tourist stalls on Hubu Alley. The weekend buffet at Spectrum offers unlimited fresh coconut drinks, sizzling foie gras, lobster broth simmered with vermicelli, and canelés with tempting indentations. In the minimalist dining environment, the contrast of black and white paired with warm yellow is like clear coconut juice or beer matched with non-alcoholic colored cocktails, lifting the mood and allowing you to forget everything and enjoy your meal wholeheartedly.
Wuhan, the river city, belongs to the element of water. The Fairmont Hotel calls itself a 'memory maker'. Every Fairmont has a unique style and color palette, deeply intertwined with local culture. At the Wuhan Fairmont, the simple contrast of black and white is brightened by cheerful emerald green. Screens depict the rivers of Hubei, the floor patterns echo the balustrades of Yellow Crane Tower. The steam from the coffee machine and the skylight over the swimming pool exude a lazy magic in the 32-degree Celsius Wuhan afternoon. At 1907 Bar·Grill, Miss Salsa shakes a gin-based 'Cassia Girl', locking in the fragrance of autumn osmanthus in advance.
Gently say 'Hello Honda' to activate voice navigation and head to Yellow Crane Tower. The Elysion responded quickly and easily. Not only that, but technological features such as kick-sensing tailgate, wireless charging, tri-zone climate control, scheduled door lock, and remote start are all integrated into this versatile MPV suitable for both business and family. The world's first and fully-equipped 'Magic Sense Door' on the Elysion allows the door to open or close gracefully with a wave of your hand when the blue light on the window lights up.
Once the power of industry brought vitality to the city in its own era. Towering buildings made views that once required climbing mountains easily accessible, turning into flowing light and shadow outside the window. The industrial power of the new era is even more magical, offering more diverse perspectives for viewing scenery.
The history of Yellow Crane Tower, one of the three famous towers south of the Yangtze River, can be traced back to the second year of the Huangwu era of Wu during the Three Kingdoms period. Emperor Sun Quan built Xiakou City and constructed a military watchtower at the southwest corner on Yellow Crane Rock, used for lookout and defense—that was Yellow Crane Tower. Since then, the tower has suffered a tumultuous fate: it collapsed three times, burned down four times due to fire or heavenly fire, and was destroyed twice in warfare, rebuilt numerous times. The most recent reconstruction was in 1985. Ascending the tower, one can see the Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge and the rolling river from afar. The bells on the eaves ring with the wind, and the golden glazed tiles sparkle. Apart from the poem 'Yellow Crane Tower' by Cui Hao, the most famous stories about the tower are related to the Three Kingdoms. On the murals on the second floor, stories such as 'Sun Quan Builds the City' and 'Zhou Yu Throws a Banquet' are depicted.
Before Sun Quan built Yellow Crane Tower, after the Battle of Red Cliffs, Sun, Liu, and Cao divided the seven commanderies of Jingzhou. Liu Bei entered Shu, leaving Guan Yu to guard Jingzhou. In 219, Lü Meng crossed the river in white clothes, capturing Jingzhou without bloodshed, leading to Guan Yu's defeat and death at Maicheng. The Yangtze River flows from Jingzhou to Wuhan, rolling forward beneath Yellow Crane Tower. The city's mark has long been shaped by historical currents, and our understanding of the world often comes from the stories of others.
Travel is not just the stacking of spaces; sometimes it is a journey through time. From Wuhan to Jingzhou to Enshi, the road stretches hundreds of kilometers, passing through cities, historical sites, and landscapes that have witnessed millions of years.
Travel is like this, and so is the birth and evolution of a car. In 2012, the Elysion was officially introduced to China by Dongfeng Honda, sparking a whirlwind of attention among high-end MPV consumers. In 2019, the Elysion Sharp·Hybrid was launched, featuring Honda's third-generation i-MMD hybrid system. On December 30, 2021, the all-new Elysion was launched.
Driving this MPV, which combines safety, practicality, and environmental comfort, on the winding mountain roads leading to Enshi, the twisty mountain passes became easy to handle, easy to drive, and not tiring. The large field of view and low fuel consumption made long mountain journeys no longer a struggle.
Enshi Dixin Valley, one of the most mysterious cultural lands in southwestern Hubei, features unique karst landforms that create extraordinary mountain and river wonders. Here, there are geological wonders of Zhang Valley gradually formed over 250 million years ago during the Triassic period, as well as the 'Jianshi Hominid Site' dating back 2.15 million years. Deep canyons, sheer cliffs and ancient caves, ancient paths and formidable passes, gurgling rivers, dense vegetation—the valley combines seclusion, antiquity, danger, and beauty in one place. Enshi Dixin Valley is divided into four areas: Dixin Chasm, Dixin Wonders, Dixin Cave Heaven, and Ba Yan Ancient Road, each with different scenery. The skywalk along the cliffs stretches about 5 kilometers, winding and twisting, but it is not too tiring to walk. Along the way, attractions such as 'Dragon Raising Its Head', 'Giant Ape Cliff', 'Sun and Moon Gate', and 'Elephant Trunk Mountain' amaze visitors with nature's artistry.
Across the deep valley, a 100-meter-long glass suspension bridge spans. Walking on the transparent glass, with a bottomless abyss beneath your feet, is thrilling. After passing through the mountains, there is a 'magic carpet'—another suspended conveyor belt between two mountains on the return trip. Instead of needing to walk, you can stand on the conveyor and cross the deep valley to reach the opposite mountain. Finally, a sheer elevator goes straight up and down, taking you from the bottom of the valley to the mountain top in tens of seconds—both an exhilarating experience and a rest for the body.
Play in Dixin, sleep on the cliff. The rooms of the Cliff House Glass Hotel are 'suspended' at the entrance of Dixin Valley, on a 356-meter sheer cliff. Backed by mountains and facing the valley, scattered at different heights, from a distance they look like fairy-tale cottages amid green mountains and clear waters. Seen from the air or the opposite side, they are stunning. Opening the curtains in the room, you face the deep valley of Dixin, and you can also see the glass suspension bridge in the distance, offering an excellent view. Each cottage also has a balcony where a few friends can enjoy a cup of tea in close contact with nature. Through the glass skylight on the roof, you can enjoy unobstructed sunlight during the day and lie in bed to watch the stars at night. The Milky Way night sky is fully visible, and you fall asleep to the moonlight and the chirping of insects.
On such a beautiful night, the Hubei road trip accompanied by the Elysion came to an end, but the memories never fade. Short journeys can hold memories; long journeys traverse an era on wheels, witnessing the changes of time and the transformation of the seas into mulberry fields.
