Wuchang
Encyclopedia
Wuchang was one of the three cities that merged into modern-day Wuhan
, the capital of Hubei
province, People's Republic of China. It stood on the right (south-eastern) bank of the Yangtze River
, opposite the mouth of the Han River
. The two other sister towns, Hanyang and Hankou, were on the left (north-western) bank, separated from each other by the Han.
The Wuchang fish (Megalobrama amblycephala; 武昌鱼 Wǔchāng yú) is named after the town.
The name "Wuchang" remains in common use for the part of urban Wuhan south of the Yangtze River. Administratively, however, it is split between several districts
of the City of Wuhan. The historic center of Wuchang lies within the modern Wuchang District, which has an area of 82.4 square kilometers and a population of 1,003,400. Other parts of what's colloquially known as Wuchang are within Hongshan District (south and south-east) and Qingshan District
(north-east).
moved the capital of Eastern Wu
from Gong'an county, Jingzhou
(northwest of present day Gong'an county, Hubei
) to È
county (in present day Ezhou
City), and renamed È to Wuchang (literally prospering from military, regarding its logistics
role of the military base
s established before the Battle of Red Cliffs
). Later in the year Cao Pi
proclaimed himself the emperor of Cao Wei
. Sun Quan declared independence in the following year, and started to build forts and palaces in Wuchang. Sun Quan proclaimed himself the emperor of Eastern Wu in 229, and moved the capital to Jianye
. Sun Hao
, the emperor of Eastern Wu between 264 and 280, moved the capital back to Wuchang in 265. In 589, the Wuchang commandery was abolished and the Wuchang county was transferred to a new commandery named Ezhou (headquartered in present day Wuchang District), and remained in the administration since then.
The Wuchang commandery was setup when È was renamed to Wuchang, and included six counties. In 223 the commandery was renamed to Jiangxia
, and the capital of the commandery moved to Xiakou (in present day Wuchang town). The name of the town was switched back and forth between Wuchang and Jiangxia several times in the following centuries. After 1301, the Wuchang prefecture
, headquartered in the town, became the capital of Hubei
province.
At the end of the Qing
Empire, the Wuchang prefecture was the capital of the combined provinces of Hubei
and Hunan
, called the 'two Hu' or Huguang. It was the seat of the provincial government of Huguang, at the head of which was a viceroy
. Next to Nanjing
and Guangzhou
, it was one of the most important vice-royalties in the empire.
It possessed an arsenal and a mint. The provincial government established iron
works for the manufacture of rails and other railway material. As the works did not pay under official management, they were transferred to the director-general of railways. Wuchang was not open to foreign trade and residence, but a considerable number of missionaries, both Roman Catholic and Protestant, lived within the walls. The native population was estimated at 800,000 around 1911, including cities on both banks. At that time, Wuchang was an important junction on the trunk railway from Beijing
to Guangzhou; and was on the route of the Sichuan
railway.
In Wuchang on October 10, 1911, a revolt broke out against the Qing Dynasty. This event, now called the Wuchang Uprising
and celebrated as Double Ten Day
, was the catalyst that started the Xinhai Revolution
, which led to the development of the Republic of China
.
In 1912, the Wuchang prefecture was abolished and a new Wuchang county (just next to the Wuchang county in the EZhou city) was created. In 1926 the Wuchang town was promoted to a city, and merged with Hankou and Hanyang to form a new city named Wuhan
.
After 1949, the more urban part of the Wuchang County was absorbed into the new Wuhan City and was administratively partitioned into Wuchang, Qingshan
and Hongshan districts, while the remaining, mostly rural, southern part was still named the Wuchang county. In 1995, the Wuchang County became the Jiangxia District of Wuhan.
Wuhan
Wuhan is the capital of Hubei province, People's Republic of China, and is the most populous city in Central China. It lies at the east of the Jianghan Plain, and the intersection of the middle reaches of the Yangtze and Han rivers...
, the capital of Hubei
Hubei
' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...
province, People's Republic of China. It stood on the right (south-eastern) bank of the Yangtze River
Yangtze River
The Yangtze, Yangzi or Cháng Jiāng is the longest river in Asia, and the third-longest in the world. It flows for from the glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau in Qinghai eastward across southwest, central and eastern China before emptying into the East China Sea at Shanghai. It is also one of the...
, opposite the mouth of the Han River
Han River (Hanshui)
The Han River is a left tributary of the Yangtze River with a length of 1532 km. Historically it was referred to as Hànshuǐ and the name is still occasionally used today....
. The two other sister towns, Hanyang and Hankou, were on the left (north-western) bank, separated from each other by the Han.
The Wuchang fish (Megalobrama amblycephala; 武昌鱼 Wǔchāng yú) is named after the town.
The name "Wuchang" remains in common use for the part of urban Wuhan south of the Yangtze River. Administratively, however, it is split between several districts
District (China)
The term district, in the context of China, is used to refer to several unrelated political divisions in both ancient and modern China....
of the City of Wuhan. The historic center of Wuchang lies within the modern Wuchang District, which has an area of 82.4 square kilometers and a population of 1,003,400. Other parts of what's colloquially known as Wuchang are within Hongshan District (south and south-east) and Qingshan District
Qingshan District
Qingshan District is a district of Hubei, China. It is under the administration of Wuhan city.- References :...
(north-east).
History
The old Wuchang county
In 221, warlord Sun QuanSun Quan
Sun Quan , son of Sun Jian, formally Emperor Da of Wu, was the founder of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He ruled from 222 to 229 as King of Wu and from 229 to 252 as Emperor of Wu....
moved the capital of Eastern Wu
Eastern Wu
Eastern Wu, also known as Sun Wu, was one the three states competing for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period after the fall of the Han Dynasty. It was based in the Jiangnan region of China...
from Gong'an county, Jingzhou
Jingzhou
Jingzhou is a prefecture-level city in Hubei Province, People's Republic of China. The city is located on the banks of the Yangtze River.Its population is 5,691,707 at the 2010 census whom 1,154,086 in the built up area made of 3 urban districts.-Geography:Jingzhou occupies an area of...
(northwest of present day Gong'an county, Hubei
Hubei
' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...
) to È
È
or can be*The letter E with a Grave accent.*In Shakespeare's works, è would be used in the -ed suffix to indicate alternate pronunciation, for example with winged/wingèd, the è would be added to produce a pronunciation of instead of ....
county (in present day Ezhou
Ezhou
-Geography and climate:Ezhou is located in southeastern Hubei province, on the southern bank of the Yangtze River east of Wuchang , and across the river from the city of Huanggang, to which it is connected by the Ehuang Bridge...
City), and renamed È to Wuchang (literally prospering from military, regarding its logistics
Logistics
Logistics is the management of the flow of goods between the point of origin and the point of destination in order to meet the requirements of customers or corporations. Logistics involves the integration of information, transportation, inventory, warehousing, material handling, and packaging, and...
role of the military base
Military base
A military base is a facility directly owned and operated by or for the military or one of its branches that shelters military equipment and personnel, and facilitates training and operations. In general, a military base provides accommodations for one or more units, but it may also be used as a...
s established before the Battle of Red Cliffs
Battle of Red Cliffs
The Battle of Red Cliffs, otherwise known as the Battle of Chibi, was a decisive battle at the end of the Han Dynasty, immediately prior to the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. It was fought in the winter of 208/9 AD between the allied forces of the southern warlords Liu Bei and Sun Quan...
). Later in the year Cao Pi
Cao Pi
Cao Pi , formally known as Emperor Wen of Wei, was the first emperor of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. Born in Qiao County, Pei Commandery , he was the second son of the late Han Dynasty warlord Cao Cao.Cao Pi, like his father, was a poet...
proclaimed himself the emperor of Cao Wei
Cao Wei
Cao Wei was one of the states that competed for control of China during the Three Kingdoms period. With the capital at Luoyang, the state was established by Cao Pi in 220, based upon the foundations that his father Cao Cao laid...
. Sun Quan declared independence in the following year, and started to build forts and palaces in Wuchang. Sun Quan proclaimed himself the emperor of Eastern Wu in 229, and moved the capital to Jianye
Jianye
Jianye may refer to:*Jianye District, in Nanjing, Jiangsu, China*Jiankang, also known as Jianye, ancient city in China*Henan Jianye, Chinese football club...
. Sun Hao
Sun Hao
Sun Hao , style name Yuanzong , originally named Sun Pengzu with the style name Yuanzong , was the fourth and last emperor of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period. He was the son of Sun He, a one-time crown prince of the founding emperor Sun Quan...
, the emperor of Eastern Wu between 264 and 280, moved the capital back to Wuchang in 265. In 589, the Wuchang commandery was abolished and the Wuchang county was transferred to a new commandery named Ezhou (headquartered in present day Wuchang District), and remained in the administration since then.
The present day Wuchang town
Jiangxia
Jiangxia District is one of the administrative districts within the City of Wuhan. Jiangxia district has an area of 2,009 km² and a population of 680,000....
, and the capital of the commandery moved to Xiakou (in present day Wuchang town). The name of the town was switched back and forth between Wuchang and Jiangxia several times in the following centuries. After 1301, the Wuchang prefecture
Prefecture
A prefecture is an administrative jurisdiction or subdivision in any of various countries and within some international church structures, and in antiquity a Roman district governed by an appointed prefect.-Antiquity:...
, headquartered in the town, became the capital of Hubei
Hubei
' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...
province.
At the end of the Qing
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
Empire, the Wuchang prefecture was the capital of the combined provinces of Hubei
Hubei
' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...
and Hunan
Hunan
' is a province of South-Central China, located to the south of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and south of Lake Dongting...
, called the 'two Hu' or Huguang. It was the seat of the provincial government of Huguang, at the head of which was a viceroy
Viceroy
A viceroy is a royal official who runs a country, colony, or province in the name of and as representative of the monarch. The term derives from the Latin prefix vice-, meaning "in the place of" and the French word roi, meaning king. A viceroy's province or larger territory is called a viceroyalty...
. Next to Nanjing
Nanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...
and Guangzhou
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
, it was one of the most important vice-royalties in the empire.
It possessed an arsenal and a mint. The provincial government established iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
works for the manufacture of rails and other railway material. As the works did not pay under official management, they were transferred to the director-general of railways. Wuchang was not open to foreign trade and residence, but a considerable number of missionaries, both Roman Catholic and Protestant, lived within the walls. The native population was estimated at 800,000 around 1911, including cities on both banks. At that time, Wuchang was an important junction on the trunk railway from Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
to Guangzhou; and was on the route of the Sichuan
Sichuan
' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
railway.
In Wuchang on October 10, 1911, a revolt broke out against the Qing Dynasty. This event, now called the Wuchang Uprising
Wuchang Uprising
The Wuchang Uprising began with the dissatisfaction of the handling of a railway crisis. The crisis then escalated to an uprising where the revolutionaries went up against Qing government officials. The uprising was then assisted by the New Army in a coup against their own authorities in the city...
and celebrated as Double Ten Day
Double Ten Day
Double Ten Day is the national day of the Republic of China and celebrates the start of the Wuchang Uprising of October 10, 1911, which led to the collapse of the Qing Dynasty in China and establishment of the Republic of China on January 1, 1912...
, was the catalyst that started the Xinhai Revolution
Xinhai Revolution
The Xinhai Revolution or Hsinhai Revolution, also known as Revolution of 1911 or the Chinese Revolution, was a revolution that overthrew China's last imperial dynasty, the Qing , and established the Republic of China...
, which led to the development of the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
.
In 1912, the Wuchang prefecture was abolished and a new Wuchang county (just next to the Wuchang county in the EZhou city) was created. In 1926 the Wuchang town was promoted to a city, and merged with Hankou and Hanyang to form a new city named Wuhan
Wuhan
Wuhan is the capital of Hubei province, People's Republic of China, and is the most populous city in Central China. It lies at the east of the Jianghan Plain, and the intersection of the middle reaches of the Yangtze and Han rivers...
.
After 1949, the more urban part of the Wuchang County was absorbed into the new Wuhan City and was administratively partitioned into Wuchang, Qingshan
Qingshan District
Qingshan District is a district of Hubei, China. It is under the administration of Wuhan city.- References :...
and Hongshan districts, while the remaining, mostly rural, southern part was still named the Wuchang county. In 1995, the Wuchang County became the Jiangxia District of Wuhan.