Wuhan, alternatively called “Jiangcheng”, the River City, is located in the east of the Jianghan Plain in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River. The urban part comprises Wuchang, Hankou and Hanyang, three towns which sit by the Yangtze and its largest tributary the Han River. Here the Yangtze is flanked by two hills, the Tortoise Hill and the Snake Hill, which combine to make Wuhan a strategic city linking north China to south China. Partly for this reason, Wuhan is long known as a Gateway to China’s Heartland. As an age-old town dating back to the Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 BC), it takes pride in the relic of Panlong – one of the oldest Chinese towns. Wuhan has historically served as a busy city port for commerce and trading. It is also famed as the venue of many revolutions, e.g., the Wuchang Uprising (the catalyst to the 1911 Revolution), the February 7th Strike and the August 7th Meeting. The city briefly served as the capital city of China in 1927 and in 1937. Famous places of interest include the Guiyuan Temple, the Yellow Crane Tower, and the East Lake Scenic Area. Wuhan was made a top Chinese historical and cultural city in December 1986.