World China Hubei Wuhan

China 2008

Wuhan museum & concert, flight to Shanghai Apr 2, 2008

China Trip

March 23-April 4, 2008

Viking River Cruises Imperial Jewels of China

April 2, 2008: Day 10: Wuhan museum & concert, flight to Shanghai

We were up at 5 am again in order to shower and finish packing by 6: 30, when our checked bags had to be in the corridor. I will be sad to leave the ship, but I am getting very tired and rather anxious to return home.

After a leisurely breakfast, we boarded buses at 9:30 am for a tour of Wuhan, where we were docked. Wuhan, in Hubei province, is another large Chinese city with a population of almost 7 million people. The parts of the city through which we drove were densely populated but very clean and modern. Our destination was the Hubei Provincial Museum, founded in 1953.

In the large museum, we visited the Chime Bells Exhibition Hall. Here we saw many cultural relics unearthed just 50 years ago from the tomb of Yi, the king of the Zeng State sometime between 476 BC and 221 BC. The most famous treasure from the tomb, the Chime Bells, are the largest bronze musical instruments ever discovered. They are a set of bronze bells in sizes ranging from those larger than a man down to those as small as a pencil. There are about 3,000 ancient Chinese characters on the bells, describing the music they played and the owner of this instrument. These were displayed in a large glass case, and appeared to be in very good condition for items so old. (About 2200 years)

The museum had a scale model display of the tomb as it was excavated, showing the room with the bells and other musical instruments, another room with weapons and household goods, and a tomb chamber with the coffin of the king and those of his 26 concubines who were sent to their deaths on the occasion of his. Some of the concubines were as young as 13 years old! I do not imagine their life was one to be coveted.

We also toured the Chu Culture Exhibition Hall, which featured the regional culture of the Chu State. Most of the cultural relics displayed were weapons, bronze vessels, lacquer works, bamboo and wooden artifacts, and silk knitted products. In 2002, archaeologists discovered pieces of chariots and horses of the Chu State. After careful restoration, some of the chariots and horses are now displayed in this hall. In addition to the unearthed cultural relics, some restored models of the houses in which Chu people lived are shown to provide an impression of the ancient Chu people's lives.

Perhaps because I was tired, or perhaps because of the crush of the tourists, I found the museum quite tedious; a quick walk-through, and I was ready to move on. I found a spot to sit and wait while the guide conducted the rest of the group through the exhibits.

I did enjoy the next part of our visit. We were led into the Chime Bells Music Hall, where musicians wearing ancient clothes play a replica of the Chime Bells from 11:00 to 16:00 every day. The colorful robes, the ancient beautiful music, the timbre of the large bells setting up a resonance in my very core, soothed and enchanted me. All of the tunes were lovely, but I particularly was moved by Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” being played on these amazing instruments.

We were then driven to a Howard Johnson’s Hotel (!) in the pretty park district of Wuhan for the next in our series of Chinese lazy susan meals. It was rather disappointing in quality when compared to others we had been served.

Then we were off to the airport for our flight to Shanghai. Many of our fellow travelers had shopped along the way and picked up additional bags to carry home their purchases. The ladies of the Cuban American group had most ostentatiously shopped for apparently large items, for every one of them had 3-4 large bags for carry on. It was dismaying to see them march on board and cram all the overhead space to the detriment of fellow travelers who boarded after them, without a word being said by anyone. And this, after I had packed so carefully and curtailed my shopping to meet the “one carryon only, no more than 11 lbs” dictum for intra-China flights! I wanted to cry out, “Not fair!” but instead just glared and pouted and made darn sure I boarded in front of them!

The flight was full, every seat taken. In some perverse twist of fate, Gary and I had to share a 3 seat row with another passenger equal in size to the two of us. The flight, actually only 1 ¼ hour, seemed endless. Trying to eat our snack box with our shoulders crammed together so tightly required cooperation and coordination!

The Pudong airport, one of 2 in Shanghai, was new and beautiful. Our terminal was the newest, and was not crowded! We claimed our bags and were on our bus into Shanghai in record time for an airport. The bus ride to and through the city took about 45 minutes. The lights and architecture of Shanghai were most impressive. With a population of 14 million, it is a modern and bustling city.

We checked into the Shanghai Westin with its famous lotus-shaped top. It was a very luxurious hotel. We enjoyed the buffet dinner, unpacked a bit, and were in bed by 10:30 pm.