Guiyuan Buddhist Temple (Temple of Original Purity) Guiyuan Temple, situated on Cuiwei Street, is one of the four biggest temples for Buddhist meditation in Hubei as well as an important Buddhist temple in China. First built in the early Qing dynasty (1644-1911) by two monks named Baiguang and Zhufeng on the base of Sunflower Garden owned by a poet, the temple got its name from Buddhist chants: "With purity kept in mind, one has the thoroughfare everywhere." Guiyuan Temple has survived through more than 300 hundred years of repeated cycles of prosperity and decline, above all else, it is always leading the other temple in Wuhan with prosperous public worship, flourishing Buddhist ceremony and many pilgrims. The temple was destroyed and rebuilt for several times in its history and the present temple dates from the early Republic of China (1912-1949). Covering an area of 46,900 square meters with a floor space of 20,000 square meters, the temple mainly consists of Daxiongbaodian Hall, Arhat Hall, Sutra Collection Pavilion, etc. Guiyuan Temple was in fashion for a time although its history was shorter than White Horse Temple, the best Buddhist Temple in China. It is famous not only for spreading Buddhism throughout the whole country, but also for perfect architecture, excellent sculpture and rich collection of Buddhist doctrine among Buddhist temples. In 1956 Guiyuan Temple was listed as preserved antiques unit of Hubei province and in 1983, it was appointed as one of the key Buddhist temple of Han nationality district in China by the State Council. Notes: 1. Guiyuan Buddhist Temple 归元寺 2. Daxiongbaodian Hall 大雄宝殿 3. Arhat Hall 罗汉堂 4. Sutra Collection Pavilion 藏经阁 5. White Horse Temple 白马寺

Yellow Crane Tower Yellow Crane Tower, located on Snake Hill in Wuchang, is one of the "Three Famous Towers South of Yangtze River (the other two: Yueyang Tower in Hunan and Tengwang Tower in Jiangxi). Legend goes that here used to be a wine-shop opened by a young man surnamed Xin. One day, a Taoist priest, in order to thank the man for his favor of free wine, drew a magic crane on the wall and told it to dance on hearing claps. Since then, thousands of people came to see the spectacle and the wine shop was always full of guests. After 10 years, when the Taoist priest's revisit the wine shop, he played the flute and then rode on the crane to the sky. In order to memorize the supernatural encounter and the priest, the Xins built a tower here named Yellow Crane Tower. According to records, the tower was first built in 223 A.D during the Three Kingdoms period (220-280). After completion, the tower once served as a gathering place for celebrities and poets to make merry and compose poetry. It was estimated that up to the Tongzhi Reign of the Qing dynasty, as many as 300 poems about the tower had been found in the historical literature, in which "Yellow Crane Tower" wrote by Cui Hao, a famous poet of Tang dynasty (618-907) made the tower well known throughout China. Destroyed many times in successive dynasties, the tower was rebuilt time and again until 100 years ago when it was for the last time reduced to ashes. The present tower is the result of four years of construction beginning in 1981. The tower, 51.4 meters high, is five-storied with yellow tiles and red pillars, overlapping ridges and interlocking eaves, more magnificent than the old one. The ground floor of the new is 20 meters wide in each side and the old tower is only 15 meters wide. Therefore we can say that Yellow Crane Tower has been reconstructed instead of being renovated. Now, the tower has already been regarded as the symbol of Wuhan city. Notes: 1. Yellow Crane Tower 黄鹤楼 2. Three Kingdoms Period 三国时期

Shennongjia Shennongjia is situated in Fangxian County, in western Hubei Province, covering an area of 3,250 square kilometers. Over 1000 meters above sea level on an average, it has six peaks measuring 3,000 meters above sea level, known as "The Roof Of Central China". Where virgin forest, one of famous China's Green Treasure Houses, is located. Here discovered are more than 2000 species of wild plants, out of which over 30 belong to world's rarity or China's specialty, and 500 species of wild animals, comprising over 20 rare and precious types listed under the state protection. No.1 Peak in Central China It's the main peak of Shennongjia, 3053 meters above sea level, towering face to face with the nearby Minfen Peak, of 3105 meters above sea level. Lofty and majestic, it glistens with the sun in one moment, but another moment gets lost in clouds and mist. From the top down, the Peak is covered, in three circumscribing tiers, with forests of firs, bamboo and cypresses. Stretching far and wide, the firs, with a trunk as tall as 40 meters, and of a circumference as long as four men's arms extended and linked, stand straight and upright with dense branches and foliage the sun light can hardly penetrate. The ground inside the forest, is dotted with azaleas of various colors-pink, dark violet, crystal etc. The primeval forest looks fantastic. Climbing to the top of the lofty Peak, one enjoys a very pleasant view of the surrounding luxuriantly green mountains and ridges. Hongping "Picture Gallery" The 30 miles long valley is flanked by numerous craggy and perilous peaks, and gifted with 3 waterfalls, 5 pools, 6 caves, 7 springs and streams, 8 cliffs, 9 boulders, plus 4 bridges. In spring, all flowers burst into bloom. The waters are gurgling all the year round. "Every step is a picture", as some one acclaims. The Tianjing Cave (The Cave Of Skylight) is endowed with a light shaft, through which the blue sky and drifting clouds over-head, can be glimpsed. Within the Cave, there's another karats cave with a spring splashing down. Reflections upon the Valley Lake The lake, 15 km. long and 200 meters wide, is embraced at its two banks by the craggy cliffs overgrown with lush woods. Its smooth surface mirrors the peaks, trees and clouds, with the reflections merging into one with the waters, and looking as though fish swam among the trees in the lake, while birds flew amidst billowy water clouds. Area of Concentration of White Animals In the area close to the summit of the Mountain, exist a great variety of white animals such as white bears, white deer, white rats, white snakes, white monkeys. Places like this are few and far between in China as well as in the rest of the world. Notes: 1. Shennongjia 神农架 2. No.1 Peak in Central China 华中第一峰 3. Hongping Picture Gallery 红坪画廊 4. Reflections upon the Valley Lake 峡湖倒影