Tanhualin reminds people of Gulangyu in Xiamen and of Switzerland, both considered places with superlative literary and artistic ambience. Such a romantic corner of Wuhan is most suitable for a leisurely visit in autumn.
Tanhualin is historical. It is the location of 52 remarkable historical and cultural buildings over a hundred years old, including several famous schools. Wuhan's first modern Western hospital, the nation's first indoor gym and first public library, and the nine-angle and eighteen-star flag of the 1911 Revolution were all born in this place.
Walking along the streets of Tanhualin is like visiting a street museum. The Swedish parish resides in the hills, where the unique features of gray walls and red tiles of the buildings have survived. The James Jackson Museum, a centennial construction integrating Chinese and Western styles, still stands intact, though weather-beaten. It now functions as the parlor of the Wuhan City of Design. The site of the Renji Hospital looks much the same as it did when it was founded in 1895. It is a witness to the history of the 1911 Revolution when it was used to save the lives of injured civilians and wounded soldiers.
Tanhualin is cultural. Handmade words woven from metal wires, Han embroidery, tiger-head shoes, tea art, and other intangible cultural heritage items can be found around every corner. At the end of last year, an experience store for intangible cultural heritage , Chuxiangji, was opened on the Hualin Cultural Street of Tanhualin. Its immersive experience of Hubei regional features has attracted many young people to try on hanfu (the costume of the ancient Han people) and smell Hubei incenses. Tanhualin has regularly organized activities to display the old charm of the city, such as the “Wuhan Craftsmen” Tanhualin Intangible Cultural Heritage Handicraft Exhibition, the Jiangnan Creation Festival, the Huazhao Festival (birthday of all flowers celebrated on the 12th day of the second month of the traditional Chinese calendar), the Windmill Creation Festival, and others.
Tanhualin is leisurely. Many cafés, such as the Rongyuan Café and the Crossing Café that have been popular on the Internet, have opened shops here. In the course of wandering the streets, you can go into a coffee shop and lounge around, savor a cup of coffee, daydream, read a book, and do pretty well anything that suits your mood. If you are fond of taking pictures, you can go to the Tanhualin Cultural Town where many renovated century-old buildings are open to tourists; among them are the original Xu Yuanquan Villa which has been turned into the Tan Mansion, and the Xia Mansion which is now the Dongtang Cultural Tavern, both photogenic spots for social media. It is also a source of joy to visit the settings of "Embrace Again," one of this year's hit films.
Tanhualin is also cosmopolitan. The integration of Chinese and Western styles has made it a favorite place for more and more foreign tourists. As a result, the district has invested RMB 450 million to upgrade the Tanhualin Square, the Modern Education Museum, and the Boone Library, adding bilingual introductions and signs, building featured blocks that integrate scenic areas, blocks and residential communities, and creating a strong ambience of international communities. The local management has built a one-stop international community service center, and invited foreign residents to join residents' councils, offering platforms for communication between Chinese and foreign residents.
Tanhualin is both traditional and trendy, like an endless book of bountiful unfolding scenes. The Wuchang District government will continue to delve into the history and culture of Tanhualin, give it life, display it, and spread it so as to further promote Tanhualin's reputation and appeal.
