Field Trips

As I mentioned previously, we have spent several of our days here visiting places having some economic, cultural, or historic significance. Here are a few of the places we have visited, in no particular order:

Chutian Laser — manufacturer of medical and industrial laser equipment. The industrial stuff ranges from small, table-saw sized laser etching machines to large industrial cutting machines capable of slicing through several inches of steel. We had a tour of the companies assembly floor and got a demonstration of a few of their products in action. The tour was capped of with a 20-minute laser light show. (I have some movies of this, which I will post once I’m back home.)

Hubei Provincial Museum — Home to the famous Bronze Chimes. These ancient musical instruments date back to the fifth century BCE. There are 64 bells in all, with the largest weighing more than 400 pounds. They were unearthed in 1978. While at the museum, we saw a performance with replicas of the 64 bells and other traditional instruments.

East Lake — East Lake is the lesser known sibling of Hangzhou’s more famous West Lake. Fishing, boating are popular activities. We visited a park on the shores of the lake, some members of our group hired short lake cruises. I, with the majority of our group, walked around and visited the many sculptures decorating the park.

Model Rural Village — The provincial government has established a model village north of Wuhan’s Hankou district. The name escapes me now, but it is meant to serve as a model for modern rural living. Rows of houses have been renovated, small businesses have been brought in, roads and public spaces are modern and attractive. The small community has 70 permanent families and over 200 residents all together. It also serves as a kind of rural retreat for urbanites seeking to get away for a bit. Guests can rent rooms and small parcels of land that they can farm at their will.

Yellow Crane Tower — In the heart of Wuhan’s Wuchang district, the Yellow Crane Tower stands guard high on a hill overlooking the Yangze River. Built, destroyed (usually by fire) and rebuilt many times throughout the centuries, it served originally as a military lookout. Now, it welcomes visitors, who come to look down upon the city and ring the enormous bronze bell.