The Yellow Crane Tower 黄鹤楼

The Yellow Crane Tower is the most famous historical monument in Wuhan.  It was originally built in 223 AD, but the tower that we see today was rebuilt in 1981.  This tower has been rebuilt and destroyed many times, which tells a lot about the history of Wuhan as there's really not many historical sites left.  The city has always played an important role in China's wars as its the countries most important central city and lies on the Yangtze River.

The tower stands on Snake Hill on the bank of the Yangtze River in the Wuchang District, which actually used to be a separate city until it was joined together with Hankou and Hanyang.

The tower is an important site for the Taoist religion. Lü Dongbin, a Taoist diety, is said to have ascended to heaven from here. Their are some legends that are associated with this tower as well that include immortals flying on yellow cranes to and from Snake Hill.

It is also been made famous by some Chinese poets. Here's one poems in its English translation that is written about the tower.  This is Cui Hao's 8th century melancholy poem called "Yellow Crane Tower":

Long ago one's gone riding the yellow crane, all that remained is the Yellow Crane Tower.
Once the yellow crane left it will never return, for one thousand years the clouds wandered carelessly.

 The clear river reflects each Hanyang tree, fragrant grasses lushly grow on Parrot Island.
At sunset, which direction leads to my hometown? One could not help feeling melancholy along the misty river.