History of Wuhan in Timeline
Wuhan is the capital of Hubei province in China and is its most populous city with over 13.7 million residents. Notably, Wuhan is recognized as one of China's nine national central cities, highlighting its significance within the country.
1900: Hankou Boom Town
By 1900, according to Collier's magazine, Hankou, the Yangtze River boom town, was "the St. Louis and Chicago of China."
1900: Establishment of modern ferry services
In 1900, modern ferry services were established in Wuhan by steam boat.
1907: Former Tongji Medical University founded
Former Tongji Medical University founded in 1907.
1907: End of Zhang Zhidong's Governorship
In 1907, Zhang Zhidong's 18 year governorship of the province ended.
September 1911: Revolutionary Activity
In September 1911, the outbreak of the protests in Sichuan forced the Qing authorities to send part of the New Army garrisoned in Wuhan to suppress the rebellion and two local revolutionary organizations planned for an uprising.
October 10, 1911: Wuchang Uprising
On October 10, 1911, Sun Yat-sen's followers launched the Wuchang Uprising, which led to the collapse of the Qing state, ending 2,000 years of dynastic rule and establishing the Republic of China.
October 1911: Wuchang Uprising
In October 1911, the Wuchang Uprising, which overthrew the Qing dynasty, originated in Wuhan.
1911: Wuchang Uprising
In 1911, Wuhan was the site of the Wuchang Uprising against the Qing dynasty, which ended 2,000 years of dynastic rule.
January 1, 1912: Founding of the Republic of China
On January 1, 1912, the founding of the Republic of China occurred, leading to the return of Sun Yat-sen from exile.
1926: Journalism in Wuhan during the Northern Expedition era
During the Northern Expedition era (1926–1928), journalism in Wuhan came to a climax; more than 120 newspapers and periodicals were founded or published during this time.
1926: City Merger
In 1926, the Northern Expedition reached the Wuhan area and it was decided to merge Hankou, Wuchang and Hanyang into one city in order to make a new capital for Nationalist China.
January 1, 1927: City Proclamation
On January 1, 1927, the resulting city was proclaimed as '武漢' (the traditional Chinese characters for 'Wuhan'), which was later simplified as '武汉' (also 'Wuhan').
February 21, 1927: Wuhan Nationalist Government Established
The Wuhan Nationalist Government was established in Wuhan on February 21, 1927.
March 1927: Mao Zedong at KMT Plenum
In March 1927, Mao Zedong appeared at the Third Plenum of the KMT Central Executive Committee in Wuhan, which sought to strip General Chiang of his power.
April 1927: Political Split in Kuomintang
In April 1927, the first phase of the Northern Expedition was interrupted by the political split in the Kuomintang following the formation of the Nanjing faction against the existing faction in Wuhan.
June 1927: Stalin's Telegram
In June 1927, Stalin sent a telegram to the Communists in Wuhan, calling for the mobilization of an army of workers and peasants.
July 15, 1927: Wuhan Coup
The Wuhan coup was a political shift made on July 15, 1927, by Wang Jingwei towards Chiang Kai-shek, and his Shanghai-based rival in the Kuomintang.
August 19, 1927: End of Wuhan Nationalist Government
The Wuhan Nationalist Government ended on August 19, 1927.
1927: Capital of China
In 1927, Wuhan briefly served as a capital of China under a left wing Kuomintang (KMT) government.
1927: Establishment of Wuhan
In 1927, the cities of Wuchang, Hankou, and Hanyang were consolidated to establish Wuhan.
1928: Journalism in Wuhan during the Northern Expedition era
During the Northern Expedition era (1926–1928), journalism in Wuhan came to a climax; more than 120 newspapers and periodicals were founded or published during this time.
1931: China Floods
In the 1931 China floods, one of the deadliest flood disasters in world history, Wuhan was inundated leaving an estimated 782,189 urban citizens and rural refugees homeless.
August 10, 1934: Unofficial Record High Temperature
On August 10, 1934, Wuhan recorded an unofficial record high temperature of 41.3 °C (106 °F).
1936: Flooding in Central China
In 1936, widespread flooding affected Hebei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Wuhan and Chongqing caused by the Yangtze and Huai Rivers bursting their banks.
December 1937: Provisional Capital
Following the fall of Nanking in December 1937, Wuhan became the provisional capital of China's Kuomintang government.
1937: Establishment of train ferry
In 1937, a train ferry was established to transport train cars from Hankou to Wuchang.
October 1938: Japanese Troops Move East and North
In early October 1938, Japanese troops moved east and north in the outskirts of Wuhan leading to the withdrawal of numerous companies, enterprises and large numbers of people.
1938: Battle of Wuhan
In 1938, during the Second Sino-Japanese War, the city was the site of the Battle of Wuhan.
December 18, 1944: American Bombing of Wuhan
On December 18, 1944, Wuhan was bombed by 77 American bombers with the approval of Chiang Kai-Shek destroying much of the military resources of the city.
September 1945: Return to Chinese Control
Wuhan returned to Chinese control in September 1945.
October 1946: City Division
In October 1946, Wuchang and Hanyang were separated into the City of Wuchang and the County of Hanyang.
1946: Casualty Statistics
According to casualty statistics compiled by Hankou city in 1946, more than 20,000 were killed or injured in the December bombings of 1944.
1946: Wuhan Transportation University established
Wuhan Transportation University was established in 1946.
August 1947: Hankou Municipality
Hankou became a centrally controlled municipality in August 1947.
1948: Wuhan University of Technology established
Wuhan University of Technology was established in 1948.
May 15, 1949: Retreat from Wuhan
On May 15, 1949, Bai Chongxi and the Wuhan garrison retreated from the city.
May 16, 1949: People's Liberation Army Enters Wuhan
On the afternoon of Monday, May 16, 1949, People's Liberation Army troops entered Wuhan.
1949: Newspapers and magazines
Before 1949, more than 50 newspapers and magazines were published by foreigners in Wuhan.
February 1950: Reestablishment of Changjiang Water Resources Commission
In February 1950, the Changjiang Water Resources Commission was reestablished with its headquarters in Wuhan.
1953: Huazhong Institute of Technology founded
Founded in 1953 as Huazhong Institute of Technology.
September 1954: Yangtze River Floods
In September 1954, the Yangtze River Floods, a series of catastrophic floodings, concluded, having occurred mostly in Hubei Province due to high precipitation and a long rainy season.
October 25, 1955: Construction Begins on Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge
On October 25, 1955, construction began on the Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge, also known as the First Yangtze River Bridge. The bridge was considered a key project during the first five-year plan.
1957: Completion of First Yangtze River Bridge
In 1957, the Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge project was completed. On the same day an opening-to-traffic ceremony was held on October 15. The bridge united two major railways making Wuhan a thoroughfare.
1957: Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge Built
In 1957, the Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge was built, with one trestle of the bridge on the site of the Yellow Crane Tower.
1958: Operation of trolleybus system
Since 1958, Wuhan's trolleybus system has been in operation, with its first route (route 1) still in use today.
1958: Foundation of Wuhan Branch of Chinese Academy of Sciences
The Wuhan Branch of Chinese Academy of Sciences was founded in 1958.
1958: Wuhan Automotive Polytechnic University established
Wuhan Automotive Polytechnic University was established in 1958.
July 1967: Wuhan Incident
In July 1967, civil strife struck the city in the Wuhan Incident, also known as the "July 20th Incident", involving armed conflict between hostile groups during the Cultural Revolution.
1969: Erection of Monument Honoring Flood Fight
In 1969, a stone monument was erected in Hankou's riverside park to honor the heroic deeds in fighting the 1954 Yangtze River floods.
January 31, 1977: Record Low Temperature
On January 31, 1977, Wuhan recorded an extreme low temperature of −18.1 °C (−1 °F).
1981: Reconstruction of Yellow Crane Tower Commenced
In 1981, the Wuhan City Government commenced the reconstruction of the Yellow Crane Tower at a new location, about 1 km from the original site.
1985: Completion of Yellow Crane Tower Reconstruction
In 1985, the reconstruction of the Yellow Crane Tower, which began in 1981, was completed.
1986: Opening of Tortoise Mountain TV Tower
In 1986, Tortoise Mountain TV Tower, China's first self-developed TV tower, opened.
1989: Tiananmen Square Protests in Wuhan
During the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, students in Wuhan blocked the Yangtze River Railway bridge, gathered at the railway station, staged a railroad 'sit-in' and urged employees of major state-owned enterprises to go on strike. Rail traffic was interrupted and residents began panic-buying.
1992: Deng Xiaoping's Southern Tour
In 1992, Wuhan was the first stop on Deng Xiaoping's southern tour.
1993: Establishment of Wuhan Economic and Technological Development Zone
In 1993, Wuhan Economic and Technological Development Zone, a national-level industrial zone, was established.
April 1995: Opening of Wuhan Tianhe International Airport
In April 1995, Wuhan Tianhe International Airport opened, replacing Hankou Wangjiadun Airport and Nanhu Airport as the major airport of Wuhan.
1995: Second Bridge Completed
In 1995, the Second Bridge, a cable-stayed bridge built of prestressed concrete, was completed.
1997: Construction of Baishazhou Bridge started
Construction of Baishazhou Bridge started in 1997.
1997: Zhongshan Raised
In 1997, the KMT gunboat Zhongshan, which sank in 1938, was raised from the bottom of the Yangtze River.
May 7, 1999: Protests After Bombing of Chinese Embassy
On May 7, 1999, following the United States bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade, protests broke out in Wuhan.
June 22, 2000: Wuhan Airlines Flight Crash
On June 22, 2000, a Wuhan Airlines flight from Enshi to Wuhan crashed on the banks of the Han River in Hanyang District after circling for 30 minutes due to thunderstorms, resulting in the loss of all on-board and several people on the ground.
September 2000: Third Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge completed
The Third Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge, also called Baishazhou Bridge, was completed in September 2000.
2000: Merging of universities
Founded in the year 2000, Wuhan University of Technology was merged from three major universities: Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan Transportation University and Wuhan Automotive Polytechnic University.
2000: Establishment of Wuhan Export Processing Zone
In 2000, Wuhan Export Processing Zone was established within the Wuhan Economic and Technology Development Zone.
2000: Absorption of schools by Wuhan University
In 2000, Wuhan University absorbed three other schools to become a university with 36 schools in 6 faculties.
July 28, 2004: Opening of Wuhan Metro Line 1
On July 28, 2004, Wuhan Metro Line 1 opened, making Wuhan the seventh city in mainland China with a rapid transit system.
2004: Focal Point of Rise of Central China Plan
Since 2004, Wuhan has been a focal point of the Rise of Central China Plan, which aims to build less-developed inland economies into hubs of advanced manufacturing.
December 26, 2007: Yangluo Bridge opened
The Yangluo Bridge opened on December 26, 2007, carrying Wuhan's Ring Road across the Yangtze.
2007: Bike sharing in Beijing
In 2007, the first traditional docked public bike system was introduced in Beijing.
March 2008: Completion of Second Terminal
In March 2008, the second terminal of Wuhan Tianhe International Airport was completed.
November 20, 2008: Opening of U.S. Consulate General
On November 20, 2008, the U.S. Consulate General in Central China (Wuhan) officially opened, marking the first new American consulate in China in over 20 years.
2008: Establishment of Biolake
In 2008, Biolake, an industrial base, was established in the Optics Valley of China, located in the East Lake New Technology Development Zone of Wuhan.
2008: Winter Storms Damage Water Supply
In 2008, winter storms damaged water supply equipment in Wuhan, leaving up to 100,000 people without running water due to burst pipes.
April 1, 2009: Hefei-Wuhan high-speed railway opens
On April 1, 2009, the Hefei-Wuhan high-speed railway opened, connecting Wuhan to Hefei, Nanjing, and Shanghai via high-speed trains.
December 2009: Opening of the Wuhan Railway Station and Unveiling of a High-Speed Train
In December 2009, the new Wuhan railway station, featuring 11 platforms, was opened. China also unveiled its second high-speed train, which ran from Guangzhou to Wuhan, reaching speeds of 394 km/h.
December 26, 2009: Wuhan Tianxingzhou Yangtze River Bridge opened
The Wuhan Tianxingzhou Yangtze River Bridge opened on December 26, 2009, in time for the opening of the Wuhan railway station, carrying the Wuhan–Guangzhou high-speed railway across the river.
2010: Metropolitan Area Population Estimate
As of 2010, the encompassing metropolitan area of Wuhan was estimated by the OECD to have a population of 19 million.
2010: Population Census
In 2010, according to a census, the population was significantly less.
2010: Sixth Census of China
In 2010, according to the Sixth Census of China, Wuhan comprised 13 districts with 160 township-level divisions.
2010: Han River Flooding
In 2010, the Han River at Wuhan experienced its worst flooding in twenty years during the 2010 China floods, leading to sandbagging efforts along the Han and Yangtze Rivers.
2010: Purchase of new ships by Wuhan Ferry Company
In 2010, the Wuhan Ferry Company bought ten new ships to replace those that had been in service for 29 years.
2010: Automobile Industry Exceeds WISCO Steel GDP
In 2010, the automobile industry's GDP exceeded that of Wuhan Iron and Steel Corporation (WISCO) steel for the first time.
May 2011: Wuhan and Hangzhou Public Bicycle bike-share systems
As of May 2011, the Wuhan and Hangzhou Public Bicycle bike-share systems in China were the largest in the world, with around 90,000 and 60,000 bicycles respectively.
May 19, 2011: Shoe Thrown at Fang Binxing
On May 19, 2011, Fang Binxing, Principal of Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, was hit by a shoe thrown by a student during a lecture at Wuhan University.
September 26, 2011: Zhongshan Museum Opening
On September 26, 2011, the Zhongshan museum opened in Wuhan's suburban Jiangxia District.
2011: Wuhan Flooded
In 2011, Wuhan was flooded, and parts of the city lost power during the 2011 China floods.
2011: Wuhan Sports Center Gymnasium held FIBA Asia Championship
In 2011, the Wuhan Sports Center Gymnasium, which has 13,000 seats, held the FIBA Asia Championship.
December 28, 2012: Opening of Wuhan Metro Line 2
On December 28, 2012, Wuhan Metro Line 2 opened as the first underground metro line crossing the Yangtze River.
2012: Wuhan and Hangzhou Public Bicycle programs
In 2012, the Wuhan and Hangzhou Public Bicycle programs in China remained the largest in the world, with around 90,000 and 60,000 bicycles respectively.
2013: Achievements gained by WHB
As of 2013, the achievements gained by WHB had won 23 National Awards and 778 Provincial Awards.
2013: Education Statistics in Wuhan
As of the end of 2013, Wuhan had 1,024 kindergartens, 590 primary schools, 369 general high schools, 105 secondary vocational and technical schools, and 80 colleges and universities.
2013: Wuhan Zall promoted to Chinese Super League
In 2013, Wuhan Zall was promoted to the top-tier league of Chinese football, Chinese Super League, and relocated its home to Wuhan Sports Center Stadium. The team was demoted back to China League One as the 2013 season ended.
2014: Wuhan Zall moved back to Xinhua Road Sport Center
In 2014, Wuhan Zall moved back to Xinhua Road Sport Center for financial and transportation reasons.
2014: Wuhan Open
Since 2014, Wuhan has been the venue for the women's tennis tournament, the Wuhan Open, one of the WTA's Premier 5 tournaments.
December 1, 2016: Opening of the line to Xiaogan
On December 1, 2016, the line of the Wuhan Metropolitan Area intercity railway to Xiaogan opened for passenger operations.
December 28, 2016: Extension of Line 2 of Wuhan Metro to Tianhe Airport
On December 28, 2016, the extension of Line 2 of Wuhan Metro to Tianhe Airport opened.
2016: Foreign Investment in Wuhan
As of 2016, Wuhan has attracted foreign investment from over 80 countries, with 5,973 foreign-invested enterprises established in the city. About 50 French companies have operations in the city, representing over one third of French investment in China.
2016: Severe Rainfall and Flooding
In 2016, Wuhan experienced severe rainfall and flooding during the 2016 China floods, with 570 mm of rainfall in the first week of July. The city's subway and railway station were partially submerged, and there were casualties and relocations.
July 27, 2017: High Temperature
On July 27, 2017, Wuhan recorded a high temperature of 39.7 °C (103 °F).
July 28, 2017: Introduction of Trams to Wuhan Streets
On July 28, 2017, trams were introduced to the streets of Wuhan, with the first line (Auto-city T1 Line) opening that day.
August 2017: Jamie Fouss Posted to Wuhan
In August 2017, Jamie Fouss was posted to Wuhan as the U.S. Consul General.
December 1, 2017: Construction begins on Wuhan Caidian General Airport
On December 1, 2017, construction began on Wuhan Caidian General Airport, dedicated to general aviation, in Caidian District of Wuhan.
2017: Religious Survey
According to a survey published in 2017, 79.2% of the population of Wuhan are either irreligious or practice worship of gods and ancestors, and the remaining population follows various other religions.
2017: Creative City Designation
In 2017, Wuhan was designated as a Creative City by UNESCO, in the field of design.
2017: Availability of Terminal 3
Since early 2017, Terminal 3 of Wuhan Tianhe International Airport has been available for service.
2018: Zhou Xianwang Appointed Mayor
In 2018, Zhou Xianwang was appointed mayor of Wuhan, serving until 2021.
November 2019: Examination of Urban Development Status
As of November 2019, an examination of urban development status, using Night Time Lighting data and land cover data as proxies, showed Wuhan's high concentration of socioeconomic activities compared to its urban spatial development.
November 29, 2019: Extension with the opening of the Wuhan–Shiyan high-speed railway to Shiyan
On November 29, 2019, the Wuhan–Shiyan high-speed railway to Shiyan was opened.
December 2019: First Discovery of SARS-CoV-2 in Wuhan
In December 2019, SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19, was first discovered in Wuhan.
2019: Annual passengers of Wuhan Metro
In 2019, Wuhan Metro recorded 1.22 billion annual passengers, becoming the sixth-busiest rapid transit system in mainland China.
2019: Military World Games Hosted in Wuhan
In 2019, the Military World Games were hosted in Wuhan in October.
2019: Wuhan Center completed
In 2019, the Wuhan Center, the second tallest skyscraper in Wuhan, was completed and became the tallest building in the city.
2019: Wuhan hosted Military World Games and venue for FIBA Basketball World Cup
The 7th Military World Games were hosted in Wuhan from October 18 to 27, 2019. Wuhan was also one of the venues for the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup.
December 31, 2019: Discovery of SARS-CoV-2
On December 31, 2019, SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that caused the COVID-19 pandemic, was first discovered in Wuhan.
January 2020: Wuhan Lockdown
In January 2020, Wuhan was the location of the first lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the city was placed under lockdown for nearly three months.
March 27, 2020: Wuhan Metro network out of service due to COVID-19 pandemic
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the entire Wuhan Metro network was out of service from January 23 to March 27, 2020.
April 8, 2020: End of Wuhan Lockdown
On April 8, 2020, the Wuhan lockdown officially ended after no new domestic cases of COVID-19 were reported in Hubei province.
2020: Population Increase
In 2020, according to the Seventh Census of China, Wuhan had a population of 12,326,500 inhabitants.
July 21, 2021: Arnhem ended twinning with Wuhan
On July 21, 2021, the city of Arnhem unilaterally ended its twinning with Wuhan, citing concerns about the persecution of Uyghurs in China.
2021: Wuhan Ranked Among Top Financial Centers
As of 2021, Wuhan is ranked among the world's top 100 financial centers, according to the Global Financial Centres Index.
2021: Riverview Plaza completed
In 2021, Riverview Plaza, a 376 meters tall skyscraper, was completed and became the third tallest building in the city.
2021: Zhou Xianwang Ends Term as Mayor
In 2021, Zhou Xianwang's term as mayor of Wuhan ended.
August 18, 2022: High Temperature
On August 18, 2022, Wuhan recorded a high temperature of 39.7 °C (103 °F).
2022: Wuhan Three Towns won Chinese Super League title
In 2022, Wuhan Three Towns won the Chinese Super League title for the first time upon promotion from China League One.
January 2023: Wuhan team folded
In January 2023, the Wuhan professional football team folded.
2023: Higher education institutions in Wuhan
As of 2023, there are 82 higher educational institutions in Wuhan, making it a leading educational hub in the Central China region. Wuhan was also ranked the best city in the Central China region by the QS Best Student Cities Rankings in 2023.
2023: Wuhan Greenland Center surpassed Wuhan Center
In 2023, Wuhan Greenland Center surpassed Wuhan Center as the tallest building in the city.
2024: Wuhan's Nature Index share
For instance, Wuhan's share of the 2024 Nature Index is 1,526.22.
2025: Universities in Wuhan
According to the U.S. News & World Report Best Global University Ranking for 2025–26, Wuhan had 16 universities included in the rankings, with two universities in the top 100 and six in the top 500.
2025: Ranking
As of 2025, the U.S. News' 2025 U.S. News & World Report ranked HUST #91 in the world.
2025: Ranking of Wuhan University
In 2025 Academic Ranking of World Universities ranked Wuhan University #81 in the world and by the U.S. News & World Report it was ranked 90th in the world.
2025: Ranking of Wuhan in scientific research outputs
Wuhan is a major city in the world by scientific research outputs and it ranks 8th globally in 2025.
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