Wuhan is a city with both an ancient history and a thriv-ing present. In the Qing Dynasty,Hankou became one of the four best-known towns in the country. For centuries,this city has been the center of trade and transportation in central China.Today it is an important hub in central China and a feature of Yangtze River cruises for sightseers and businessmen traveling from Sichuan to Shanghai or Hong Kong.