Hubei (湖北) · 6 places · 5 cities
6 places in Hubei, grouped by city. Under each one are two figures from the survey: how much daily life still goes on there, out of 100, and how far it has been turned over to visitors, out of 6.
Most common here: Old quarter of a city (2), Walled city (2), Old town (1). See all provinces, or the background on old towns.
2 places
Wuhan (武汉)
| Place | Kind | Reads as |
|---|---|---|
| Hankou Lifen Historic Neighborhoods (武汉汉口里份（黎黄陂路·江汉村）)UNESCOWuhan’s version of Shanghai’s lilong, 100-year-old alleyway neighborhoods (lifen) where locals still dry laundry in courtyards and drink tea under arcades, set among Mediterranean-style former Russian concession buildings and the site of the 1927 August 7th Meeting.Lived-in 75/100 · Commercialised 3/6 · little known abroad · easy to reach | Old quarter of a city | Lived-in, busy |
| Tanhualin (武汉昙华林)Wuchang’s artistic old street, 59 historic buildings including Chinese-Western style courtyards, churches and old schools, with a 66.5ha protected area, indie shops, cafes and street art, where retired teachers still sit behind half-open doors and the ancient city wall has been restored.Lived-in 65/100 · Commercialised 4/6 · little known abroad · easy to reach | Old quarter of a city | Visitor-facing |
1 place
Enshi (恩施)
| Place | Kind | Reads as |
|---|---|---|
| Qingyangba Liangting Street (恩施庆阳坝凉亭街)A Tujia village whose covered street is a working market. On the 2nd, 5th and 8th of the lunar calendar, traders come in from thirty or forty li around.Lived-in 82/100 · Commercialised 1/6 · rarely visited from abroad · hard to reach | Historic street | Lived-in, quiet |
1 place
Jingzhou (荆州)
| Place | Kind | Reads as |
|---|---|---|
| Jingzhou Old City (荆州古城)UNESCOA 11.28km intact city wall, the best preserved in southern China, with a moat, where locals still live inside the walls, eat morning noodles (zao tang mian) and play chess, at the heart of Chu culture and Three Kingdoms history, far less touristy than Xi’an’s wall.Lived-in 74/100 · Commercialised 3/6 · little known abroad · easy to reach | Walled city | Lived-in, busy |
1 place
Xiangyang (襄阳)
| Place | Kind | Reads as |
|---|---|---|
| Xiangyang Old City (襄阳古城-北街-樊城)Residents and shops share the old north street. The local breakfast is beef noodles, eaten with rice wine at seven in the morning, which visitors rarely expect.Lived-in 72/100 · Commercialised 3/6 · rarely visited from abroad · easy to reach | Walled city | Lived-in, busy |
1 place
Xianning (咸宁)
| Place | Kind | Reads as |
|---|---|---|
| Yangloudong Tea Town (赤壁羊楼洞)UNESCOA 1.2 km flagstone street laid with 30,000 slabs, lined with about a hundred surviving buildings. Old people sort vegetables and dry tea in their doorways, which is the point of coming.Lived-in 82/100 · Commercialised 1/6 · rarely visited from abroad · hard to reach | Old town | Lived-in, quiet |
Which of These Is Still a Town
The two scores narrow the list, and the last step is local: which lanes are worth the walk, which day of the week the place is itself, and where to stay inside the walls. Tell our local team the provinces you will be in and they will say which of these hold up.