A century of Jianghan, the bell tolls on, a centenarian guarding the clock tower

One hundred years is enough time for a baby to grow from birth to old age, and enough for a city to rise from turmoil to prosperity. The Jianghan Customs House stands quietly by the Yangtze River, like a steady elder, watching this city move from the twilight of the late Qing Dynasty into the dawn of a new era.

This building was born in 1924—a turbulent time. Back then, the winds of the Yangtze still carried echoes of the old era, and the whistles of steamships were full of foreign arrogance. The Jianghan Customs House emerged as not only the office of the customs agency but, more importantly, as a symbol marking Wuhan’s starting point for foreign trade. The tower clock first chimed on January 18, 1924, ringing out the melodious Westminster chimes along the Yangtze—this melody sounded every quarter hour, like a messenger of time, announcing mornings, evenings, and seasons to the people of Jiangcheng.

In an era with few tall buildings, the Jianghan Customs House, standing 45.85 meters tall, proudly rose on the banks of Hankou, holding the title of “Wuhan’s tallest building” from the day it was completed for a full 62 years, until the Qingchuan Hotel was built in 1986. But even amid the rise of skyscrapers, the solemnity and warmth of the Jianghan Customs House remain irreplaceable.

Its existence is not just a geographical marker but a beacon in the hearts of Wuhan’s people. In turbulent times, it witnessed the flames of war and the city’s fall, and also the dawn of Wuhan’s liberation and rebirth. Its stone walls are engraved with the suffering and struggles of modern China, and its bell tolls echo the cries of national self-strengthening.

In 2015, this century-old “old building” was reborn—transformed into the Jianghan Customs Museum, opening its arms to the public. It is no longer just an office but a living archive. Each exhibition hall is like an unfolding historical scroll, preserving a hundred years of Wuhan’s hardships and glory. From the humiliation of opening the port to the road of revival, every artifact here bears witness to the passionate history once lived.

Today, the Jianghan Customs House still stands by the river. Among countless glass curtain walls and neon lights, it seems out of place yet perfectly fitting—because it is the soul landmark of this heroic city of Wuhan, a container of an era’s memories. Its bell has tolled for over a century, ringing not just time but the awakening of a nation and the continuation of faith.

Post by JAYLEN POWERS | Sep 1, 2025