Yichang Travel Tips
Climate and Weather
Yichang lies between the middle subtropical humid monsoonal climate zone and the northern subtropical zone. The climatic feature of this region is that the four seasons are clearly demarcated. Spring and autumn are longer than summer and winter. It's hot in summer and there's much rain, while it's dry and cold in winter and there's little rain with frost free period of 220- 300 days. The average temperature in autumn is higher than that in spring. In summer there are rich storms. The rainy season is June and July, which is also the hottest period. The average annual temperature is 16C.
Local Festivals and Folk Custom
The Dragon Boat Festival
The dragon-boat regatta originated in the state of Chu during the Zhou Dynasty as a way of commemorating Qu Yuan. Quyuan is a beloved patriotic poet who lived in present Yichang's Zigui County some 2,000 years ago and took his own life by jumping into the river.
In 1980, the dragon-boat regatta was listed into the state sports competition programs and has since been held on May.5th every year. The award is called 'Qu Yuan Cup.' In June 1985, to promote the development of dragon-boat races in China and abroad, the Dragon-Boat Association of China was founded in Yichang, Hubei Province. Dragon-boat racing has now become an international aquatic sport, which features both Chinese tradition and modern sporting spirit.
The boats which incorporate a dragon’s head and tail are decorated with paintings and flags, and carry gongs and drums. The head is usually carved from a single block of wood and put in place just before the race. The tail is also formed from single block and characteristically emphasizes the mythical creature's scales.
Other Odds and Ends
Phone Dialing Code: 0717
Postcode: 443000
Emergency Call
Fire: 119
Police: 110
Ambulance: 120
Weather Forecast: 121
Consumers' Complaint: 12315
CAAC Ticket Center: Yichang Sanxia Airport at No.167 Yiling Road, Yichang, Hubei 443000, China
Tel: 86-717-6230222
Information of Railway Station: at the city centre, near Dongshan Dadao
Tel: 86-717-6445242
Money: Money can be exchanged at Yichang Tree Gorges Branch of Bank of China at No 10 Shengli silu, Wujiagang district
Tel: 86-717-6227505
Fax: 86-717-6227422
