On the fifth day of our Century Legend Yangtze River cruise, Rosa and I arrived in Jingzhou — a city whose name immediately evokes one of the most famous stories in Chinese history. For nearly every Chinese person, Jingzhou is inseparable from the heroic yet tragic figure of Guan Yu, the legendary general from the era of the Three Kingdoms, nearly 1,800 years ago.
It was because of Guan Yu that I had long wanted to visit this city. His tale is known by every household in China. Revered for his loyalty and bravery, Guan Yu became a symbol of righteousness — but also a reminder of human frailty. As the story goes, he lost Jingzhou because of carelessness, and since then, when Chinese people describe someone’s negligence, they often say, “He lost Jingzhou out of carelessness.”
Walking through the city today, it’s hard not to feel the weight of that ancient history. Our first stop was the Jingzhou City Wall, said by our guide to have first been built under Guan Yu’s command 1,800 years ago. The wall stands as one of the earliest city walls in southern China, stretching solid and silent under the afternoon sun. I climbed to the top, where the view opened up to the whole city — a mix of old roofs, modern streets, and the slow-moving Yangtze in the distance. It was easy to imagine how generals once surveyed the land from this very spot, plotting their strategies and watching for approaching armies.
Later, we visited the former residence of Zhang Juzheng, the brilliant prime minister of the Ming Dynasty who was also born in Jingzhou. His reforms strengthened the empire’s administration and finances, leaving an impact still discussed by historians today. Standing in his old courtyard, shaded by ancient trees, I couldn’t help but feel that Jingzhou has always been a place where history and intellect meet.
Our final stop was the Jingzhou Museum, which offered a deeper look into the region’s rich past. The exhibits ranged from ancient weapons and pottery to elegant silk garments unearthed from nearby tombs. Each display added another layer to the story of this timeless city.
By the end of the day, as we returned to our cruise ship, the sun was setting over Jingzhou’s ancient walls. The city that once witnessed Guan Yu’s triumphs and downfall now stood peaceful and dignified, guarding its memories across the centuries. For me, visiting Jingzhou was not just a stop on our Yangtze journey — it was a step into the living pages of Chinese history.
