This mural depicts scenes of the old quays along the Yangtze and Han Rivers in Wuhan around the 1920s. This mural in fact was meant to be painted in 2019, when my mural friend 超级画咖 from Wuhan first invited me to come paint in Wuhan. Obviously it didn’t happen… until Oct 2024. We felt the 5-year delay is a blessing in disguise, because our skill and this site are now so much better. The site at Garden Expo Hankouli (园博园汉口里) is grand, with a huge flight of stairs and a gateway atop it, just like the olden day quays. Thus, we took the opportunity to recreate the scenes of the old quays. We consulted heritage experts to ensure the content is authentic and accurate. The outcome mural blended very well with the environment. As the mural’s popularity grew in social media, it has become a tourist attraction in Wuhan!
On the left wall, the labourers are toiling in the summer heat. A Han opera is being performed in a teahouse. People on the streets are peeping and enjoying the show for free. On the right wall, the late autumn chill is setting in. A mobile barber is climbing the steps carpeted by fallen autumn leaves. The people have put on thicker clothing and tucking in hot food. The stalls are selling steamy 热干面 (hot dry noodles), 油条(fried dough stick), 面窝(fried doughnut) and 牛肉粉（beef noodles). Above the stalls, the windows are decorated with laundry, waxed meat and waxed fish. Further down the steps, the fishermen are coming home with their boats full of catches while some men are fetching water from the river.
With the success of this mural, 超级画咖 and I have forged a deep friendship. We are dreaming of our next venture!
