Hubei (short name
鄂) means 'north of the lake,' referring to Dongting Lake. It was the heart of the ancient state of Chu (
楚国), hence the alternative historical label
楚. Hubei is central to Chinese history: the 1911 Wuchang Uprising (
武昌起义) that ended imperial rule began in Wuhan, now its capital and a major Yangtze River transport hub.
