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Tianjin (; ; Mandarin: ), alternately romanized as Tientsin (), is a
municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the ...
and a coastal
metropolis A metropolis () is a large city or conurbation which is a significant economic, political, and cultural center for a country or region, and an important hub for regional or international connections, commerce, and communications. A big c ...
in Northern China on the shore of the Bohai Sea. It is one of the nine national central cities in
Mainland China "Mainland China" is a geopolitical term defined as the territory governed by the China, People's Republic of China (including islands like Hainan or Chongming Island, Chongming), excluding dependent territories of the PRC, and other territorie ...
, with a total population of 13,866,009 inhabitants during the
2020 Chinese census The Seventh National Population Census of the People's Republic of China (), also referred to as the 2020 Chinese Census, was the seventh national census conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics of the People's Republic of China. Census w ...
. Its built-up (''or metro'') area, made up of 12 central districts (all but Baodi, Jizhou, Jinghai and Ninghe), was home to 11,165,706 inhabitants and is also the world's 29th-largest agglomeration (between
Chengdu Chengdu (, ; simplified Chinese: 成都; pinyin: ''Chéngdū''; Sichuanese pronunciation: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: ), alternatively romanized as Chengtu, is a sub-provincial city which serves as the capital of the Chinese provin ...
and
Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro ( , , ; literally 'River of January'), or simply Rio, is the capital of the state of the same name, Brazil's third-most populous state, and the second-most populous city in Brazil, after São Paulo. Listed by the GaWC as a b ...
) and 11th- most populous city proper. It is governed as one of the four
municipalities A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the ...
under the direct administration of
Chinese central government The State Council, constitutionally synonymous with the Central People's Government since 1954 (particularly in relation to local governments), is the chief administrative authority of the People's Republic of China. It is chaired by the p ...
and is thus under direct administration of the State Council. Tianjin borders Hebei Province and
Beijing Municipality } Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...
, bounded to the east by the
Bohai Gulf The Bohai Sea () is a marginal sea approximately in area on the east coast of Mainland China. It is the northwestern and innermost extension of the Yellow Sea, to which it connects to the east via the Bohai Strait. It has a mean depth of ...
portion of the
Yellow Sea The Yellow Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean located between mainland China and the Korean Peninsula, and can be considered the northwestern part of the East China Sea. It is one of four seas named after common colour ter ...
. Part of the Bohai Economic Rim, it is the largest coastal city in Northern China and part of the Jing-Jin-Ji megapolis. In terms of urban population, Tianjin is the seventh largest city in China. In terms of administrative area population, Tianjin ranks fifth in Mainland China. The walled city of Tianjin was built in 1404. As a treaty port since 1860, Tianjin has been a major seaport and gateway to Beijing. During the Boxer Rebellion the city was the seat of the Tianjin Provisional Government. Under the Qing dynasty and the Republic of China, Tianjin became one of the largest cities in the region. At that time, numerous European-style buildings and mansions were constructed in concessions, many of which are well-preserved today. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Tianjin suffered a depression due to the policy of the central government and 1976 Tangshan earthquake, but recovered from 1990s.. Tianjin is classified as the largest type of port-city, a Large-Port Megacity, due to its large urban population and port traffic volume . Nowadays, Tianjin is a dual-core city, with its main urban area (including the old city) located along the Hai River, which connects to the
Yellow Yellow is the color between green and orange on the spectrum of light. It is evoked by light with a dominant wavelength of roughly 575585 nm. It is a primary color in subtractive color systems, used in painting or color printing. In th ...
and
Yangtze The Yangtze or Yangzi ( or ; ) is the longest river in Asia, the third-longest in the world, and the longest in the world to flow entirely within one country. It rises at Jari Hill in the Tanggula Mountains (Tibetan Plateau) and flows ...
Rivers via the Grand Canal; and Binhai, an adjacent New Area urban core located east of the old city, on the coast of the Bohai Gulf. As of the end of 2010, around 285 Fortune 500 companies have set up base in Binhai. Since 2010, Tianjin's
Yujiapu Financial District Yujiapu Financial District (; also Yujiabao) is a central business district currently under construction in the Binhai New Area of Tianjin. The area is envisioned as a potential center for world trade and finance. The district is being developed ...
has become known as '' China's Manhattan'' and the city is considered one of the world's top 100 cities, including in the
Global Financial Centres Index The Global Financial Centres Index (GFCI) is a ranking of the competitiveness of financial centres based on over 29,000 financial centre assessments from an online questionnaire together with over 100 indices from organisations such as the World ...
. Tianjin is ranked as a Beta (global second tier) city by the
Globalization and World Cities Research Network The Globalization and World Cities Research Network (GaWC) is a think tank that studies the relationships between world cities in the context of globalization. It is based in the geography department of Loughborough University in Leicestershir ...
. Tianjin is one of the top 20 cities in the world by scientific research outputs as tracked by the
Nature Index The Nature Index is a database that tracks institutions and countries and their scientific output since its introduction in November, 2014. Each year, Nature Index ranks the leading institutions (which can be companies, universities, government agen ...
, and home to multiple notable institutes of higher education in Northern China, including Tianjin, Nankai, Tianjin Normal, Tianjin Medical, Tiangong,
Tianjin University of Science & Technology The Tianjin University of Science and Technology () is a municipal public university in Tianjin, China. Founded as Hebei Institute of Light Industry, the university gained university status in 2002 and is now sponsored by the Tianjin Municipal ...
,
Tianjin University of Technology The Tianjin University of Technology () is a municipal public university in Tianjin, China. The university is founded in 1981. As an engineering based multi-discipline university, the university now has over 16,000 students, 988 teaching f ...
, and Hebei University of Technology.


Name

Tianjin is the
pinyin Hanyu Pinyin (), often shortened to just pinyin, is the official romanization system for Standard Mandarin Chinese in China, and to some extent, in Singapore and Malaysia. It is often used to teach Mandarin, normally written in Chinese fo ...
romanization Romanization or romanisation, in linguistics, is the conversion of text from a different writing system to the Roman (Latin) script, or a system for doing so. Methods of romanization include transliteration, for representing written text, a ...
of the
Chinese character Chinese characters () are logograms developed for the writing of Chinese. In addition, they have been adapted to write other East Asian languages, and remain a key component of the Japanese writing system where they are known as ''kanji' ...
s , which means " Heavenly Ford" or "Ford of Heaven". The origin of the name is obscure. One folk etymology is that it was an homage to the patriotic Chu
poet A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator ( thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral or w ...
Qu Yuan, whose "
Li Sao "''Li Sao''" (; translation: "Encountering Sorrow") is an ancient Chinese poem from the anthology ''Chuci'' traditionally attributed to Qu Yuan. ''Li Sao'' dates from the late 3rd century BCE, during the Chinese Warring States period. Backgro ...
" includes the verse "... departing from the Ford of Heaven at dawn ..." (, ''zhāo fārèn yú Tiānjīn xī''). Another is that it honors a former name of the Girl, a
Chinese constellation Traditional Chinese astronomy has a system of dividing the celestial sphere into asterisms or constellations, known as "officials" (Chinese ''xīng guān''). The Chinese asterisms are generally smaller than the constellations of Hellenistic t ...
recorded under the name Tianjin in the Astronomical Record section of the
Book of Sui The ''Book of Sui'' (''Suí Shū'') is the official history of the Sui dynasty. It ranks among the official Twenty-Four Histories of imperial China. It was written by Yan Shigu, Kong Yingda, and Zhangsun Wuji, with Wei Zheng as the lead author. ...
. A third is that it derives from a place name noted in the River Record of the History of Jin. The most common is that it was bestowed by the
Yongle Emperor The Yongle Emperor (; pronounced ; 2 May 1360 – 12 August 1424), personal name Zhu Di (), was the third Emperor of the Ming dynasty, reigning from 1402 to 1424. Zhu Di was the fourth son of the Hongwu Emperor, the founder of the Ming dyn ...
of the
Ming The Ming dynasty (), officially the Great Ming, was an imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming dynasty was the last orthodox dynasty of China ruled by the Han pe ...
, who crossed Tianjin's Gu River on his way south to overthrow his nephew, the Jianwen Emperor. Prior to the introduction of pinyin, the city's name was historically spelled as Tientsin in the
Chinese postal romanization Postal romanization was a system of transliterating Chinese place names developed by postal authorities in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. For many cities, the corresponding postal romanization was the most common English-language form ...
. The current name of Tianjin was adopted in 1958 after pinyin was introduced by the PRC government. Several countries, international organizations and media outlets adopted the pinyin name beginning in 1979. The
Government of the Republic of China The Government of the Republic of China, is the national government of the Republic of China whose ''de facto'' territory currently consists of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other island groups in the " free area". Governed by the ...
on Taiwan continues to use the postal and Wade-Giles spelling after the adoption of pinyin by the ROC government in 2009.


History


Early history

The land where Tianjin is located today was created in between 900 and 1300 CE by sedimentation of various rivers entering the sea at
Bohai Gulf The Bohai Sea () is a marginal sea approximately in area on the east coast of Mainland China. It is the northwestern and innermost extension of the Yellow Sea, to which it connects to the east via the Bohai Strait. It has a mean depth of ...
, including the Yellow River, which entered the open sea in this area at one point. The construction of the Grand Canal under the
Sui dynasty The Sui dynasty (, ) was a short-lived imperial dynasty of China that lasted from 581 to 618. The Sui unified the Northern and Southern dynasties, thus ending the long period of division following the fall of the Western Jin dynasty, and la ...
helped the future development of Tianjin as the canal ran from
Hangzhou Hangzhou ( or , ; , , Standard Chinese, Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ), also Chinese postal romanization, romanized as Hangchow, is the capital and most populous city of Zhejiang, China. It is located in the northwestern part of the prov ...
to the
Beijing } Beijing ( ; ; ), Chinese postal romanization, alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the Capital city, capital of the China, People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's Li ...
and Tianjin region by 609 CE. Grain from southern China was regularly transported to the north through the canal and was used during the subsequent dynasties. Tianjin begins to be increasingly mentioned in records during the
Song dynasty The Song dynasty (; ; 960–1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that began in 960 and lasted until 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song following his usurpation of the throne of the Later Zhou. The Song conquered the res ...
and gains importance during the
Yuan dynasty The Yuan dynasty (), officially the Great Yuan (; xng, , , literally "Great Yuan State"), was a Mongol-led imperial dynasty of China and a successor state to the Mongol Empire after its division. It was established by Kublai, the fif ...
. Tianjin experienced development under the Yuan and became a prime location for the storage of goods and grains. Tianjin became a garrison town and shipping station during the
Ming dynasty The Ming dynasty (), officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming dynasty was the last ort ...
. It became a center of commerce and prosperity by the 17th century.


Qing dynasty

During the
Qing dynasty The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speak ...
(16441911) Tianjin Prefecture or ''Zhou'' () was established in 1725, and Tianjin County was established within the prefecture in 1731. Later it was upgraded to an urban prefecture or ''Fu'' () before becoming a relay station () under the command of the Viceroy of Zhili.


Opening up as a treaty port

In 1856, Chinese soldiers boarded ''The Arrow'', a Chinese-owned ship registered in Hong Kong flying the British flag and suspected of piracy, smuggling, and of being engaged in the opium trade. They captured 12 men and imprisoned them. In response, the British and French sent gunboats under the command of Admiral Sir Michael Seymour to capture the Taku forts near Tianjin in May 1858. At the end of the first part of the
Second Opium War The Second Opium War (), also known as the Second Anglo-Sino War, the Second China War, the Arrow War, or the Anglo-French expedition to China, was a colonial war lasting from 1856 to 1860, which pitted the British Empire#Britain's imperial ...
in June of the same year, the British and French prevailed, and the
Treaty of Tientsin The Treaty of Tientsin, also known as the Treaty of Tianjin, is a collective name for several documents signed at Tianjin (then romanized as Tientsin) in June 1858. The Qing dynasty, Russian Empire, Second French Empire, United Kingdom, and t ...
were signed, which opened Tientsin (Tianjin) to foreign trade. The treaties were ratified by the Xianfeng Emperor in 1860, and Tianjin was formally opened to Great Britain and France, and thus to the outside world. Between 1895 and 1900, Britain and France were joined by Japan, Germany and
Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-ei ...
, and even by countries without Chinese concessions such as
Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of ...
, Italy and
Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to ...
, in establishing self-contained
concessions in Tianjin The foreign concessions in Tianjin (formerly romanized as Tientsin) were concession territories ceded by Qing China to a number of European countries, the United States and Japan within the city of Tianjin. There were altogether nine foreign co ...
, each with its own prisons, schools, barracks and hospitals. These nations left many architectural reminders of their rule, notably churches and thousands of villas. The presence of foreign influence in Tianjin was not always peaceful; one of the most serious violent incidents to date was the Tianjin Church Massacre. In June 1870, the orphanage held by the Wanghailou Church (Church Our Lady's Victories), in Tianjin, built by French
Roman Catholic missionaries A missionary is a member of a Religious denomination, religious group which is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Tho ...
, was accused of the kidnapping and brainwashing of Chinese children. On June 21, the
magistrate The term magistrate is used in a variety of systems of governments and laws to refer to a civilian officer who administers the law. In ancient Rome, a '' magistratus'' was one of the highest ranking government officers, and possessed both judic ...
of Tianjin County initiated a showdown at the church that developed into violent clashes between the church's Christian supporters and some non-Christian Tianjin residents. The furious protesters eventually burned down Wanghailou Church and the nearby French consulate and killed eighteen foreigners including ten French nuns, the French consul himself, and merchants. France and six other Western nations complained to the Qing government, which was forced to pay compensation for the incident. In 1885 Li Hongzhang founded the Tianjin Military Academy () for Chinese army officers with German advisors, as part of his military reforms. The move was supported by Anhui Army commander Zhou Shengchuan. The academy was to serve Anhui Army and Green Standard Army officers. Various practical military, mathematic and science subjects were taught at the academy. The instructors were German officers. Another program was started at the academy for five years in 1887 to train teenagers as new army officers. Mathematics, practical and technical subjects including sciences, foreign languages, Chinese Classics and history were taught at the school. Exams were administered to students. The instruction for Tianjin Military Academy was copied at the Weihaiwei and Shanhaiguan military schools. The 'maritime defense fund' supplied the budget for the Tianjin Military Academy, which was shared with the Tianjin Naval Academy. The Tianjin Military Academy in 1886 adopted as part of its curriculum the
Romance of the Three Kingdoms ''Romance of the Three Kingdoms'' () is a 14th-century historical novel attributed to Luo Guanzhong. It is set in the turbulent years towards the end of the Han dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period in Chinese history, starting in 184 AD ...
. Among its alumni were
Wang Yingkai Wang Yingkai (; 1861–1908), whose courtesy name was Shaochen (), was a Chinese general in the Beiyang Army and first rank official of the late Qing dynasty, who served as the vice president of the Ministry of War and vice-commander-in-chief o ...
and Duan Qirui. Among its staff was Yinchang. In June 1900, the Boxers were able to seize control of much of Tianjin. On June 26, European defense forces heading towards Beijing were stopped by Boxers at nearby Langfang, and were defeated and forced to turn back to Tianjin. The foreign concessions were also under siege for several weeks. In July 1900, the Eight-Nation Alliance recaptured Tientsin. This alliance soon established the Tianjin Provisional Government, composed of representatives from each of the occupying forces (Russian, British, Japanese, German, French, American, Austro-Hungarian, and Italian). The city was governed by this council until August 15, 1902 when the city was returned to Qing control. Eminent Qing General Yuan Shikai led efforts to transform Tianjin into a modern city, establishing the first modern Chinese police force. In 1907, Yuan supervised China's first modern democratic elections for a county council. Western nations were permitted to garrison the area to ensure open access to Beijing. The British maintained a brigade of two battalions in Tianjin, and the Italians, French, Japanese, Germans, Russians, and Austro-Hungarians maintained under strength regiments; the United States did not initially participate. During
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
, the German and Austro-Hungarian garrisons were captured and held as Prisoners of War by Allied Forces while the Bolshevik government withdrew the Russian garrison in 1918. In 1920, the remaining participating nations asked the United States to join them, and the US then sent the 15th Infantry Regiment, less one battalion, to Tianjin from the Philippines. Because of the rapid development of industry, commerce and finance, Tientsin was established as a
municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the ...
of China in 1927. From 1930 to 1935, Tientsin was the provincial capital of
Hopeh Hebei or , (; alternately Hopeh) is a northern province of China. Hebei is China's sixth most populous province, with over 75 million people. Shijiazhuang is the capital city. The province is 96% Han Chinese, 3% Manchu, 0.8% Hui, and ...
, after which it was reestablished as a municipality. Garrison duty was highly regarded by the troops. General George C. Marshall, the "architect of victory" in World War II when he was the United States Army Chief of Staff, served at Tianjin in the 1920s as Executive Officer of the 15th Infantry. The US withdrew this unit in 1938 and a US presence was maintained only by the dispatch of a small US Marine Corps unit from the Embassy Guard at Beijing.


Second Sino-Japanese War

On July 30, 1937, Tianjin fell to Japan, as part of the
Second Sino-Japanese War The Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) or War of Resistance (Chinese term) was a military conflict that was primarily waged between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. The war made up the Chinese theater of the wider Pacific T ...
, but was not entirely occupied, as the Japanese for the most part respected foreign concessions until 1941, when the American and British concessions were occupied. In the summer of 1939, there occurred a major crisis in Anglo-Japanese relations with the Tientsin Incident. On June 14, 1939, the
Imperial Japanese Army The was the official ground-based armed force of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945. It was controlled by the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff Office and the Ministry of the Army, both of which were nominally subordinate to the Emper ...
surrounded and blockaded the British concession over the refusal of the British authorities to hand over to the Japanese six Chinese who had assassinated a locally prominent Japanese collaborator, and had taken refuge in the British concession. For a time, the 1939 crisis appeared likely to cause an Anglo-Japanese war, especially when reports of the maltreatment by the Japanese Army of British subjects wishing to leave or enter the concession appeared in the British press. The crisis ended when the British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain was advised by the
Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against Fr ...
and the Foreign Office that the only way to force the Japanese to lift the blockade was to send the main British battle fleet to Far Eastern waters, and that given the current crisis in Europe that it would be inappropriate to send the British fleet out of European waters, thus leading the British to finally turn over the six Chinese, who were then executed by the Japanese. During the Japanese occupation, Tianjin was ruled by the North China Executive Committee, a puppet state based in Beijing. On August 9, 1940, all of the British troops in Tianjin were ordered to withdraw. On November 14, 1941 the American
Marine Marine is an adjective meaning of or pertaining to the sea or ocean. Marine or marines may refer to: Ocean * Maritime (disambiguation) * Marine art * Marine biology * Marine debris * Marine habitats * Marine life * Marine pollution Military ...
unit stationed in Tianjin was ordered to leave, but before this could be accomplished, the Japanese attacked the United States. The American Marine detachment surrendered to the Japanese on December 8, 1941. Only the Italian and French concessions (the local French officials were loyal to
Vichy Vichy (, ; ; oc, Vichèi, link=no, ) is a city in the Allier department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of central France, in the historic province of Bourbonnais. It is a spa and resort town and in World War II was the capital of ...
) were allowed by the Japanese to remain. When Italy signed an
armistice An armistice is a formal agreement of warring parties to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, as it may constitute only a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace. It is derived from the ...
with the Allies in September 1943, Japanese troops took the Italian concession following a battle with its garrison, and the Italian Social Republic formally ceded it to Wang Jingwei's Japan-controlled puppet state. Japanese occupation of the city lasted until August 15, 1945, with the surrender of Japan marking the end of World War II.


Post World War II

In the Pingjin Campaign of the Chinese Civil War, the city was captured after 29 hours of fighting. The
Chinese Communist Party The Chinese Communist Party (CCP), officially the Communist Party of China (CPC), is the founding and sole ruling party of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Under the leadership of Mao Zedong, the CCP emerged victorious in the Chinese Ci ...
(CCP) took Tianjin on January 15, 1949. From 1949 to February 1958, Tianjin was a municipality directly under the control of the central government. In October 1952, Tanggu New Port officially opened its doors, and the first 10,000-ton ferry arrived at Newport Pier. In February 1958, due to the "Great Leap Forward" and Tianjin's good industrial foundation, Tianjin was incorporated into Hebei Province and Hebei Province was relocated to Tianjin for eight years. During the period, under the coordination of the State Council, the city of Tianjin implemented a separate policy for central planning, which was independent of Hebei Province. However, a large number of factories and colleges in Tianjin moved to Hebei, adversely affecting Tianjin's economic development. In January 1967, due to "preparation, preparation for disasters", and concerns that Tianjin would become a battlefield, Hebei Province repatriated the provincial capital to Baoding, and the CCP Central Committee decided that Tianjin should be restored to the central municipality and remain so far. In April 1970, in the event that the Central Government had applied for funding for the construction of the subway, the Tianjin Municipal Government decided to raise funds on its own to establish the project on the basis of the name of the channel, and build it on the basis of the old walled river. In July 1973, five counties including Jixian, Baodi, Wuqing, Jinghai, and Ninghe were formally placed under the jurisdiction of Tianjin. On July 28, 1976, during the 7.6 magnitude Tangshan Earthquake, Tianjin was affected by the shock waves and suffered major loss of life. In the city, 24,345 people died and 21,497 were seriously injured. 60% of the city's buildings were destroyed and more than 30% of the enterprises and Peking Port Reservoir and Yuqiao Reservoir were seriously damaged. Nearly 700,000 people were left homeless. On October 10 of the same year, the Tianjin Underground Railway was opened to traffic. In 1981, Miyun Reservoir was built on the upper reaches of the Hai River and is used to supply water for Beijing, however the reservoir stopped the river from supplying water to Tianjin, resulting in difficulty in the use of water in Tianjin. In the same year, the
State Council of the People's Republic of China The State Council, constitutionally synonymous with the Central People's Government since 1954 (particularly in relation to local governments), is the chief administrative authority of the People's Republic of China. It is chaired by the pr ...
decided to initiate a project to solve the problem of water use in Tianjin and attract talented individuals to the city's academic centers. In 1984, during the beginning of the Chinese government's economic reforms, Tianjin was listed as one of the 14 coastal open cities by the State Council and the Tianjin Development Zone's economy began to develop rapidly, However, the overall development speed of Tianjin is still slower than that of special economic zones and that of other southeast coastal areas. In 1994, Tianjin began its strategic industrial shift towards the east and developed the Binhai New Area with the
Tianjin Port The Port of Tianjin (''Tianjin Gang'', ), formerly known as the Port of Tanggu, is the largest port in Northern China and the main maritime gateway to Beijing. The name "Tianjin Xingang" (), which strictly speaking refers only to the main seaport ...
as the core. In October 2005, the Fifth Plenary Session of the 16th CCP Central Committee was convened. The meeting decided to incorporate the development and opening up of the Binhai New Area into the "Eleventh Five-Year Plan" and the national development strategy. In March 2006, the State Council executive meeting positioned Tianjin as an "international port city, a northern economic center, and an "ecological city". Since then, the dispute between the Beijing-Tianjin economic center at the policy level has come to an end. In May 2006, the State Council approved the Binhai New Area as a national integrated reform pilot area. In June of the same year, the "State Council's Opinions on Promoting the Development and Opening of the Tianjin Binhai New Area" was announced and clearly stated: "In financial enterprises, financial services, financial markets, and finance Major reforms such as opening up can, in principle, be scheduled to precede the Tianjin Binhai New Area. In August 2008, China's first
high-speed railway High-speed rail (HSR) is a type of rail system that runs significantly faster than traditional rail, using an integrated system of specialised rolling stock and dedicated tracks. While there is no single standard that applies worldwide, lines ...
, the Beijing-Tianjin Intercity Railway, with a speed of 350 kilometers per hour was opened. In August 2008 Tianjin was the co-host city of the 29th Olympic Games. In September 2008, the Annual Meeting of the New Champions of World Economic Forum (also called
Summer Davos The World Economic Forum (WEF) is an international non-governmental and lobbying organisation based in Cologny, canton of Geneva, Switzerland. It was founded on 24 January 1971 by German engineer and economist Klaus Schwab. The foundation, ...
) began to be established in Tianjin and is held every two years. In October 2010, the UN Climate Change Conference convened in Tianjin. In 2012, the Tianjin Metro Lines 2, 3, and 9 were completed and open to traffic, and Tianjin Rail Transit was formally networked. In October 2013, Tianjin hosted the East Asian Games, which was the first time Tianjin hosted an international comprehensive event. In 2014, the coordinated development of Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei was officially incorporated into the national strategy. Tianjin was positioned as "National Advanced Manufacturing R&D Base, Northern International Shipping Core Area, Financial Innovation Operation Demonstration Area, and Reform and Opening-up Preceding Area". In the same year, the first phase of the South-to-North Water Transfer Project was completed, and the water availability in Tianjin improved. On February 26, 2015, the Tianjin National Independent Innovation Demonstration Zone was formally established. On April 21, the China (Tianjin) Free Trade Pilot Zone was formally established. On April 27, Jincheng Bank, the first private bank in northern China, officially opened its doors.


2015 Tianjin explosion

On August 12, 2015, a major fire and explosion accident occurred in a chemical warehouse in
Tianjin Port The Port of Tianjin (''Tianjin Gang'', ), formerly known as the Port of Tanggu, is the largest port in Northern China and the main maritime gateway to Beijing. The name "Tianjin Xingang" (), which strictly speaking refers only to the main seaport ...
, causing 173 deaths, hundreds of injuries, and property losses. The first two explosions occurred within 30 seconds of each other at the facility, which is located in the Binhai New Area of Tianjin, China. The second explosion was far larger and involved the detonation of about 800 tonnes of ammonium nitrate (approx. 256 tonnes TNT equivalent). Fires caused by the initial explosions continued to burn uncontrolled throughout the weekend, resulting in eight additional explosions on 15 August. The buildings of seven more surrounding logistics companies were destroyed. The cost to businesses caused by the explosion was estimated at $9 billion, making it the third most expensive supply chain disruption of 2015.


Geography

Tianjin is located along the west coast of the
Bohai Gulf The Bohai Sea () is a marginal sea approximately in area on the east coast of Mainland China. It is the northwestern and innermost extension of the Yellow Sea, to which it connects to the east via the Bohai Strait. It has a mean depth of ...
, looking out to the provinces
Shandong Shandong ( , ; ; Chinese postal romanization, alternately romanized as Shantung) is a coastal Provinces of China, province of the China, People's Republic of China and is part of the East China region. Shandong has played a major role in His ...
and Liaoning across those waters, bordered by
Beijing } Beijing ( ; ; ), Chinese postal romanization, alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the Capital city, capital of the China, People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's Li ...
to the northwest, and is surrounded on all sides by
Hebei Hebei or , (; alternately Hopeh) is a northern province of China. Hebei is China's sixth most populous province, with over 75 million people. Shijiazhuang is the capital city. The province is 96% Han Chinese, 3% Manchu, 0.8% Hui, and ...
, with the exception of its eastern border, the Bohai Sea. With a latitude ranging from 38° 34' to 40° 15' N, and longitude ranging from 116° 43' to 118° 04' E, the total area is . There is of coastline and of land border. It lies at the northern end of the Grand Canal of China, which connects with the Yellow River and
Yangtze River The Yangtze or Yangzi ( or ; ) is the longest river in Asia, the third-longest in the world, and the longest in the world to flow entirely within one country. It rises at Jari Hill in the Tanggula Mountains (Tibetan Plateau) and flows ...
. The municipality is generally flat, and swampy near the coast, but hilly in the far north, where the Yan Mountains intrude into northern Tianjin. Extensive tidal flats occur on the coastal plain adjacent to the city. The highest point in the municipality is Jiuding Peak () in Ji County on the northern border with Hebei, at an altitude of . The Hai River forms within Tianjin Municipality at the confluence of the Ziya River (), Daqing River (), Yongding River, North Grand Canal, and South Grand Canal, and enters the Pacific Ocean within the municipality, as well in Tanggu District. Major reservoirs include the Beidagang Reservoir in the extreme south (in
Dagang District The area that was formerly known as Dagang District (; literally as "The Big Port") lies at the southeast of Tianjin municipality area. It had a population of 440,000 and occupied in size, with a coast line stretching approximately on the easte ...
) and the
Yuqiao Reservoir Yuqiao Reservoir is a large reservoir in Jizhou District, Tianjin. It was built for water supply to the downtown of Tianjin as well as for flood control purposes. The reservoir is also known as Cuiping Lake, and it is a part of the Luan River-T ...
in the extreme north in Ji County.


Climate

Tianjin has a
semi-arid climate A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of semi ...
( Köppen ''BSk'' bordering on ''Dwa''). It has a four-season,
monsoon A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annual latitudinal oscil ...
-influenced climate, typical of East Asia, with cold, windy, very dry winters reflecting the influence of the vast
Siberian anticyclone The Siberian High (also Siberian Anticyclone; russian: Азиатский антициклон (''Aziatsky antitsiklon'')) is a massive collection of cold dry air that accumulates in the northeastern part of Eurasia from September until April. I ...
, and hot, humid summers, due to the monsoon. Spring in the city is dry and windy, occasionally seeing sandstorms blowing in from the Gobi Desert, capable of lasting for several days. The monthly 24-hour average temperature ranges from in January to in July, with an annual mean of . With monthly percent possible sunshine ranging from 48% in July to 61% in October, the city receives 2,522 hours of bright sunshine annually. Having a low annual total precipitation of , and nearly three-fifths of it occurring in July and August alone, the city lies within the semi-arid zone, with parts of the municipality being humid continental ( Köppen ''BSk''/''Dwa'', respectively). Extreme temperatures have ranged from to .


Measures to improve air quality

In May 2014, the city's administration enacted new laws in an attempt to lower the city's pollution levels. These measures included several restrictions on days of severe pollution; halving the number of vehicles allowed on roads, halting construction and manufacturing activity, closing schools, and halting large-scale outdoor activities. Flights have also been grounded and highways closed. Foreign-born professional sportsmen have made statements regarding Tianjin's air quality, citing it as an impediment to athletic activity and being thick enough to "taste".


Administrative divisions

Tianjin is divided into 16 county-level divisions, which are all districts. In addition, the
Tianjin Economic and Technological Development Area Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area (), commonly abbreviated as TEDA () is the main free market zone in Binhai, Tianjin, China. It was formed in late 1984. History The area was created in late 1984. Since 1997, the Ministry of Comm ...
(TEDA) is not a formal level of administration, but nevertheless enjoys rights similar to a regular district. At the end of 2017, the total population of Tianjin is 15.57 millio

These districts and counties are further subdivided, , into 240 Administrative divisions of the People's Republic of China#Township level, township-level divisions, including 120
towns A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an or ...
, 18 townships, 2 ethnic townships and 100 subdistricts.


Politics

The politics of Tianjin is structured in a dual party-government system like all other governing institutions in the
mainland China "Mainland China" is a geopolitical term defined as the territory governed by the China, People's Republic of China (including islands like Hainan or Chongming Island, Chongming), excluding dependent territories of the PRC, and other territorie ...
. The Mayor of Tianjin is the highest-ranking official in the People's Government of Tianjin. Since Tianjin is a municipality, the CCP Municipal Committee Secretary is colloquially termed the "Tianjin CCP Party chief".


Economy

Tianjin's GDP reached 1.572 trillion yuan in 2014, an increase of 10.0 percent over 2013. The city of Tianjin recorded China's highest per-capita GDP with $17,126, followed by Beijing with $16,278 and Shanghai with $15,847. Major industries include
petrochemical Petrochemicals (sometimes abbreviated as petchems) are the chemical products obtained from petroleum by refining. Some chemical compounds made from petroleum are also obtained from other fossil fuels, such as coal or natural gas, or renewabl ...
industries, textiles, car manufacturing, mechanical industries, and
metalworking Metalworking is the process of shaping and reshaping metals to create useful objects, parts, assemblies, and large scale structures. As a term it covers a wide and diverse range of processes, skills, and tools for producing objects on every scale ...
. EADS Airbus is an important manufacturer, and has opened an assembly plant for its Airbus A320 series airliners, operational since 2009. Tianjin also hit the news in 2010, as the current fastest supercomputer in the world,
Tianhe-1A Tianhe-I, Tianhe-1, or TH-1 (, ; '' Sky River Number One'') is a supercomputer capable of an Rmax (maximum range) of 2.5 peta FLOPS. Located at the National Supercomputing Center of Tianjin, China, it was the fastest computer in the world ...
, is located at the
National Supercomputing Center of Tianjin The National Supercomputing Center of Tianjin () is located at the National Defense Science and Technology University in Tianjin, China. One of the fastest supercomputers in the world (see "The TOP500 Project" list of supercomputers), Tianhe-1A ...
. GDP in 2009 hit ¥750.1 billion, with a per capita of RMB¥62,403.


Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area

As one of the first state-level economic and technological development zones, the Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area (TEDA) was founded on December 6, 1984, with the approval of the State Council. It enjoys relevant state preferential policies with the major task of attracting domestic and foreign investment to develop high and new technology oriented modern industries. As an affiliated organ of the Tianjin Municipal Government, the Administrative Commission of Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area exercises unified administration of TEDA on behalf of the Tianjin Municipal Government and enjoys provincial-level administrative and economic management rights.


Tianjin Export Processing Zone

The Tianjin Export Processing Zone is one of the first 15 export processing zones approved by the State Council on April 27, 2000. This is a special enclosed zone where the Customs conduct 24-hour administration on commodities transported into and out of the zone and relevant places. The central government granted this special economic zone special preferential policies to attract enterprises in the business of processing and trade to invest in the zone. Tianjin Export Processing Zone is located to the northeast of TEDA with a planned area of . The area developed in the first phase is 1m². A permanent wall is built to separate export processing zone and non-export processing zone.


Tianjin Airport Economic Area

The Tianjin Airport International Logistics Zone is jointly invested by Tianjin Port Free Trade Zone and Tianjin Binhai International Airport. It is located inside the airfreight area of Tianjin Binhai International Airport. It has domestic and foreign excellent airfreight logistics enterprises engaged in sorting, warehousing, distribution, processing, exhibition. It is in the process of constructing the largest airfreight base in northern China.


Tianjin Port Free Trade Zone

The Tianjin Port Free Trade Zone is the only free trade zone in northern China. The zone was approved to be established in 1991 by State Council. It is from Tianjin city proper, less than away from the wharf and only away from Tianjin Binhai International Airport.


Tianjin Tanggu National Marine High-Tech Development Area

The Tianjin Tanggu Marine High-Tech Development Area was established in 1992, and was upgraded to the national-level high-tech development area by the State Council in 1995, it is the only national-level high-tech development area specializing in developing the marine Hi-Tech industry. By the end of 2008, the zone had 2068 corporations and 5 industries there including new materials, oil manufacturing, modern machinery manufacturing, and electronic information.


Tianjin Nangang Industrial Zone

The Tianjin Nangang Industrial Zone is a heavy and chemical industry base and harbor; an important part of the "dual-city, dual-harbor"space development strategy of Tianjin, a demonstration zone of circular economy. The total planned area of Nangang Industrial Zone is , of which the terrestrial area is .


Agriculture

Farmland takes up about 40% of Tianjin Municipality's total area. Wheat, rice, and maize are the most important crops.


Resources

Geothermal energy is another resource of Tianjin. Deposits of
manganese Manganese is a chemical element with the Symbol (chemistry), symbol Mn and atomic number 25. It is a hard, brittle, silvery metal, often found in minerals in combination with iron. Manganese is a transition metal with a multifaceted array of ...
and boron under Tianjin were the first to be found in China.


Utilities and Services


Tianjin Electric Power Utility
serves with construction, delivering and supporting electrical power service.


Binhai New Area

The Tianjin Binhai New Area (TBNA) is located in the juncture of the Beijing-Tianjin City Belt and the Circum-Bohai City Belt. It is the gateway to North China, Northeast China, and Northwest China. Lying in the center of Northeast Asia, it is the nearest point of departure of the Eurasian Continental Bridge.


Demographics

At the end of 2009, the population of Tianjin Municipality was 12.28 million, of which 9.8 million were residential holders of Tianjin ''
hukou ''Hukou'' () is a system of household registration used in mainland China. The system itself is more properly called "''huji''" (), and has origins in ancient China; ''hukou'' is the registration of an individual in the system (''kou'' lit ...
'' (permanent residence). Among Tianjin permanent residents, 5.99 million were urban, and 3.81 million were rural. Tianjin has recently shifted to rapid population growth, its population had reached 14.72 million end. The encompassing
metropolitan area A metropolitan area or metro is a region that consists of a densely populated urban agglomeration and its surrounding territories sharing industries, commercial areas, transport network, infrastructures and housing. A metro area usually ...
was estimated by the
OECD The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD; french: Organisation de coopération et de développement économiques, ''OCDE'') is an intergovernmental organisation with 38 member countries, founded in 1961 to stimulate ...
(Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) to have, , a population of 15.4 million.Linked from the OEC
here
The majority of Tianjin residents are
Han Chinese The Han Chinese () or Han people (), are an East Asian ethnic group native to China. They constitute the world's largest ethnic group, making up about 18% of the global population and consisting of various subgroups speaking distinctive v ...
. There are also 51 out of the 55 minor Chinese ethnic groups living in Tianjin. Major minorities include Hui,
Koreans Koreans ( South Korean: , , North Korean: , ; see names of Korea) are an East Asian ethnic group native to the Korean Peninsula. Koreans mainly live in the two Korean nation states: North Korea and South Korea (collectively and simply r ...
, Manchus, and
Mongols The Mongols ( mn, Монголчууд, , , ; ; russian: Монголы) are an East Asian ethnic group native to Mongolia, Inner Mongolia in China and the Buryatia Republic of the Russian Federation. The Mongols are the principal member ...
. This excludes members of the
People's Liberation Army The People's Liberation Army (PLA) is the principal military force of the China, People's Republic of China and the armed wing of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The PLA consists of five Military branch, service branches: the People's ...
in active service.


Media

Tianjin People's Broadcasting Station is the major radio station in Tianjin. Broadcasting in nine channels, it serves most of North China, part of East and Northeast China, reaching an audience of over 100 million.
Tianjin Television Tianjin Renmin Guangbo Diantai (), translated as the Tianjin People's Broadcasting Station (TPBS) is a major radio broadcaster in Tianjin, China. They also operate the Tianjin Television station, also known as TJTV. Tianjin Television (TJTV) ( ...
, the local television station, broadcasts on nine channels. It also boasts a paid digital channel, featuring
home improvement The concept of home improvement, home renovation, or remodeling is the process of renovating or making additions to one's home. Home improvement can consist of projects that upgrade an existing home interior (such as electrical and plumbing), ...
programs. Both the radio and television stations are now branches of the Tianjin Film, Radio and Television Group, established in October 2002. Major local newspapers include the Tianjin Daily and Jin Wan Bao (literally, tonight newspaper), which are the flagship papers of Tianjin Daily Newspaper Group and Jinwan Mass Media Group, respectively. There are also three English-language magazines: ''Jin'', ''Tianjin Plus'' and ''Business Tianjin'', mostly directed at ex-pats resident in the city.


Previous newspapers

The first German newspaper in northern China, ''Tageblatt für Nordchina'', was published in Tianjin.Walravens, p
90
.
In 1912 Tianjin had 17 Chinese-language newspapers and 5 daily newspapers in other languages; none of the newspapers in the Tianjin district were trade papers. Of the foreign language newspapers, three were in English and one each was in French and German. Newspapers from Tianjin published in Tianjin included ''China Critic'', ''Peking and Tientsin Times'', ''The China Times'',
United States Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce : The International Trade Administration (ITA) is an agency in the United States Department of Commerce that promotes United States exports of nonagricultural U.S. services and goods. Duties The ITA's stated goals are to # Provide practical info ...

p. 187
.
''Tageblatt für Nordchina'', ''L'Écho de Tientsin'', ''China Tribune'', '' Ta Kung Pao'' (L'Impartial), ''Min Hsing Pao'', and ''Jih Jih Shin Wen Pao'' (Tsientsin Daily News).
United States Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce : The International Trade Administration (ITA) is an agency in the United States Department of Commerce that promotes United States exports of nonagricultural U.S. services and goods. Duties The ITA's stated goals are to # Provide practical info ...

p. 188
.
Newspapers from
Beijing } Beijing ( ; ; ), Chinese postal romanization, alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the Capital city, capital of the China, People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's Li ...
published in Tianjin included ''Pei Ching Jih Pao'', ''Peking Daily News'', and ''Le Journal de Peking''. In 1930, the newspaper ''Deutsch-Mandschurische Nachrichten'' moved from Harbin to Tianjin and changed its name to the ''Deutsch-Chinesische Nachrichten''.Walravens, p
91
.


Censorship capital

More and more, China's leading Internet information providers (usually located in Beijing), including social network Sina Weibo, Douban and the online video website Sohu, tend to relocate their censorship departments to Tianjin, where labor costs are cheaper than Beijing, as censorship is a kind of labor-intensive work. In fact, Tianjin has become the censorship capital of Chinese Internet.


Tourism

The city has many sights; its streetscapes incorporate historic nineteenth and early twentieth-century European architecture, juxtaposed with the concrete and glass monoliths of contemporary China. Though wide swaths of the city are being redeveloped, much of the colonial architecture has been placed under protection. In the nineteenth century, the port city caught the attention of the seafaring Western powers, who used the boarding of a British ship by Chinese troops as an excuse to declare war. With well-armed gunboats, they were assured of victory, and the Treaty of Tianjin, signed in 1856, gave the Europeans the right to establish nine Concessions in Tianjin, concessionary bases on the mainland, from which they could conduct trade and sell opium. These concessions, along the banks of the Hai River, were self-contained European communities: the French built châteaux and towers, while the Germans constructed red-tiled Bavarian villas. Tensions between the indigenous population and the foreigners exploded in the Tianjin massacre, Tianjin Incident of 1870, when a Chinese mob attacked a French-run orphanage, and again during the Boxer Rebellion in 1900, after which the foreigners leveled the walls surrounding the old Chinese city to enable them to keep an eye on its residents. The old city was razed entirely from 2000 to 2001 to make way for new developments. Only several old buildings remains such as the Tianjin Temple of Confucius. The dense network of ex-concession streets south and west of the central train station, and south of the Hai River, now constitute the areas of most interest to visitors. The châteaux of the French concession now make up the downtown district just south of the river, the imposing mansions the British built are east of here. Farther east, also south of the river, the architecture of an otherwise unremarkable district has a sprinkling of austere German construction.


Landmarks and attractions

* Astor Hotel * Binjiang Avenue shopping street * Drum tower (Asia), Drum Tower * Five Main Avenues * Former Concessions in Tianjin ** Italian Concession of Tientsin, Tianjin Italian Style Town * Hai River Park * Luzutang Boxer Rebellion Museum * Memorial Hall to Zhou Enlai and Deng Yingchao * Nanshi Cuisine Street * People's Park (Tianjin), People's Park * St. Joseph's Cathedral of Tianjin * Temple of Confucius, Temple of Confucius Wen Miao * Temple of Great Compassion * Century Clock * Tianjin Ancient Culture Street ** Yuhuangge Taoist Temple * Tianjin Eye * Tianjin Museum * Tianjin Binhai Library * Tianjin Art Gallery * Tianjin Natural History Museum * Tianjin Olympic Center Stadium, also known as "The Water Drop" * Tianjin Radio and Television Tower * Tianjin Water Park * Tianjin World Financial Center * Tianjin Zoo * Yangliuqing (including Shi Family Grand Courtyard) * Porcelain House * Nankai University * Nankai Middle School * Tianjin University Sights outside the old city urban core area, but within the municipality, including Binhai/Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area, TEDA: * Huangyaguan, Huangya Pass, a section of the Great Wall of China * Mount Panshan * Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-city * Soviet Aircraft Carrier Kiev * Taku Forts * TEDA Football Stadium, home stadium of Chinese Super League team Tianjin Teda F.C.


Culture

People from Tianjin speak the Tianjin dialect of Mandarin Chinese, Mandarin, from which it is derived. Despite its proximity to Beijing, the Tianjin dialect sounds quite different from the Beijing dialect, which provides the basis for Putonghua or Standard Chinese. Tianjin is a respected home base of Beijing opera, one of the most prestigious forms of Chinese opera. Tianjin is famous for its stand-up comedy and comedians including Guo Degang and Ma Sanli. Ma Sanli (1914–2003), an ethnic Hui and longtime resident of Tianjin, is renowned for his ''xiangsheng'', a hugely popular form of Chinese entertainment akin to comedy. Ma Sanli delivered some of his ''xiangsheng'' in the Tianjin dialect. Tianjin, along with Beijing, is a center for the art of ''xiangsheng''. Tianjin's style of stand-up also includes the use of rhythmic bamboo clappers, ''kuaiban''. Yangliuqing (Green Willows), a town about west of Tianjin's urban area and the seat of Xiqing District, is famous for its popular Chinese New Year-themed, traditional-style, colorful wash (visual arts), wash paintings (). Tianjin is also famous for the Clay Figure Zhang, Zhang clay figurine, a type of intricate, colorful figurine depicting a variety of vivid characters, and Tianjin's Wei's kites, which can be folded to a fraction of their full sizes and are noted for portability. On September 28, 2015, the Juilliard School in Chinatown, Manhattan, Manhattan, Chinese in New York City, New York City announced a major expansion into Tianjin during a visit by China's first lady, Peng Liyuan, the institution's first such full-scale foray outside the United States, with plans to offer a master's degree program.


Cuisine

Tianjin cuisine places a heavy focus on seafood, due to Tianjin's proximity to the sea. It can be further classified into several varieties, including the rough (), smooth (), and high (). Prominent menus include the Eight Great Bowls (), a combination of eight mainly meat dishes, and the Four Great Stews (), actually referring to a very large number of stews, including chicken, duck, seafood, beef, and mutton. The four delicacies of Tianjin include Go Believe, Goubuli baozi, Guifaxiang Shibajie Mahua (), Erduoyan Zhagao () and Maobuwen Jiaozi (). Well-known foods include Caoji donkey meat, Bazhen sheep-leg mutton of Guanshengyuan, Luji Tangmian Zhagao, Baiji Shuijiao, Gaogan of Zhilanzhai, Guobacai of Dafulai, Subao of Shitoumenkan and Xiaobao chestnut. These famous snacks are available in Nanshi Food Street, which was a famous calling-card of Tianjin in the aspect of cuisine.


Transport


Airport

Tianjin Binhai International Airport is located in Dongli District roughly away from downtown area. The city is also served by the new Beijing Daxing International Airport in
Beijing } Beijing ( ; ; ), Chinese postal romanization, alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the Capital city, capital of the China, People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's Li ...
. Tianjin Binhai International Airport now has a terminal building which covers an area of , a merchandise warehouse which covers an area of and runways measuring in total. It has a grade 4E airstrip, which all kinds of large aircraft can take off from and land safely on. Tianjin Binhai International Airport has 59 flight routes, connecting 48 cities, including 30 domestic cities and 17 foreign cities. Airline companies like Japan Airlines, All Nippon Airways, Korean Air, Asiana Airlines, Singapore Airlines Cargo and Martinair Holland all have flights to Tianjin Binhai International Airport.


Port of Tianjin

Tianjin port is the world's top-level and China's largest artificial deep water harbor, and the throughput capacity ranks fifth in the world. Located in Binhai Economic Zone, a national new economic zone of China, Tianjin harbor is the port of call of international cruises visiting the wider area, including
Beijing } Beijing ( ; ; ), Chinese postal romanization, alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the Capital city, capital of the China, People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's Li ...
.


Trams

Tianjin's harbor area of Binhai/TEDA has a modern, high speed rubber tired tram system, which is the first of its kind in China and Asia. Constructed in 2006, this marked a return of the tram to Tianjin, which once had an extensive standard steel-wheeled tramway network. The original Tianjin tram network was constructed by a Belgian company in 1904 and opened in 1906. It was the first citywide tramway system in China. It closed in 1972.


Metro

The Tianjin Metro is formerly operated by two companies, Tianjin Metro General Corporation and Tianjin Binhai Mass Transit Development Company. However, in 2017, the two companies merged as Tianjin Rail Transit Group Corporation. They are currently under heavy expansion from five to nine lines. Six lines are currently operating both in the City and the Binhai area. As of April 2019, the entire network of Tianjin Metro has 155 stations and 6 lines. Construction work on the Tianjin Metro started on July 4, 1970. It was the second metro to be built in China and commenced service in 1984. The total length of track was . The metro service was suspended on October 9, 2001 for reconstruction. The original line is now part of Line 1, Tianjin Metro, Line 1 of the new metro system. It was reopened to the public in June 2006. The track was extended to and there are a total of 22 stations. Construction work on Line 2 and Line 3 was completed in 2012 and the two lines are now in operation. Several new metro lines are planned. The two rapid transit operators in Tianjin are responsible for the service as follows: * Tianjin Metro General Corporation, operates Lines 1, 2, 3 and 6 * Tianjin Binhai Mass Transit Development Company, operates Lines 5 and 9


Rail

There are several railway stations in the city, Tianjin railway station being the principal one. It was built in 1888. The station was initially located at Wangdaozhuang (). The station was later moved to Laolongtou () on the banks of the Hai He River in 1892, so the station was renamed Laolongtou Railway Station. The station was rebuilt from scratch in 1988. The rebuilding work began on April 15, 1987 and was finished on October 1, 1988. The Tianjin Railway Station is also locally called the 'East Station', due to its geographical position. In January 2007, the station began another long-term restructuring project to modernize the facility and as part of the larger Tianjin transport hub project involving Tianjin Metro lines 2, 3, and 9 as well as the Tianjin-Beijing High-speed rail. Tianjin West railway station and Tianjin North railway station are also major railway stations in Tianjin. There is also Tanggu railway station is located in the important port area of Tanggu District, and Binhai railway station and Binhai North railway station located in Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area, TEDA, to the north of Tanggu. There are several other railway stations in the city that do not handle passenger traffic. Construction on a Beijing-Tianjin high-speed rail began on July 4, 2005 and was completed by August 2008. The following Rail transport in the People's Republic of China, rail lines go through Tianjin: * Jingshan Railway, from Beijing to Shanhai Pass * Jinpu Railway, from Tianjin to Pukou District, Nanjing * Jinji Railway, from Tianjin urban area to Ji County, Tianjin * Jinba Railway, from Tianjin to Bazhou City, Bazhou, Hebei The inter-city trains between Beijing and Tianjin will adopt a new numbering system: Cxxxx (C stands for interCity). The train numbers range between C2001~C2298: * C2001~C2198: From Beijing South Station to Tianjin, directly * C2201~C2268: From Beijing South Station to Tianjin, with stops at Wuqing Station (武清站) * C2271~C2298: From Beijing South Station to Yujiapu Railway Station of Tianjin The new C trains take only 30 min to travel between Beijing and Tianjin, cutting the previous D train time by more than a half. The ticket price as of Aug 15, 08 is 69 RMB for the first-class seat and 58 RMB for the second-class seat.


Bus

There were over 900 bus lines in the city .


Roads and expressways

Some roads and bridges have retained names that hark back to the Republic of China (1912–1949), Republic of China era (1912–1949) such as Three Principles of the People, Minquan Gate and Beiyang Road. Like with most cities in China, many roads in Tianjin are named after Chinese provinces and cities. Also, Tianjin is unlike Beijing, in that very few roads run parallel to the major four cardinal directions. Tianjin has three ring roads. The Inner and Middle Ring Roads are not closed, traffic-controlled roadways and some often have traffic light intersections. The Outer Ring Road is the closest thing to a highway-level ring road, although traffic is often chaotic. * Inner Ring Road (Tianjin), Inner Ring Road ''(neihuan)'' * Middle Ring Road (Tianjin), Middle Ring Road ''(zhonghuan)'' * Outer Ring Road (Tianjin), Outer Ring Road ''(waihuan)'' Tianjin's roads often finish in ''dao'' (), ''xian'' (). These are most often used for highways and through routes. The terms ''lu'' (). ''Jie'' () are rare. As Tianjin's roads are rarely in a cardinal compass direction, ''jing'' () roads and ''wei'' () roads often appear, which attempt to run more directly north–south and east–west, respectively. The following seven expressways of China run in or through Tianjin: * Jingjintang Expressway, from Beijing, through Tianjin's urban area, to Tanggu District / Tianjin Economic Development Area, TEDA * Jinghu Expressway, from Jinjing Gonglu Bridge to Shanghai (together with Jingjintang Expressway, this is the expressway from Beijing to Shanghai) * Beijing−Shenyang Expressway, Jingshen Expressway, through Baodi District on its way from Beijing to Shenyang * Tangjin Expressway, from Tanggu District, Tianjin, to Tangshan, Hebei''—known in Tianjin as the Jintang Expressway'' * Baojin Expressway, from Beichen District, Tianjin, to Baoding, Hebei''—known in Tianjin as the Jinbao Expressway'' * Jinbin Expressway, from Zhangguizhuang Bridge to Hujiayuan Bridge, both within Tianjin * Jinji Expressway, from central Tianjin to Jixian County The following six China National Highways pass through Tianjin: * China National Highway 102, through Ji County, Tianjin on its way from Beijing to Harbin * China National Highway 103, from Beijing, through Tianjin's urban area, to Tanggu District * China National Highway 104, from Beijing, through Tianjin Municipality, to Fuzhou * China National Highway 105, from Beijing, through Tianjin Municipality, to Macau * China National Highway 112, circular highway around Beijing, passes through Tianjin Municipality * China National Highway 205, from Shanhaiguan District, Shanhaiguan, Hebei, through Tianjin Municipality, to Guangzhou


Religion

Residents of Tianjin participate in Chinese folk religion, indigenous religious practices, such as the veneration of the Goddess of Sea, Mazu. In addition, Tianjin has a Buddhism, Buddhist Temple of Great Compassion, a Catholic St. Joseph's Cathedral (Laoxikai Church), a Catholic Our Lady of Victory Church (Wanghailou Church). A Roman Catholic Diocese of Tianjin exists. According to the Chinese General Social Survey of 2009, Christians constitute 1.51% of the city's population.China General Social Survey (CGSS) 2009. Report by
Xiuhua Wang (2015, p. 15)
Tianjin has been described as a historically "strong center" of Islam in China. Northwestern Tianjin is traditionally the location of the Muslim quarter of the city, where they have lived for centuries near the city's huge Great Mosque, ''Qingzhen si'', founded in 1703. Other mosques include the Dahuoxiang Mosque.


Sports

Sports teams based in Tianjin include: Chinese Super League * Tianjin Jinmen Tiger F.C., Tianjin Jinmen Tiger China Baseball League * Tianjin Lions Chinese Basketball Association * Tianjin Pioneers Chinese Volleyball League * Tianjin Bohai Bank women's volleyball team The 1995 World Table Tennis Championships, the 2013 East Asian Games, and the 2017 National Games of China were hosted by the city. Additionally, Tianjin will be one of the host cities for the Future FIFA Club World Cup (China), expanded FIFA Club World Cup (postponed from 2021). It was also scheduled to be one of the host cities for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup before China's withdrawal as the host. Since 2014, a Women's Tennis Association, WTA international Tianjin Open, tennis tournament has taken place in Tianjin every year at the Tuanbo International Tennis Center.


Martial arts

Together with Beijing, Tianjin had been for many centuries considered a center for traditional Chinese martial arts. Many past and present masters of arts such as Bajiquan, Pigua Zhang, Xing Yi Quan, Bagua Zhang and others lived or are living in the city. The districts most famous for martial arts in the city are Hong Qiao and Nankai, and martial artists abound in public green spaces such as Xigu Park and the Tianjin Water Park.


Education


Colleges and universities

Under the national Ministry of Education: * Tianjin University (founded 1895, the first modern university in China) * Nankai University (founded 1919, one of the most prestigious universities in China) Under the municipal government: * Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts * Tianjin Agricultural College * Tianjin Chengjian University * Tianjin Conservatory of Music * Tianjin Foreign Studies University * Tianjin Institute of Physical Education * Tianjin Medical University * Tianjin Normal University * Tianjin Polytechnic University * Tianjin University of Commerce * Tianjin University of Finance & Economics *
Tianjin University of Science & Technology The Tianjin University of Science and Technology () is a municipal public university in Tianjin, China. Founded as Hebei Institute of Light Industry, the university gained university status in 2002 and is now sponsored by the Tianjin Municipal ...
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Tianjin University of Technology The Tianjin University of Technology () is a municipal public university in Tianjin, China. The university is founded in 1981. As an engineering based multi-discipline university, the university now has over 16,000 students, 988 teaching f ...
* Tianjin University of Technology and Education * Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Under the national Civil Aviation Authority of China: * Civil Aviation University of China Under the Hebei Provincial People's Government: * Hebei University of Technology (founded 1903, the earliest institute of technology in China) Foreign institutions: * The Florida International University Tianjin Center, opened in 2006 as a cooperative venture between the municipal government and the Miami-based university. * The Great Wall MBA Program Oklahoma City University Meinders School of Business, established in 1986 on the campus of Tianjin University of Finance & Economics. * Raffles Design Institute Tianjin is a joint-project between Tianjin University of Commerce, Boustead College and Raffles Design Institute, Singapore. Private: * Boustead College Note: Institutions without full-time bachelor programs are not listed.


High schools

* Tianjin Nankai High School () * Tianjin No.1 High School () * Yaohua High School, Tianjin Yaohua Middle School () was founded in 1927. It was previously named as Tianjin Gongxue by Mr. Lefeng Zhuang, and was renamed as Tianjin Yaohua Middle school in 1934. * Tianjin Xinhua High School () * Tianjin Experimental High School () * Tianjin No.21 High School (): Tianjin No. 21 High School, formerly Fahan College (), was founded in 1895. The French ambassador to China and consul general in Tianjin called it the French academy, with the purpose of training Chinese in French talent; it was then renamed "" in 1902 before moving to its current address in 1916, when it was then renamed Fahan College (); the French name is still "EcoleMunicipaleFrancaise". The school is located in the center of the political and cultural education in Heping district, adjacent to the largest Catholic church in northern China, thus the main building of the school has retained its church appearance The school covers an area of 10.1 Mu (unit of area), mu (6.7 km2), while the building floor area is 10,300 square meters. * Tianjin Tianjin High School () * Tianjin Fuxing High School () * Tianjin Ruijing High School () * The Foreign Languages School Affiliated to Tianjin Foreign Studies University (TFLS) () * Tianjin No.20 High School () * Tianjin No.4 High School () * Tianjin Yangcun No.1 High School () * Tianjin Ji No.1 High School () * Tianjin Dagang No.1 High School () * Tianjin Second Nankai High School () * Tianjin Tanggu No.1 High School () * Tianjin No.42 High School () * Tianjin Baodi No.1 High School () * Tianjin Dagang Oilfield Experimental High School () * Tianjin No.47 High School () * Tianjin No.7 High School () * Tianjin Jinghai No.1 High School () * Tianjin Haihe High School () * Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area No. 1 High School () * Tianjin No.55 High School () * Tianjin High School Affiliated to Beijing Normal University () * Tianjin No.21 High School () * Tianjin Xianshuigu No.1 High School () * The High School Affiliated to Nankai University () * Tianjin No.41 High School () * Tianjin Lutai No.1 High School () * Tianjin No.2 High School () * Tianjin No.3 High School () * Tianjin Huiwen High School () * Tianjin Chonghua High School () * Tianjin No.100 High School () * Tianjin Hangu No.1 High School () * Tianjin Ziyun High School () * Tianjin No.102 High School () * Tianjin No.45 High School () * Tianjin No.25 High School () * The High School Affiliated to Tianjin University () * Tianjin No.5 High School () * Tianjin Yangliuqing No. 1 High School () * Tianjin No.14 High School () * Tianjin National High School () * Tianjin No.54 High School () * Tianjin No.43 High School () * Tianjin Ironworks No.2 High School () * Tianjin No.9 High School () * Tianjin No.57 High School () * Tianjin No.51 High School () * Tianjin Fulun High School () * Tianjin Bohai Petroleum No.1 High School ()


Middle schools

* Tianjin No. 7 Middle School


Notable people from Tianjin

*Robert Ya Fu Lee (1913 –1986), actor *Hou Baolin (19171993), Popular xiangsheng performer *Xia Baolong (1952), Chinese Politician and a member of National People's Congress Environment Protection and Resources Conservation Committee.. *Wang Hao (diver), Wang Hao (1992), World champion diver *Liu Huan (1963), Popular modern singer and songwriter, professor of western music at the University of International Business and Economics (Beijing), Beijing University of International Business and Economics *Wen Jiabao (1942), Premier of the People's Republic of China, former premier of China 20032013 *Harry Kingman (18921982), the only major league baseball player born in China *Eric Liddell (19021945), Olympic gold medalist *Gao Lingwei (18701940), Former premier of the Republic of China 1923-1924 *Gao Lingwen (1862–1945), founder of Tianjin's first public school * Adeline Yen Mah (1937), Chinese-born American author of ''Falling Leaves'' and ''Chinese Cinderella: The Secret Story of an Unwanted Daughter'' *Lemon Zhang, Zhang Meng (1988), Actress *Zhang Pengxiang (1980), Chess Grandmaster *Liu Ping (sprinter), Liu Ping (1984), Paralympic gold medalist sprinter *Chang Po-ling (18761951), Founder of Nankai University *Qin Gang (1966), Chinese Ambassador to the United States *Wang Qiang (tennis), Wang Qiang (1992), Chinese professional female tennis player *Zhou Ruchang (19182012), Renowned Chinese Redology, Redologist and calligrapher *Shao Fang Sheng (1917–2009) Chinese artist *Peng Shuai (1986), Chinese professional female tennis player *Zhang Shuai (tennis), Zhang Shuai (1989), Chinese professional female tennis player *Lubert Stryer (1938), American professor of biochemistry *Zhang Boli (physician), Zhang Boli (1948), Traditional Chinese medicine practitioner *Lam Suet (1964), actor from Hong Kong *Wu Ma, Fung Wang-yuen (Wu Ma) (19422014), Actor, director, producer, and writer of movies *Tan Xue (1984), Olympic and world champion fencer *Zhao Yanming (1981), Professional football goalkeeper *Sun Yaoting (19021992), Last surviving imperial eunuch from China *Shang Yi (1979), Professional football midfielder; sports commentator *Chen Yibing (1984), World champion and Olympic gold medal gymnast *Hao Jingfang (1987), science-fiction writer *Xu Yifan (1988), Professional tennis player *Yu Min (physicist), Yu Min (19262019), nuclear physicist and referred to as “the father of Test No. 6, Chinese Hydrogen Bomb” *Yu Ying-shih (1930), Master historian and Sinology, Sinologist *Duan Yingying (1989), Chinese professional female tennis player *Ed Young (illustrator), Ed (Tse-chun) Young (1931), Award-winning Chinese-American children's book writer and illustrator *Huo Yuanjia (18681910), Famous Chinese martial artist; co-founder of the Chin Woo Athletic Association *Zhang Yuxuan (1994), Professional female tennis player


Twin towns and sister cities

* Kobe, Japan * Chiba (city), Chiba, Japan * Incheon, South Korea * Mobile, Alabama, United States * Fitchburg, Massachusetts, United States * Philadelphia, United States * Melbourne, Australia * Bangkok, Thailand * Phnom Penh, Cambodia * Pyongyang, North Korea * Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina * Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire * Groningen, the Netherlands (since 1985) * Rishon LeZion, Israel * İzmir, Turkey * Haiphong, Vietnam (since 1997) * * Mar del Plata, Argentina (since 2001) * Larnaca, Republic of Cyprus (since 2007) * Jönköping, Sweden (since 1993) * Thessaloniki, Greece (since 2002) * Cali, Cali, Colombia (since 2022)


See also

* Tianjin is also the name of an Asterism (astronomy), asterism in the Chinese constellation of Girl (Chinese constellation), Girl Mansion.


Notes


References


Citations


Sources

* ''Miscellaneous series, Issues 7–11''. United States Department of Commerce, Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, 1912. * Walravens, Hartmut. "German Influence on the Press in China". – In: ''Newspapers in International Librarianship: Papers Presented by the Newspaper Section at IFLA General Conferences''. Walter de Gruyter, January 1, 2003. , . *
Also available at
the website of the Queens Library – This version does not include the footnotes visible in the Walter de Gruyter version ** Also available in Walravens, Hartmut and Edmund King. ''Newspapers in international librarianship: papers presented by the newspapers section at IFLA General Conferences''. K.G. Saur, 2003. , 9783598218378.


Further reading

* (fr) Mathieu Gotteland, ''Les forces de l'ordre japonaises à Tientsin, 1914–1940 : Un point de vue français'', Éditions universitaires européennes, 2015. * * * Maurizio Marinelli, Giovanni Andornino, ''Italy's Encounter with Modern China: Imperial dreams, strategic ambitions'', New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2014. * Maurizio Marinelli, "The Triumph of the Uncanny: Italians and Italian Architecture in Tianjin", In ''Cultural Studies Review'', Vol. 19, 2, 2013, 70–98. * Maurizio Marinelli, "The Genesis of the Italian Concession in Tianjin: A Combination of Wishful Thinking and Realpolitik". ''Journal of Modern Italian Studies'', 15 (4), 2010: 536–556.


External links


Tianjin Government websiteChina (Tianjin) Pilot Free Trade Zone


at Hong Kong Trade Development Council, HKTDC
Official Tianjin Media Gateway

Historic US Army map of Tianjin, 1945

Official promotional video of Tianjin City
* {{Authority control Tianjin, Municipalities of China Metropolitan areas of China North China Plain Populated coastal places in China Province-level divisions of China Populated places with period of establishment missing