Tianjin Chengli

A View of Chengli, Tianjin.

China Skyline

China Sky

Looking up into the sky in Tianjin, one could hardly see the ancient skyline anymore. Most part of the old town disappeared in the ashes of history. The modern development is an unstoppable force. When you pass by the ancient part of the town, it feels to close yet so distant. The past has long gone and it’s more of an idea than real emotional attachment. The symbol lost its meaning.

Marble Boat

The marble boat you see in the picture is a riverside lakeside pavilion on Hai River in Tianjin, China

China Silk

Traveling in the city of Tianjin, it’s hard to trace the history of the city. The rapid modernization has changed the city’s appearance in a reversible way. While walking on Guodian street, one of the very few old streets in Tianjin, you could discover the past the city conceals. The great thing about preserving culture is to add depth to our seemingly meaningless world. In a world counts in second, it gives you a sense of timelessness.

Longxiang Silk

Performance Art in China from Shi Chuan on Vimeo.

Performance artist on Guyi Street.

Guyi Street

A commercial street with 600 years of history and almost hundred of shops, it was once reached unparalleled prosperity in northern China.

It’s located in the east outside North Gate of the old city. Guyi means ‘Used Clothes’, so the street got its name by selling used clothes. Not until Qing Danasty Guangxu era, in addition to second hand clothing stores, many new stores in various sectors were developed, ranging from the silk, cotton, leather goods, porcelain.

It reached its peak in the early 20th century. It became the distribution center for silk, cloth, fur, clothing, stationery, pen and ink, Chinese herbal medicines and daily commodities in Northern China.

Guodian Street

Next to Guyi Street, you could see Guodian Street. Guodian Street is one of the busiest, narrowest and dirtiest street in Tianjin. Streets like this in Tianjin are disappearing. At here, you can find cheap goods and local clothes shops. Because of the low price commodities, you could see huge crowds over weekends and holidays.

Temple of Confucius in Tianjin

In almost all cities in China, you could find Temple of Confucius. Confucius, an agnostic himself, isn’t really a religious figure. The temple of Confucius is not a place for worship, but more of a place where people study, discuss his philosophy.

The one in the picture is the Temple of Confucius in Tianjin.

Ancient Culture Street

The Ancient Culture Street (天津古文化街) is the area between North Temple Street (Gongbei Dajie) and South Temple Street, this was once a place for the worship of the indigenous goddess of the sea who protects fishermen and sailors (Temple of Heavenly Empress) and also a place for entertainment and gatherings for merchant traveled from southern China to Tianjin.

The reason so many southerner were in Tianjin at the time was because Tianjin is located in northern China, it is connected to the South by The Grand Canal. This prompted the development of Tianjin into a trading center. Southerners from Fujian brought commercial products and culture into the city.

Each year on the birthday of the Heavenly Empress, her image was removed from the temple and paraded through the streets. It was accompanied by stilt walkers, floats, lion dancers, entertainers in the garb of the Eight Immortals, and women carrying strips of red cloth with which to petition the goddess for a son (apparently the goddess could help pregnancy).

Cangmenkou Church

Cangmenkou Church (仓门口教堂) is an important historic church in Tianjin, China, it was built by the United States Congregational Church in the 1860s. It was burned down during the Boxer Rebellion Movement in 1900, but later restored.

In 1910, several local pastors and hundreds of believers originally from the ‘Big Five’ Church Association in Tianjin (Congregational Church, The Methodist Episcopal Church, Evangelical Church, London Missionary Society, Anglican Church) departed the missionary societies, gathered from 7 different places of worship, determined to set up an independent place for worship. Money was raised to purchase the building which was owned by the Congregational Church. By 1932, the payment was settled.

In 1932, due to the increase in the number of worshipers, the church was undergone reconstruction and expansion. By 1937, the building could accommodate a total of more than 400 people.

In 1958, years after the Communist Party started ruling China, number of church goers decreased significantly.

In 1966, in the middle of Cultural Revolution, church leaders were persecuted, the building was occupied for non-religious activities. 16 years after, in 1982, religious activities in the church was resumed.

The building later survived Tangshan Earthquake in 1976.

In 1987, the church was classified as a conservation site in Tianjin.