Tianjin Culture Street With Chinese Swords, Caligraphy And Chinese Teapots.

Our first visit to Tianjin, China, was by car travelling from Beijing on the toll road to the eastern seaport. Whilst on the toll road, under the watchful eyes of policemen..... full size artificial images positioned at intervals at side of road..... the driver had to stop the car, to replace a punctured tyre. Our second visit to Tianjin was by service bus from Beijing. There was a regular bus service from Beijing to Tianjin, the buses were air-conditioned with comfortable seats, and with video entertainment. When approaching Tianjin there was evidence of its importance as a seaport by the number of warehouses and factories, the factory chimneys belching out plumes of black smoke. During the bus journey back from Tianjin to Beijing, there was a violent thunderstorm, flooded roads bringing the bus to a standstill...... spectacular flashes of lightning, ground shaking rumbles of thunder, all very exciting!

When we arrived at Tianjin we first visited the Chinese Food Street to have lunch at one of the Chinese restaurants on the first floor. From the first floor balcony could be seen many stalls on the ground floor selling different kinds of foods. Fresh foods, cooked foods, and preserved foods, were all available, and although this was called Chinese Food Street, it was more like a covered market hall with an imposing entrance, guarded by Foo Dogs, aka, Chinese Lions. The cooked meats being sold included roasted ducks, pork and pigeons, other items were puzzling! Some of the dried fruits were of unknown origin, but the dried plums, apricots, and slices of banana were easily recognised. The stallholder was always willing to let you taste a morsel or two, should you wish to do so.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Beifan Website Metcn8 Website Chinadan Website. Beifanchina Website. Chinavisit Website..

* *

From the Chinese Food Street, we went to the Ancient Culture Street in Tianjin, on both sides of which were stalls selling goods of undoubted origins, Chinese Swords, Chinese Teapots, and Chinese Paintings, to name the best known. There was a wide variety of teapots displayed on one stall, many different sizes and different shapes from which to choose. Serving Chinese tea to a visitor is a 'must do' as far as custom is concerned, and a distinctive teapot and a good brand of Chinese tea, is almost a status symbol. I have often returned home after a visit to China, having been given gifts of teapots or Chinese tea. Following a recent visit to Fujian, the luggage being returned to the UK contained some Fujian Oolong Tea, that is good tasting and is also said to have beneficial qualities as far as health is concerned.

The Tianjin Ancient Culture Street is aptly named, Chinese Swords and Calligraphy playing their part in the country's artistic history. The Chinese swords on display on one stall were works of art in the eyes of a foreign visitor, but for Chinese people they were valued as symbols of legends; of Emperors and Kung Fu Warriors. Stalls were selling Chinese paintings many landscapes in the ancient styles, devoid of perspective. During one visit to the Ancient Culture Street, a Tianjin artist was painting scrolls of Chinese calligraphy for customers. These scrolls of calligraphy presented the customers name, and also the animal of the year in the Chinese Almanac, in which the customer was born.

There are 12 photos of Tianjin on these pages, which include some taken at the Chinese Food Street, and others taken at the Ancient Culture Street. After looking at these photos of Tianjin you may decide to visit this seaport yourself, where you are likely to find many more streets and items of interest. For more detailed information about Tianjin, you may wish to use the 'Wikipedia' link, near the bottom of this page.

Click the small sections of the Tianjin pictures below to view larger copies which will open in new windows. Close all new windows to return to this page. All images copyright beifan.com, all rights reserved.

Tianjin Page 2

Tianjin Page 3

" " "The land where Tianjin lies today was created in historical times by sedimentation of various rivers entering the sea at Bohai Bay, including the Yellow River, which entered the sea in this area at one point. The opening of the Grand Canal of China during the Sui Dynasty prompted the development of Tianjin into a trading center. Until 1404 Tianjin was called "Zhigu", or "Straight Port". In that year, the Emperor Yongle renamed the city "Tianjin", literally "Heaven Ford", to mean that the emperor (son of heaven) forded the river at that point. This is because he had indeed forded the river at Tianjin while on a campaign to wrest the throne from his nephew. A fort was established at Tianjin, known as "Tianjin Wei", meaning "Fort Tianjin". " " " Src: Wikipedia