Dagu Fort

Lying 60 kilometers (37 miles) southeast of Tianjin City, the Dagu Fort was built in 1816 to protect Beijing, the capital of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). As a heroic symbol of China's fight against foreign invasion, the emplacement is considered one of the three treasures of Tianjin by its people. Tianjin is the gateway to Beijing, and the Dagu Fort is the gateway to Tianjin. Both the Ming (1368-1644) and the Qing dynasties erected fortresses here because of its military importance. In 1858, the Qing government built six emplacements named Wei, Zhen, Hai, Men, Gao, and Shitoufeng. They were all thicker and wider than those constructed in the Ming Dynasty. Between the mid-19th century and 1900, the Eight-Power Allied Forces launched four wars in the Dagu area to gain economic and political control over China. The local armies and citizens fought bravely against the invaders, and many Chinese people sacrificed their lives for their country. After the war, the imperialists forced the Qing government to destroy the emplacements. As a result, most of the forts were demolished and only the Wei Fort and the Hai Fort survived. Visitors can see the Dagu Fort Ruins Museum, the Dagu Fort Ruins Monument, and the Wei and the Hai forts here. The museum was built in 1997 at the ruins of the Wei Fort. It displays the history of the emplacement with abundant pictures, illustrations, and objects. Of the six forts, the Wei Fort is the only round one. The emplacement, which is more than 20 meters (65 feet) high, is made of bricks. The cannons exhibited here are modeled on the ones used in the Second Opium War (1856-1860). The spot conveys a vivid feel for the cruel battle that took place in this area. Near this emplacement ruins, many other scenic spots such as Haimen Bridge, Dagu Beacon, and Chaoyin Temple are also worthy of visiting. A visit here is destined to be an unforgettable one.

Huangyaguan Great Wall

Located in the mountainous area of Tianjin's northern Ji County, the Huangyaguan Great Wall was first built during the Northern Qi Dynasty (550 - 557) and repaired in large scale with bricks during the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644). When appointed as the chief commanding officer in the Ji Garrison (one of the eleven garrisons of the Ming Dynasty), Qi Jiguang added watch towers and other defensive works. The Huangyaguan Great Wall comes out first in the ten most-visited sites in Tianjin. It is considered to be a miniature of the Great Wall. The entire section is built on an abrupt mountain ridge. Being endowed with both natural beauty and cultural interest, it has become famous as a natural beauty spot and a summer resort. The major scenic area is composed of Huangyaguan Pass and Taiping Mountain Stronghold. Huangyaguan Pass: In 1984, the people of Tianjin spent three years repairing 3,308 yards of the main wall from Banlagang Mountain in the east to Wangmaoding Mountain in the west. They restored 20 terraces, the Huangyaguan Water Gate, and the Bagua Castle (the Eight Diagrams Castle). The defensive system of the wall is complete. Watch towers, frontier cities, drain holes, emplacements, barracks and other indispensable military facilities are arranged orderly along the wall. Besides, the stele forests of the Great Wall, Beiji Temple, the exhibition hall of famous couplets, the Great Wall Museum (the first museum along the Great Wall) and the Phoenix Fortress have been newly built within the area. Taiping Mountain Stronghold: Six miles northwest of Huangyaguan Pass and built 437 yards to 547 yards above sea level, the stronghold is located in Xiaopingan Village. It controls the Chongshan Valley east of Huangyaguan Pass City. Qi Jiguang's stone statue and a tower were erected by twelve widows from this area. Huangyaguan Great Wall welcomes tourists from all over the world, including many runners, who participate in the annual international marathon race.

Ancient Cultural Street

Tianjin Ancient Cultural Street is located in the Nankai District of the Tianjin Municipality and was formally opened in 1986. It is located on the west bank of the Haihe River, with Tianhou Palace as its geographical center. Tianjin Ancient Cultural Street begins at Gongbei Avenue in the north, and ends at Gongnan Avenue in the south, being 0.36 miles long and 16 feet wide. Although essentially a business street, Tianjin Ancient Cultural Street attracts tourists who come to see its special architectural styles, admire its classic cultural features, buy various folk crafts, and sample the delicious local Tianjin snacks. Above all, as visitors walk along the street, they will be particularly impressed by the splendid replica classical architecture in the folk style of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Standing at the center of Tianjin Ancient Cultural Street, Tianhou Palace, originally built in 1326, is one of only three Mazu Temples in the world (the other two are Fujian Mazu Temple and Beigang Chaotian Temple on Taiwan Island). Tianhou Palace is now the Folk-custom Museum of Tianjin and displays many folk crafts and cultural relics of ancient times. Yuhuang Cabinet (Yuhuang Ge) is the only building that was built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) in Tianjin, and is the oldest structure in the street. From the top of the two-floor Cabinet, visitors have a bird's-eye view of the whole street. Another building, Tong Qingli (ancient residential houses), built in 1913 and lying to the east of the cultural street, is the largest architectural edifice that combines both eastern and western architectural elements. Looking closely, visitors will note that buildings along the street are all built with 'blue bricks', and that the doors and windows have colorful paintings drawn upon them. These paintings range from stories of legendary and historical figures to flowers and birds. Some retell stories contained in Chinese classical novels, such as The Dream of a Red Mansion (one the four Chinese classical novels) and Song of Eternal Sorrow, which is a story about the Empress Yang Kwei Fei in the Tang Dynasty (618-907). Visitors who are interested in Chinese traditional handicrafts will also appreciate another Tianjin Ancient Cultural Street attraction - the hundreds of stores selling a wide variety of folk handicrafts. These include the famous Yang Liuqing New Year Paintings and Niren Zhang Painted Sculptures. Visitors who are fond of Chinese curios, such as jade items, cloisonné and potteries, will also be able to find many examples of these for sale here. The street is also a favorite place to sample the delicious Tianjin local snacks. The local delicacies include Goubuli Steamed Dumplings, Erduoyan (the Ear-hole Lane) Fried Glutinous Cakes and tea soup. Tianjin Ancient Cultural Street is designed as a place for tourists to experience Chinese folk custom, and as such, contains examples of nearly all the Tianjin local culture in one place. For an added experience, when visiting the street on March 23rd (lunar calendar), visitors will be lucky enough to find the Huanghui Fair, which is held annually on this date. During the Fair you will see performances of stilt walking, dragon lantern, land boat and lion dances.

Tianjin Haihe River

Covering a catchment area of 317,800 sq kilometers (122,800 sq miles), the Haihe River is regarded as the 'mother river' of Tianjin. It is a great contributor to the improvement of Tianjin, and ties closely to the lives of Tianjin people living there for generations. People visiting the Haihe River today appreciate its scenic beauty as well as its historical and cultural atmosphere. The Haihe River is a crucial river in North China formed by the convergence of five rivers in Tianjin. Historically, the Haihe River was open to navigation 1,800 years ago, and gradually became a junction for navigation in the Sui Dynasty (581-618). Through centuries of development, it became a trading center gathering a great influx of businessmen from around the nation. Today the former shipping center is a place for relaxation. Regions along the river present beautiful views starting from Sanchakou (a fork in the river) to Daguangming Bridge (one of the bridges over the Haihe River). Countless attractions along the banks make the river a popular holiday destination. Haihe Park Of all the sights, the Haihe Park is the most attractive. Like a jade belt attached to the river banks, Haihe Park is an ideal place for pleasure and rest. Two groups of bronze sculptures are particularly noticeable. Verdant trees, beautiful blossoms, green lawns, long corridors under ivy-laced frames, fountains, and sculptures decorate the park. Residents prefer to spend their leisure time ambling there. Visitors can get a general knowledge of Tianjin from the locals. Haihe Cultural Square The Haihe Cultural Square is a key project in the comprehensive renovation of resorts along the Haihe River. It gained this name from the adjoining ancient culture street. Focusing on cultural traditions and folk customs of Tianjin, the designer endowed the square with a style of solemnity and simplicity. Meanwhile, a modern element enters the design. The high-tech lighting, the causeway pavement and the wooden floor make the square a shining pearl of the Haihe River bank. Haihe Fountain Amusement Park Completed in 1985, the playground occupies an area of 143,000 sq meters (35.3 acres). There is a spectacular colorful fountain in the central area. The park offers bumper cars, passenger-propelled airplanes, and motorcycles to visitors. In addition, in this playground are three luxurious sightseeing ships, and several speed boats offering tours along the Haihe River. Visitors can also enjoy a boat excursion at night. Light from both banks melts into the water and drifts off, like a rainbow. In addition, the Wanghailou Church located at the north bank of the Haihe River is one of China's cultural relics. In the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), there was a Wanghailou Tower, a pleasure location for emperors who made trips to their provinces; the Laolongtou Rail Station is recorded as the first rail station in China's ancient commercial ports after the Second Opium War (1856-1860). Together with the establishment of other constructive projects at that time, it is eyewitness to Tianjin's development. With its long history and beauty, the Haihe River attracts visitors worldwide. It is a river endowed with sea strength and river tenderness.

Tianjin Natural History Museum

The Tianjin Natural History Museum, located at the west end of the Machang Road, was set up in 1914 by a French missionary and opened in 1927, with the previous name as Beijiang Museum. It got the present name in 1957. The museum is specialized in collections of paleontology and paleo-anthropology fossils. Specimens total 380,000, and the key collections show the paleontology group in the late period of Chinese Cenozoic Era, including fossils of ancient mammals excavated from the Yushe Basin of Shanxi Province, the Qingyang Basin of Gansu Province, the Yang Yuanni Basin of Hebei Province and the Inner Mongolia -- the abundance of paleontology groups of the four places are rare worldwide, which are important references for researches on the evolvement of amniotes. The museum features four basic displays of Animal, Paleontology, Plants and Paleo-anthropology fossils, containing ancient reptiles and mammals, animal ecology, insects and aquatic organisms. The museum often organizes small-scale roadshows such as the Exhibition of Butterflies, the Exhibition of Prepotency, the Exhibition of Fostering Flowers, the Exhibition of Protecting Rare Birds and Beneficial Birds, the Exhibition of Environmental Protection, the Exhibition of Strange Animals and so on in different districts, counties, municipalities and provinces. In collaboration with related scientific research institutes, the museum has compiled books such as the Brochure of Hemiptera Insects in China, Tibetan Insects, Major Agricultural Pests in China, Forest Insects in Yunnan, and so on.

Mt. Panshan Scenic Area

Covering an area of 106 square kilometers (about 26193 acres), Mt. Panshan Scenic Area is located in Jixian County, 110 kilometers (68.4 miles) away from Tianjin, 88 kilometers (54.7 miles) away from Beijing. As the name suggests, the scenic area is mainly Mt Panshan–oriented. Endowed with natural beauty and a historical heritage, Mt Panshan is known as 'The First Mountain East of Beijing' and is listed as one of the top fifteen mountains in China. The mountain acquired its present name, early in the Eastern Han (25-220). Taizong , the second emperor of the Tang Dynasty (618-907), was prodigal of his praise of its scenery on his chance visit when he led the army in a campaign. Seventy-two temples, thirteen pagodas and numerous Xanadus and towers were built on the mountain in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Qianlong, a brilliant and wise Qing Dynasty emperor was so impressed that he made thirty or so visits and wrote 1366 poems to express his admiration of the area. In the first half of the twentieth century, the whole resort all fell to ruin due to hostilities and neglect. It has undergone a process of restoration since the 1990s and is now regaining its fame. It is famous for jade pine trees, strange and astonishing peaks, clear waters, grotesquely shaped rocks and clusters of ancient temples. On the mountaintop, numerous pines hide the sky from view and block out the sunshine. Rugged rocks in a variety of shapes, some of which resemble a toad, a general or a boa, will greet you in the middle of the mountain. At its foot, clear water splashes on the rocks. The mountain consists of five peaks, with the main one, Guayue (Moon Hanging) Peak. Although Guayue Peak is only 857 meters (2811.7 feet) above sea level, to the north it is possible to see a section of the Great Wall while to the west Mt Taihang can be seen. From the Wei State during the Three Kingdoms Period (220-280) onwards, emperors enthusiastically commissioned the building of temples, towers and Xanadus resulting in over 160 such sites. There are four main temples: Tiancheng Temple (God Proposing Temple), Yunzhao Temple (Cloud-Hiding Temple), Wanfo Temple (Ten Thousand-Buddha Temple) and Wansong Temple (Ten Thousand-Pine Temple). Tiancheng Temple built in the Tang Dynasty, was enlarged and repaired in the Ming and the Qing dynasties. To the east of this temple stands the Ancient Dagoba. As the biggest tower in this mountain, it has thirteen floors. The roof of the Yunzhao Temple was a golden yellow, a color that normally was only allowed to be used on imperial buildings. By granting permission for this, Emperor Qianlong demonstrated his approval and admiration of the mountain. Wanfo Temple (Ten Thousand-Buddha Temple) has 10,960 small Buddhas statues.