As a city with a history of 600 years, Tianjin cannot boast itself as an ancient city in China, but it is the gateway through which the western civilization of modern times was first introduced to China. Therefore, Tianjin has won a unique status in the modern history. It was one of the first batch of cities where the Western material civilization had first landed and developed and above all, Tianjin was also one of the first places where the Western culture had been accepted.
When people stroll in the busy streets or roam about the alleys and lanes or even ramble the downtown area, they will feel deep in their heart what strong affinity this city has for both Chinese and Western cultures and how subtly and harmoniously it has assembled the ancient and the modern, the Western and the Oriental.
Since Tianjin became one of the earliest coastal cities in North China that opened to the outside world in modern times, Western and Chinese cultures have had clashes here. Continuous adjustment and conflicts result in the unique growth pattern of Tianjin and the extent and speed to and with which Tianjin integrates with the world.
Trains were first introduced to China after Tianjin opened its port to the outside world in 1860, which was half a century later compared with the rest of the world, then telegrams, which was thirty years later. Modern post services were more than twenty years later compared with the rest of the world, but it was just a gap of three years when Tianjin introduced telephone. Not long after maroon powder was invented did Tianjin establish “the biggest and best powder factory” in the world. When big cities in the world established successively the public traffic system of trolley car by the early 20th century, Tianjin was almost in line with the world’s pace. Most important of all, trains, telegrams, post services, telephones, trolley car, etc, were all first to be used in Tianjin and then popularized throughout China.
It is the same with spiritual cultures. “Peiyang Martial School”, which was the first military academy that trained the modern army talents, was set up in Tianjin in 1885. The earliest university of China “Peiyang University of Western Studies” (the former body of Tianjin University) began running in Tianjin in 1895. Guowen Daily with Yan Fu as the chief editor started publication in 1897 in Tianjin. The earliest police system was set up in Tianjin in 1902. In the same year, Takung Pao Newspaper, the oldest newspaper of China, started publication in Tianjin and continues its publication in Hong Kong. In 1906, Peiyang University of Politics and Law, the earliest of its kind to nurture talents of politics and law, was set up in Tianjin. Tianjin County Council, the first city autonomous institution in modern China, was established through vote in 1907. In 1919, Nankai University, the most successful private university, was founded.
Spurred by the “window effect” after opening the port, various operating mechanism of traditional society of China, such as political, military, judicial, educational mechanisms began to experience changes in Tianjin. Chinese people have a chance to get access to and experience all kinds of cultures.
In the political perspective, Tianjin was always in the leading position. Being close to the capital city, Tianjin has always been the port and window open to the outside world. In 1870, Tianjin began to be the station place of Chihli Viceroy and Peiyang ministers. Consequently, Tianjin’s diplomatic and political status was immediately upgraded. In the eyes of foreigners, Chihli Viceroy Yamun of Tianjin was almost the Second Government of China.
Tianjin has evolved rapidly from a government office, county city to a famous northern city which drives the modernization for China. The harmonious coexistence of both traditional and modern elements constitutes the profound meaning and style unique to Tianjin.
Today, this modern economic center of North China is rising with accelerated speed and is to redisplay the mien of North China economic center.
