Travel Notes #天津
Dule Temple: The Liao-era Guanyin Pavilion Liang Sicheng Called a Priceless Treasure
Dule Temple, also the Great Buddha Temple, stands in Jizhou, Tianjin, among the oldest surviving wooden high-rise pavilions in China and one of its three great Liao-dynasty monasteries. Its heart, the Guanyin Pavilion, rises 23 metres and shelters a eleven-faced clay Guanyin 16 metres tall — the largest ancient clay Guanyin image extant. The architect Liang Sicheng called it a priceless treasure.
Tianjin: A Riverside City of Concessions and International Architecture
One of China's four municipalities, Tianjin sits where the Hai River meets the sea on the North China Plain. Its former foreign concessions left whole districts of international architecture; the villas of the Five Avenues, the Italian-style quarter, the Ancient Culture Street and the riverside Ferris wheel make a city that is both East and West, unhurried and lived-in.
Tianjin Happy Valley: A Twin Park of Thrills by Dongli Lake
Tianjin Happy Valley sits in the Dongli Lake resort and is OCT's large North-China theme park, open since 2013. Six land zones plus a separate water park draw over three million visitors a year — good for families and young crowds alike.
Tianjin TV Tower: The 415m Eye of the City above Tian Ta Lake
The Tianjin TV Tower (Tianjin Radio & TV Tower) stands 415.2 metres tall; when completed in 1991 it led Asia, and still ranks among the continent's tallest. Its pod at 248–278 m holds an observation hall, a revolving restaurant and an open deck, ringed by Tian Ta Lake — a fine perch over the city.
Huangyaguan Great Wall: The Bagua Fortress Rebuilt by Qi Jiguang
At the northern tip of Jizhou, Tianjin, Huangyaguan was first built in the Northern Qi and rebuilt by the Ming general Qi Jiguang. Its water gates, watchtowers and octagonal Bagua fortress make a complete defensive system; from the pass the hills roll like waves and the wall winds like a dragon.
Tianjin Eye: The Ferris Wheel Built on a Bridge
The Tianjin Eye, formally the Yongle Bridge Ferris Wheel, stands at the Three Confluences of the Hai River and is the only ferris wheel in the world built on a bridge. Its 110-metre wheel carries 48 transparent cabins; one turn takes about 28 minutes and the top offers a 360-degree view of the city and river.
Tianjin Jin Tower: The 336m Landmark by the Hai River and Jinwan Plaza
The Tianjin Jin Tower, or Tianjin IFC, rises 336.9 metres over 75 floors and is the city's tallest building, designed by SOM and completed in 2011. Its base, Jinwan Plaza, opens to the Hai River and is a fine spot to view Tianjin Station and the Liberation Bridge by night.
Panshan: The First Mountain East of the Capital
Panshan lies in Jizhou, Tianjin, about 80 km from Beijing; its highest peak, Guayue, rises 864 metres and the mountain is famed for four wonders — strange pines, odd rocks, clear springs and old temples. The Qianlong emperor climbed it thirty-two times and sighed that had he known Panshan he need not have gone south of the river; his retreat villa Jingji Shan zhuang still stands in ruins among the slopes.
Tianjin Fantawild: A High-Tech Park of Sci-Fi and Animation
Tianjin Fantawild sits in the Sino-Singapore Eco-City, Binhai New Area, opened in 2014 as Huaqiang Fantawild's northern high-tech park. Over twenty projects use VR, 4D and dome screens; Flight of Fantasy, Magic Castle and the Boonie Bears zone suit all ages.
Ancient Culture Street: Tianjin's Old Town of Clay Figures and New Year Prints
Also called the Old Town of Tianjin, Ancient Culture Street lies on the west bank of the Hai River in Nankai and is the city's most representative historic quarter, a 5A scenic spot. The Tianhou Temple, Zhang clay figures, Yangliuqing prints and Wei kites are kept alive here, while Erduyan fried cakes and Shibajie twist carry the scent of the old walled town.