Tianjin

Tianjin, autonomous municipality in northern China, in (but administratively independent of) Hebei Province, near Beijing, a major port and industrial centre. Also called Tientsin or T'ien-ching, it is situated at the junction of the Hai River and the Grand Canal, near the gulf of Bo Hai. One of three administrative units directly administered by central government in Beijing, the extensive municipality includes the city of Tianjin, a large industrial district and a port; the seaport of Tanggu, on the Bo Hai; several villages; and some farmland. The leading manufactured goods of the municipality include steel, textiles, machinery, electronic equipment, machine tools, and chemicals; other products are processed food, rubber, motor vehicles, rugs, and carpets. Tianjin International Airport is used as an alternate for Beijing airport, and the city’s railway station is among the largest in Asia.

The Ancient Culture Street in the old town is a showcase of local arts and crafts. The city also has several Buddhist temples located in scenic surroundings, and is home to Nankai University (1919) and Tianjin University.

A minor seaport called Hai-chin and Chih-ku from the 11th to the 14th century, Tianjin gained prominence as a port for Beijing during the Ming (1368-1644) and Ch'ing (1644-1912) dynasties. It was occupied by British (1858) and French (1860) forces and grew rapidly after being opened to foreign trade and settlement in 1860. Much of the old city, including its walls, was destroyed during the Boxer Rebellion (1900), but was soon rebuilt in European style. The Japanese occupied the city from 1937 to 1945; they began the construction of Tanggu and initiated port improvements at Tianjin proper, completed by the Chinese in the early 1950s. Tianjin became the capital of Hebei in 1958 and was raised to the status of a centrally administered provincial municipality in 1967. Heavy damage occurred in 1976 during an earthquake centred at nearby Tangshan. Population 9,393,100 (2007 estimate).