Together with Beijing, Shanghai and Chongqing, Tianjin is one of China’s four municipalities. As the biggest coastal city in northern China, Tianjin has always enjoyed the reputation of being the "Pearl of Bohai Sea." Its past as foreign concession and impressive European architecture is redolent of Shanghai. Best of all, the half-hour bullet train link Tianjin to Beijing, making a day trip easy.
Referred to as "Jin" for short in Chinese, Tianjin (meaning "port for the emperor") is widely known as "Jin'gu", "Jinmen", etc. The history of Tianjin dates back to the digging of the Grand Canal in Sui Dynasty (581-618). The present Sancha Hekou near Jingang Bridge used to be the confluence of the South Canal and the North Canal. And it is from this place that Tianjin has expanded and developed.
Tianjin gets more famous for the historic sites, such as Dabei Buddhist Temple, Wudadao, Huangyaguan Pass of Great Wall, and Tianjin Old City. Today, Tianjin has become a unique city featuring a combination of Chinese culture, western culture, ancient elements, and modern elements.
Tianjin has a very long and profound food culture. A number of visitors travel to Tianjin with expects of tasting all kinds of local delicacies. As a coastal city, Tianjin products large amount of sea food, especially in autumn. For the great variety of snacks, the most renowned is called Three Unique Delicacies of Tianjin, which include Goubuli Baozi (Goubuli sttuffed buns), Shibajie Ma hua (18th Street fried dough twists) and Er Duo Yan Zha Gao (ear-hole-like fried rice cakes). Besides, pancakes, tea soup, spiced beef jerky and fired chestnut with sugar are all must try for visitors.
As a metropolis with a long history and profound culture, Tianjin is undergoing rapid developing and gives tourists much more than expected. There is so much to see, to do and to experience this charming city.