1-day Tour to Tianjin by Train

As the birthplace and cradle of modern high-rising Tianjin, the Ancient Culture Street is located in Nankai district of Tianjin. Rebuilt in 1980's, the Street is one of the great successes in the renovation and redevelopment. Situated at the center of the Street, the Tianhou Temple is the oldest building existed in Tianjin. Built in 1326, it was a worshiping place to the Goddess of the sea to bless the oceangoing seaman of Tianjin. Since then the Temple has been renovated number of times. In 1984, it was turned into a museum of local customs. Besides the traditional buildings, the Ancient Culture Street is lined with hundreds of vendors plugging every imaginable type of culture goody, including ancient books, New Year posters, Zhang family clay figures, Wei family kites, and various handicrafts.

Tianjin Ancient Culture Street covers an area of 224,200 sq meters and has a history of 600 years. The two attractions, Yuan Huang Ge and Tianhou Temple are two historic cultural relics in the list of city level ones reversed. As the result of expanding Tianhou Temple, renovating Yu Huang Ge building and renewing the Haihe Lou, this Ancient Culture Street with fine landscape and distinctive architectural style has been a flourish, cultural and tourist area. The whole block is still conserved the existing urban pattern and tissue of traditional Chinese layout.
 

Temple of Solitary Joy, located at inside west city gate of Ji County, Tianjin City, is known for its refined architecture skill in Channel's ancient buildings and has got the reputation of Six Best, namely, the earliest Dingshan Gate (Gate of Withstanding Hill) of the ground hall preserved now; the earliest Chiwei object on the Hill Gate preserved now; the earliest plane distribution which took pavilion as the center on the architecture plane. The Temple of Solitary Joy has stood unscathed after thousand years of rain, snow, wind and frost and 28 big attacks, hence the most durable ancient Monastery of thousand years.

The very sight in the Avalokitesvara Pavilion catches visitors eyes is a huge standing Avalokitesvara Statue, which is the biggest clay sculptured statue of Avalokiteavara in China. Two statues of attendant Bodhisattvas under the knee of Avalokitesvara are also 3m in height. On the crown of the head of Avalokitesvara, there are 10 small Avalokitesvare's heads; hence it is called 11 faces Avalokitesvara. The upper storey of the Avalokitesvara Pavilion is in a form of six corners empty well, while the lower storey is in a form of square empty well. On the four walls inside the Pavilion colorful murals are painted, the theme of which is the images of 16 Arhats and 2 Ming Dynasty Emperors, which are the earliest subjects of Buddhism.

Copper bells are hung under eaves corners, swaying with the wind, a specially refined scene. The most attractive thing is the structure of Dougong (sets of brackets on top of the columns supporting the beams within and roof eaves without----each set consisting of tiers of outstretching arms called Gong, cushioned with trapezoidal blocks called Dou). It is made of overlapping Dougong shaped wood blocks and bow shaped horizontal wood bars by adopting 24 forms with each layer stretching out as bracket, big in upper part and small in lower part, thinly scattered, steady and sturdy. It makes eaves of the Pavilion look like flying, far and deep in the sky, a beautiful and magnificent view.

Dabeiyuan Monastery is located on the Tianwei Road in Hebei District of Tianjin City. It is so named after the statue of the Daci Dabei Kwan-yin it houses. The monastery is now the largest, oldest and best-preserved one in Tianjin.

Dabeiyuan Monastery was originally built in the end of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Its golden age was in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). It was damaged and renovated for several times during the vicissitude of the history.

The present monastery, covering an area of 10,600 sq.m. (about 2.62 acres), is composed of two parts: the West Monastery and the East Monastery. The west one was built in 1669 in the Qing Dynasty, while the east called New Temple was built in 1940 by the monk Long Xian.

The West Monastery is the site of Tianjin Buddhist Institute, including the Wenwu Hall and Buddhist Abbot Hall. And the main part of the Dabeiyuan Monastery is a series of Buddhist architecture in the East Monastery - the Dabei Hall, Grand Hall, Tianwang Hall and Dizang Hall.

Among those, the Grand Hall lies in the center of the monastery, featuring hundreds of statues made in Chinese ancient times with bronze, iron, wood and stone. Demonstrating the care and the precision of the sculptors, the statues are exquisite and artistic. Included are statues of Sakyamuni, Kwan-yin of One Thousand Hands, Maitreya and the Eighteen Arhats of the Buddha.

Dabei Hall enshrines the statue of Kwan-yin. This statue of Kwan-yin is very special with 24 arms and a pair of eyes which can perceive the front as well as both the left and the right. The wall inside Dabei Hall is painted with colorful murals, describing the life experience of Sakyamuni.

Tianjin Dabeiyuan Monastery once housed an invaluable Buddhist treasure – a piece of head bone relics of Xuanzang, an eminent monk in the Tang Dynasty (618-907). In 1956, the Buddhist relic was sent to India as a gift to embody the friendship between India and China. Now, without the top treasure, the monastery is still very popular among disciples and tourists, especially on Buddhist festivals. In addition, various tasty vegetarian foods are available there.

Location: No.40Tianwei Road, Hebei District, Tianjin City
Entrance Fee: RMB 10
Opening Hours: 09:00 - 11:20; 14:00 - 16:30
Transportation: No.2, 12, 604, 659, 671 and get off at the Jingangqiao Bus Stop

Haihe River, which runs through the city itself and the itinerary, meanders through the downtown area of the city, with a total length of 75km. On one side there is Haihe Park with a bank of 19.8 km long and an area of 2.3 hectares. Grass and trees cover more than 200,000 square meters of the Haihe Park and there is the 75-meter-wide Yongchun Spring Waterfall as well as bronze sculptures called "Two Dragons Play Pearls" and "Na Zha Stirs Sea". On the right bank of the Haihe River there are many gardens such as the Youth, the Grass and Flower, Spring Flower, Rose and Autumn Scene gardens. Other attractions include the Spring Recreational Park, a skating rink and the Waterside Club.

Many historic sites and charming views can be found along the River. The Wanghailou Church, first built in 1869, is the relic of well-known 'Tianjin Church Case' of Chinese modern history. The Tianjin Railway Station, former 'Laolongtou Railway Station' built in 1888, was reconstructed in 1987. The alongshore Haihe Park, with a 19.8-km-long bank and an area of 2.3 hectares, is covered with grass, trees, flowers, waterfalls and dotted with modern designed bronze sculptures. Many unique bridges like Jingang, Sizilin, Jitang, Bei'an, Jiefang, Cifeng, Daguangming, Liuzhuang and Guanghua crossing the River link the beautiful scenery of both banks in a whole.

As a large city, Tianjin can indulge you with almost all eight of the classical Chinese cuisines , of which seven types can be enjoyed in Food Street, Shandong, Jiangsu, Sichuan, Anhui, Guangdong, Zhejiang and Hunan Cuisines. Undoubtedly all the traditional Chinese constructions are also represented in the Street making a feast for eyes as well.  What‘s more all the traditional Chinese constructions are also represented in this street making a feast for your eyes as well.

Stepping out of Food Street through Xingge Gate, its west gate, where visitors will find the Hotel Street with a group of buildings modeled the architectural style of the Qing Dynasty and provide real enjoyment if staying in one of these hotels. 

Located 28 km north of Jixian Country, about 120 km north from Tianjin and 80 kilometers from Beijing, the Huangya Pass of Great WalI was originally built in 557 and later renovated and lengthened in Sui Dynasty (581-618) and again rebuilt during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). In 1987, it was repaired and began to receive tourists. The Huangya Pass contains the section of the Great Wall that extends northward to Hebei Province. Since 2000, Huangyaguan holds its annual marathon race. More than 1400 people from over 30 countries enthusiastically take part in this race every year. It greatly enhances the reputation of the Huangyaguan Great Wall as an indispensable section of this national monument.

The Huangyaguan Great Wall consists of two sections, namely, Huangyaguan and Taipingzhai, of which the former is the center. Guancheng was itself a perfect defensive project and it is also where Bagua Village (The Eight Diagrams Village) is situated. Bagua Village was built in the Ming Dynasty according to the Eight Diagrams created by Fuxi (an ancient tribal leader). Taipingzhai is located to the southeast of Huangyaguan. Guafu Tower (Widow Tower) is seated in the west of it and is a square watchtower. It was said that during the Ming Dynasty 12 widows of frontier soldiers donated their pension and built this tower. People named it Widow Tower as a memorial to these women and their spirit. With its walls and towers built on mountain ridge with an average altitude of 738 meters, the Huangyaguan is really overwhelming. It winds its way across mountains like a dragon. Guarding a stronghold, it has been the north entrance of Jinxian.
 

Mt. Panshan Scenic Area is located 12 km northwest of Jixian County, 110 kilometers (68.4 miles) away from Tianjin, 88 kilometers (54.7 miles) away from Beijing. Endowed with natural beauty and a historical heritage, Mt. Panshan is known as "The First Mountain East in Jingdong (east of Beijing)" and is listed as one of the top fifteen mountains in China.

The Panshan 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.

Blessed with strange rock formations, verdant trees, clear streams lakes and mighty peaks, Panshan Mountain is made up of Shang Pan which is famous for vigorous pine trees, Zhong Pan which is well-known for unique rocks and Xia Pan that is renowned for crystal clear stream water. On the top, 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. At its foot, clear water splashes on the rocks. The Mt. Panshan is consists of five peaks, with the highest one, Guayue (Moon Hanging) Peak, is 857 meters (2811.7 feet) above sea level. On the Peak, there is a Buddhist Tower which is said that the Buddhist Light will be seen on the eve of Chinese New Year. At foot of the Peak, there is a temple built in the Tang Dynasty.

Two trains run between Tianjin and Jixian every day and the journey takes 3 hours. There are also regular buses from Tianjin's northeast bus station. Expressway is available for travelers departing from Beijing and it's about 2 hours' drive to get there.

Opening Hour: 09:00 to 16:50

Recommended time for a visit: One and half an hour

Bus Route: First take train to Jing Court and then go by the tourist bus. The train runs from 07:30 a.m. to 19:00 p.m.
 

Water Park gains its name for more than half of the area covered with water. Located at Water Park Road in Nankai District, the Park is a big comprehensive park with a history of 55 years. In the park there are twelve small islands connected by arched bridges and small mounds. The Water Park covers an area of 200 hectares, which is divided into 3 lakes and 9 islets. All of them are linked with 6 bridges and dotted with pavilions, towers, and terraces. Exquisite curved bridges, arch bridges and dykes lined with weeping willows, give a unique charm to the Park.

Besides a Children's Amusement Park, there is also another place in the Water Park worth to visit, which is the Ten Thousand-Buddha Island, where there are 36 spots that illustrate the Buddhist worldview with the reconstruction of scenes from Buddhist stories.