Tianjin Ancient Culture Street Tourism Zone (Jinmen Guli)
Located on the west bank of the Haihe River, outside the Northeast Corner Gate of Nankai District, Tianjin, this cultural hub was established on New Year’s Day 1986.

Geographic Scope & Layout
Stretching from Tongbei Road (north) to Shuige Street (south), and East Main Road (west) to Zhang Zizhong Road (east), the street features monumental archways at both ends. Spanning 580 meters with a total planned construction area of 200,000 square meters, it functions as a pedestrian-friendly commercial district integrating folk culture, tourism, shopping, dining, and accommodation.

Key Attractions

• Tianhou Palace: Northern China’s largest Mazu Temple
  
• Jade Emperor Pavilion: Historic Taoist architectural relic
  
• Tongqingli: Qing Dynasty-era courtyard complex
  
• Traditional Opera Stage: Venue for classic Tianjin performances
  
• Folk Culture Museum: Showcasing intangible heritage crafts

The street serves as a concentrated hub for Tianjin’s time-honored brands and folk artisan shops, featuring numerous intangible cultural heritage brands.

Cultural Significance
As the birthplace of Tianjin’s urban culture, this zone documents the city’s old town development while preserving profound historical and cultural value.

Accolades

• 2005: Recognized as a “Chinese Characteristic Commercial Street”
  
• May 2007: Designated a National AAAAA-Level Tourist Attraction
  
• January 16, 2023: Listed as the second batch of “National Tourism and Leisure Street Districts” by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism

Historical Evolution
The Ancient Culture Street Historical and Cultural District stands as one of Tianjin’s urban cradles, embodying the formation process of its old town and bearing profound cultural and historical significance.

Yuan Dynasty Maritime Prosperity
During the Yuan Dynasty’s Taiding era (1326), Emperor Taiding ordered the construction of the “Tianfei Palace” in Haijin Town—what later became known as the Tianhou Palace. After its completion, fishermen and boatmen from across the region gathered here to pray for safety. Ships converged, goods were traded, and communities flourished. This transformed the Sancha River confluence into Tianjin’s earliest residential settlement, gradually evolving into market streets north and south of the palace. The district’s preserved historical structures, including the Tianhou Palace and Jade Emperor Pavilion, alongside its traditional urban fabric, serve as material evidence of Tianjin’s river-born and river-prospered development. The spatial information recorded here provides critical historical data for studying the city’s spatial evolution.

Post-1949 Developments
The Ancient Culture Street underwent two major renovations following the founding of the People’s Republic of China. It officially opened on New Year’s Day 1986.

Orientation & Layout

Overview
Tianjin Ancient Culture Street, also known as Gongnan and Gongbei Streets, stretches from Tongbei Road (north) to Shuige Street (south), and East Main Road (west) to Zhang Zizhong Road (east). Flanked by monumental archways at both ends, the 580-meter pedestrian street spans 200,000 square meters. It integrates folk culture, tourism, commerce, dining, and accommodation, featuring landmarks like Tianhou Palace, Jade Emperor Pavilion, Tongqingli Courtyard, Traditional Opera Stage, and Folk Culture Museum. The district clusters nearly 100 shops, including time-honored brands such as Goubuli Steamed Buns, Erduoyan Fried Rice Cakes, Jianbing Guozi (savory crepes), and Tianjin Mahua (twisted dough sticks). It also showcases intangible cultural heritage brands like Yangliuqing New Year Paintings, Wangxingji Fans, Clay Figurine Zhang, Jinmen Cai’s Royal Feather Dusters, Putang Zhang, and Guoren Zhang.

Spatial Pattern
Centered on Tianhou Palace, the Tianjin Ancient Culture Street Tourism Zone (Jinmen Guli) historically extended toward the Haihe River, Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, and the old city. It formed vibrant spatial connections via ferries, roads, pontoon bridges, and trams with neighboring areas like Guyijie Street and Dahucheng, creating a bustling “urban thoroughfare.” The street’s fishbone-shaped layout features Tianhou Palace, Gongnan Street, and Gongbei Street as the main axis, with transverse lanes like Wazi Hutong and Dalion Hutong forming secondary corridors.

Architectural Styles
The district historically comprised residential, religious, and commercial structures. Today, it predominantly features religious, commercial, and office buildings. Architectural styles blend Northern and Southern Chinese traditions, with three main commercial types:

1. Qing Dynasty-style timber architecture: Grey-brick facades with intricate carvings and painted decorations.
   
2. Western eclectic architecture: Classical tripartite design, arched corridors, and roof dormers.
   
3. Modernist architecture: Simple grey-tile facades with large glass windows.

Three legally protected structures stand out:

• Tianhou Palace: West-facing, aligned with the Haihe River. After multiple reconstructions, it retains a multi-courtyard layout with the Opera Stage, flagpoles, mountain gate, memorial archway, main hall, scripture hall, and ancestral hall.
  
• Jade Emperor Pavilion: West-facing, originally part of a large Taoist complex, now preserving only the Qingxu Pavilion.
  
• Tongqingli: A former residential alley transformed into commercial space, featuring symmetrical courtyards, arcade gateways, and hybrid Chinese-Western decorative elements.

Open Spaces
The Tianhou Palace Square serves as the district’s heart, featuring two 32.8-meter (9.9-zhang) flagpoles originally used as lighthouses to guide ships. The square hosts traditional opera performances during festivals and is surrounded by folk art shops. Additional open spaces include Yuhuangge Park (a fully public green area) and plazas near the Wazi Hutong entrance, ancient ginkgo trees, and key intersections, providing leisure spots for visitors.

Key Attractions

Tianhou Palace
Originally named Tianfei Palace and colloquially known as the “Empress Palace,” this site sits on the west bank of the Haihe River at the heart of Gongnan and Gongbei Streets (modern-day Ancient Culture Street). First constructed in 1326 (third year of Taiding’s reign, Yuan Dynasty) and rebuilt in 1403 (first year of Yongle’s reign, Ming Dynasty), it ranks among China’s oldest surviving Tianfei temples. The west-facing complex, aligned with the Haihe River, spans 5,352 m² with a building area of 1,734 m². Its central axis features a sequence of structures: Opera Stage, flagpoles, mountain gate, memorial archway, front hall, main hall, scripture hall, and ancestral hall. Flanking these are bell/drum towers, Guandi Temple, Caishen Temple, auxiliary halls, and the cross-street Zhangxian Pavilion.

Tianjin Folk Culture Museum
Located within Tianhou Palace’s main and front halls, this museum restores original statuary and houses over 2,000 folk artifacts. Four auxiliary halls, the scripture hall, and Zhangxian Pavilion host permanent exhibitions covering:

• Tianjin’s water transport heritage and fisheries traditions
  
• Folk performances like the “imperial processions” (huanghui)
  
• Wedding customs including the unique “娃娃拴” (Wawa Shuan, or “tying the doll”) ritual
  
• Historic shop signboards, daily utensils, and folk handicrafts (Yangliuqing paintings, kites, brick carvings, clay figurines,绒花/velvet flowers, paper cuts, weavings)
  
• Folk opera arts

The museum also hosts rotating exhibitions on calligraphy, costumes, porcelain carving, root sculpture, and traditional crafts.

Jade Emperor Pavilion
Situated northeast of the Ancient Culture Street near the Haihe River, this west-facing Taoist complex was first built in 1368 (first year of Hongwu’s reign, Ming Dynasty) and rebuilt in 1427 (second year of Xuande’s reign). As Tianjin’s oldest surviving wooden pavilion, it traditionally hosted Chongyang Festival (Double Ninth Festival) climbs for chrysanthemum viewing and wine tasting.

Tongqingli Courtyard
Located northeast of the Ancient Culture Street adjacent to the Jade Emperor Pavilion, Tongqingli was developed in 1913 by merchant Zheng Yuanli on the site of former cottages. He constructed two-story Qing-brick buildings, paved roads, and erected an arcade gateway (guoxianglou), naming it after the auspicious phrase “通达吉庆” (prosperity through connectivity). Originally a silver firm with “front shop, back residence” layout (elders downstairs, youth upstairs), it retains abandoned underground vaults and now serves as residential housing. As a quintessential Tianjin architectural fusion, its design blends Northern and Southern Chinese elements with Western decorative motifs (e.g., arched windows, cornice moldings), embodying the city’s cultural inclusiveness.

Tianyan Square
Situated at Dashizi Hutong, the former residence of Yan Fu (1854–1921), translator of Evolution and Ethics (Tianyan Lun), has been commemorated through a bronze statue and stone inscriptions of his work. The square honors his intellectual legacy.

Archways
The street’s north and south entrances feature archways inscribed with Jinmen Guli(Homeland of Tianjin’s Gate) and Gushang Yiyuan(Artistic Enclave of the Gu Estuary).

Cultural Activities
The Tianjin Ancient Culture Street Tourism Zone (Jinmen Guli) hosts a vibrant array of traditional festivals and commercial cultural events, blending ancient charm with modern flair. These initiatives immerse visitors in Tianjin’s rich historical essence, cultural heritage, and local flavors.

Folk Traditions & Festivals
The district stages folk performances including dragon/lion dances, gong-and-drum shows, Peking opera excerpts, and magic acts, cultivating significant cultural influence. Annual celebrations include:

• New Year & Spring Festival Folk Festivities
  
• Jade Emperor Fair Spring Prayer Rituals
  
• Lantern Festival Light Displays
  
• “Dragon Raising Head” Folk Culture Festival
  
• Mazu (Goddess of the Sea) Traditional Culture Festival
  
• May Day Labor Folk Culture Activities
  
• National Day Special Folk Events
  
• Chongyang Festival Chrysanthemum Appreciation Climbs

Historical Processions
During the Kangxi era (Qing Dynasty), a four-day “Huanghui” (imperial procession) was held before the Goddess of the Sea’s birthday. Folk troupes like the Fagu (Buddhist drum), Dale (ceremonial music), Heling (crane dance), Zhongge (double-story stage), Zhongfan (banner), and Gaoqiao (stilt) societies performed along the streets. After the street’s restoration, the “Huanghui” (originally called “Niangnianghui” or “Empress Fair”) was revived on the 23rd day of the third lunar month (Mazu’s birthday). This grand procession features dragon lamps, stilt walks, land boats, yangko dances, Buddhist drum rituals, banner displays, lion dances, and martial arts, embodying prayers for disaster relief and blessings.

Commercial Cultural Events
The zone also organizes commercial cultural initiatives such as:

• Folk Culture Temple Fairs
  
• Tourism & Culture Festivals
  
• Night Markets
  
• Carnival Shopping Festivals
  
• Walnut & Gourd Cultural Festivals
  
• Lunar New Year Shopping Extravaganzas

Value and Significance
Tianjin Ancient Cultural Street serves as the birthplace of Tianjin’s cultural heritage, chronicling the formation of the city’s historic urban core while embodying profound cultural heritage and historical significance.

Tourism Information

Location
Tianjin Ancient Cultural Street Tourism Area (Jinmen Guli) is situated at Dongbeijiao Outer Gate, Nankai District, on the western bank of the Haihe River.

Admission Fee
Free admission.

Opening Hours
Open 24 hours a day.

Transportation
Visitors can take bus routes 1, 1 (Short Trip), 605, 610, 611, 619, 632, 633, 641, 671 (Air-Conditioned), 804, 904, 908, 954, or Sightseeing Bus Route 2, and alight at Dongbeijiao Station.