TIANJIN

Located in northern China on the coast, Tianjin is the fourth largest in China, after Shanghai, Beijing, and Guangzhou, and with a 16% annual economic growth, it is the fastest for any region in China.

Its name means 'the place where the emperor crossed the river'. Facing the Bohai Sea, Tianjin, the one-time imperial port, serves as Beijing's vital gateway to the sea.

Tianjin is a dual-core city, with its main urban area (including the old city) located along the Hai River, which connects to the Yellow and Yangtze Rivers via the Grand Canal; and Binhai, a New Area urban core located east of the old city, on the coast of Bohai Sea.

Tianjin has all the attractions of a vibrant metropolis and the main shops and bars are located in the three districts of Hexi, Heping and Nankai. The latter is home to the two main universities, Nankai and Tianjin Foreign Studies Universities, and therefore a large foreign student population. Nankai University alone has over 2,500 international students.

It is also politically important as Zhou Enlai, the first premier of the Chinese Communist Party (1949-76), went to the high school located inside the university campus.

As a Nankai university student there are plenty of opportunities for socialising and building a network of friends whilst studying in Tianjin with all the facilities you might need (sports facilities, bookstores, internet cafes, markets, supermarkets and banking) located on campus.

Food

Tianjin is famous for its steamed buns filled with meat, prawns or vegetables, and being so close to the sea, there are plenty of seafood restaurants with fresh fish brought in daily. There are thousands of options for eating out in Tianjin, covering all tastes and budgets. All corners of China are represented, with high quality Asian and western restaurants abundant too.

As well as first-class restaurants and popular cafes there are also many street markets across Tianjin selling specialist and high quality food and ingredients.

Nightlife

Tianjin is well known for its vibrant atmosphere and thriving nightlife, with plenty of stylish bars and cool clubs to explore. Much of Tianjin's nightlife is centred in the downtown districts, but most neighbourhoods will have bars, pubs and clubs to go to as well. Tianjin is a big university city both for Chinese and foreign students so there are also a lot of places for dancing!

Outdoors & Sports

Tianjin has a number of great outdoor spaces including wonderful parks such as the Water Park and the Tianta Lake scenic area. The Great Wall of China is also accessible and a popular must-see experience.

Sports fans can follow Tianjin Teda FC and watch the action in the 60,000-seater football stadium, built for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Culture & Arts 

There are fantastic museums including the Garden of Serenity, the former residence of Pu Yi the Last Emperor of China and the vast Tianjin Museum, which covers 5000 years of Chinese history. The Dabei Temple is one of the most important Buddhist temples in northern China.

Ancient temples, museums and the Great Wall surround Tianjin and there are various cultural activities to experience. Tianjin is the hub of culture and arts in northern China. It enjoys the reputation of a “cradle of operas” and “motherland of quyi”. The professional performance troupes of Tianjin perform with a wide range of arts, including Peking opera, Pingju opera, Hebeibangzi, Quyi, drama, singing and dancing, symphony, etc. The local folk arts of Tianjin are also varied and interesting. The colourful Yangliuqing New Year Paintings, vivid coloured sculptures of Clay Figurine Zhang, impressive well-designed kites of the Weis, and exquisite carved bricks of the Lius, are all outstanding representatives of the folk arts of Tianjin.

Travel

Tianjin is a 30-minute train journey from Beijing. Flights from the UK to Beijing are around 9-10hrs duration.

Convenient express buses to Beijing (Y20, 1½ hours, 6am to 6pm) depart hourly from Tianjin’s main train station.

One of the best ways to get around Tianjin is on foot. Central Tianjin is very easy to walk around and often it is quicker to walk than catch the subway or bus.

Climate

Tianjin has a four season monsoon-influenced climate, typical of East Asia, with cold, windy, very dry winters reflecting the influence of the vast Siberian anticyclone, and hot, humid summers, due to the monsoon. Spring in the city is dry and windy, occasionally seeing sandstorms blowing in from the Gobi Desert and capable of lasting for several days.

 

Universities in Tianjin

• Nankai University

  City: Tianjin