It is easy to have a quick look at China's past and present, but it takes time to gain a panoramic knowledge of China. The "Panoramic China" series is meant to assist readers, especially those overseas, in this respect. Each volume in the series focuses on a province, municipality or autonomous region, describing, with illustrations, the outstanding characteristics of each area from different perspectives.
Tianjin: Lustrous Pearl of the Bohai Gulf
Tianjin, pioneering seaport metropolis, city of inventive past and unique culture.
Inspired, perhaps, by the dancing waters of the Bohai Gulf, Tianjin became: a naval pioneer-birthplace of modren shipyards and China's first submarine; a commumications pioneer-a post route to all parts and home of China's firstrailway, postal service, cables and telephones; a cultural pioneer with China's first university degree, museum, women's newspaper; a financial pioneer with its own "Wall Street", and industrial pioneer with world-class innovations.
But pioneering has not obliterated tradition-Tianjin is a city of legend and age-old customs and cuisine-never more so than at Chinese New Year.
These elements unite to make the commercial metropolis and major port at Tianjin, with 600 years of unique history and innovation, Tianjin is responding with confidence to the challenges of the 21st century.
