Nankai District 南开区

Setting and landscape

The district government gives an area of 41.43 square kilometres, flat, about 3 metres above sea level on average and higher in the north than the south. The Hai River (海河) on the east separates it from Hebei District (河北区); the Weijin (卫津河) and South Canal (南运河) rivers wrap around its east and north, and the south has many ponds. Lakes include the east and west lakes of the Water Park and Nankai University's Xinkai Lake (新开湖), dug in 1954.

History

Under the Yuan, grain shipped north to the capital was transferred at the Sancha River mouth (三岔河口), and in 1326 the Tianfei Palace (天妃宫) was built in what is now the north-east of the district. A garrison town was walled from 1404, and from the Ming to the Qing this area became Tianjin's political, economic and cultural centre, with settlers from Anhui, Shanxi, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian and Guangdong. The Eleventh District created in 1947 is the origin of the present district, which took the name Nankai in January 1956.

What to see

The Tianhou Temple (天后宫), the former Tianfei Palace, is described by the district government as the oldest building in urban Tianjin and one of China's earliest surviving temples to the sea goddess Mazu (妈祖). The Drum Tower (鼓楼), first built in 1494, was rebuilt in 2001 in Ming and Qing style. The Guangdong Guild Hall (广东会馆), completed in 1907, mixes northern and Lingnan building styles. The Nankai School (南开学校) site, founded in 1904 by Yan Xiu (严修) and Zhang Boling (张伯苓), was Tianjin's first private middle school, and Zhou Enlai studied there from 1913 to 1917. Siyuan Hall (思源堂) at Nankai University, built in 1923 and bombed in 1937, was the only university building to survive the Japanese bombing. The Li Chun Ancestral Hall (李纯祠堂) was built in 1914–1924, partly from buildings of the Prince Zhuang's mansion moved here and rebuilt. The district also has the Confucian Temple (文庙) and the Yuhuang Pavilion (玉皇阁).

Ancient Culture Street (古文化街) is a 5A scenic area; the Water Park (水上公园) and the Zhou Enlai and Deng Yingchao Memorial Hall (周恩来邓颖超纪念馆) are 4A.

Crafts and traditions

The district holds four national intangible heritage items: the Tianjin Imperial Fair (天津皇会), the Clay Figure Zhang (泥人张) figurines, the Kite Wei (风筝魏) kites and Jingu visceral massage (津沽脏腑推拿). City-listed items include the Yuansheng teahouse (元升茶楼) and Liu Hai diabolo-making (刘海空竹).

Highlights

• Tianhou Temple 天后宫: Built in 1326; oldest building in urban Tianjin by the district's account.
• Ancient Culture Street 古文化街: 5A scenic area.
• Guangdong Guild Hall 广东会馆: Completed in 1907 in mixed northern and Lingnan style.
• Drum Tower 鼓楼: First built in 1494; rebuilt in 2001.
• Zhou Enlai and Deng Yingchao Memorial Hall 周恩来邓颖超纪念馆: 4A scenic area and national first-grade museum.
• Nankai School site 南开学校旧址: Founded 1904; Zhou Enlai studied here 1913–1917.