Tianjin had long been a business center in northern China, even before the Opium War about 150 years ago.
After the war, it played an even more important role in China's economy, largely due to the fact that the emperor was compelled to make it an open port to foreign merchants.
Nowadays Tianjin is probably one of China's best places to come across a bargain, from antiques to western modern clothing. The markets and stores here are notorious as a shopping paradise for those bored of Beijing, and as such, on weekends, the place is flooded with antique hunters or those after a new wardrobe.
Yangliuqing New Year Pictures (Yangliuqing Nian Hua)
Yangliuqing New Year Pictures, one of the three famous traditional New Year Pictures in China, is named after its manufacturing place, Yangliuqing Town in the western suburbs of Tianjin in early 17th century. Adopting block print and colored hand drawing techniques, that is printing with woodblocks before painting, Yangliuqing New Year Pictures are an combination of the highest wood engraving attainments with unique characteristics of Chinese brush painting. Yangliuqing New Year Pictures, using both symbolism and realism, have a wide range of subjects including realities, local customs and historical stories. It is a popular folk art liked by the masses of people.
Zhang's Painted Clay Figurines (Ni Ren Zhang)
Located in Ancient Culture Street in Nankai District is a craftsman's shop best known for its fine specimens of clay figurines.
As early as in the Qing Dynasty, Tianjin had already established it self as a place well known for its clay figurines. Particularly, Zhang's Painted Clay Figurines, a school of figurine-making in its own right, has contributed greatly to this reputation. The brilliant workmanship as shown in the clay figurines has long been so widely recognised that Zhang's Painted Clay Figurines has become a household name that stands for the Zhang remarkable styleof figurine-making. Its founder, Zhang Mingshan, learned the trade in early childhood from his father, and elevated clay figurine making from a mere skill to a form of art.
Thereafter, the craft has been handed down through generations of Zhang's family. Yet in every generation there has been a propensity added to the development of Zhang's figurine making tradition.
Today, Zhang Naiying, the fifth-generation of the Zhang family, has carried out the tradition, The Zhang's Clay Figurine Shop in the Ancient Culture Street draws clients like a magnet.
Wei's Kites
Wei Yuantai, a kite-making master who has been in the trade for 70 years, has contributed greatly to the development of the handicraft. He has improved the conventional designs and created foldable kites.
Wei's kites display lifelike imitation of the subjects, good choice of colours and fine workmanship. Moreover, they are made of high quality materials such as silk and satin for the sail, and fine, long and flexible bamboo strips for the frame.
