Former Site of the Tianjin YMCA

Former Site of the Tianjin YMCA

The Former Site of the Tianjin YMCA is a protected cultural heritage site of Tianjin.

Former Site of the YMCA

Era: Completed in 1914

Address: No. 94 Dongma Road, Nankai District, Tianjin

Category: Important Modern Historical Sites and Representative Buildings

The former site of the YMCA (now the Tianjin Children's Palace) held its foundation-laying ceremony on May 23, 1913, and was completed on October 16, 1914. The building is a four-story structure with an exterior of mixed brickwork and an interior primarily made of wood. It covers a land area of 1,000 square meters, with a construction area of about 4,000 square meters. Built according to the unified international YMCA standard model of the time, it is one of the most typical examples of Western church-style architecture. It houses a reading room, conference rooms, gymnasium, auditorium, dormitories, classrooms, and more, making it quite sizable.

The Former Site of the Tianjin YMCA faces south and is situated on the north side, adjacent to Dongma Road to the east. Originally, it connected with residential houses to the north and south (now all demolished), and neighbors the Confucius Temple to the west. It covers an area of about 1,000 square meters, with a construction area of about 4,000 square meters. The vast majority of the construction materials were shipped directly from the United States to China. The building was constructed strictly according to the unified international YMCA standard model and style of the time, featuring a reading room, conference rooms, gymnasium, auditorium, dormitories, classrooms, and more. The overall layout of the building is square-shaped, with the main entrance on the facade leading up via high steps, flanked by double semi-circular columns. The front hall on the first floor is spacious, while the rear section houses the auditorium. The second and third floors are dedicated to sections for "morality, intellect, physique, and group activities." The building’s walls are made of red cylinder bricks, topped with a flat roof that extends out on all sides. The exterior is simple, dignified, and elegant, with tall, wide windows and doors. The architecture is distinctive and showcases Western church-style design.

The Former Site of the Tianjin YMCA is the birthplace of basketball in China. In 1891, Mr. Willard Lyon, the first general secretary of the Chinese YMCA, introduced basketball to the Tianjin YMCA. On December 5, 1895, the Tianjin YMCA officially began basketball activities, which were initially played behind the fence of the clubhouse field. At that time, the gymnasium housed China’s first indoor basketball court. It was the first stop where modern basketball was introduced to China and is considered the cradle of modern Chinese basketball. The once-famous “Nankai Five Tigers” team trained here. In 1919, the Chinese national basketball team, with players from the Tianjin and Beijing YMCAs as its core, participated in the basketball competitions at the 4th Far Eastern Championship Games in the Philippines and the 11th Olympic Games. This marked the first time basketball was played internationally on behalf of China.

In 1904, the Former Site of the Tianjin YMCA was where China’s first standard table tennis table and Tianjin’s first billiards table were created.

At that time, the YMCA had China’s only table tennis table that met international standards, making Tianjin the birthplace of table tennis in China and one of the first coastal cities where the sport became popular and developed.

In 1931, the first citywide public table tennis competition was held at the site of the Tianjin YMCA, marking the official beginning of competitive table tennis in Tianjin.

The Former Site of the YMCA is also where Tianjin’s first billiards table was created.

During different historical periods, various concerts and musical performances were held at the Former Site of the Tianjin YMCA. Charity performances and sales were frequently organized, as were group weddings and campaigns promoting temperance. The semi-underground storefront on the Dongma Road side of the YMCA housed a youth barbershop and shops specializing in gold and silver jewelry for weddings. On December 15, 1895, just one week after its establishment, the Tianjin YMCA began offering weekly English classes, marking the first time Tianjiners in old China were exposed to foreign language training.

During the modern patriotic movements in Tianjin, the Former Site of the Tianjin YMCA served as a hub for various public welfare and revolutionary activities. For example, around the time of the May Fourth Movement, several major patriotic actions in Tianjin were closely tied to the YMCA. The renowned Christian and Tianjin YMCA board member, Mr. Song Zejiu, was among the first to boycott Japanese goods and founded the Tianjin Domestic Goods Store. Zhou Enlai led the May Fourth patriotic movement in Tianjin, during which the May Fourth demonstration began at the Former Site of the Tianjin YMCA on Dongma Road, circled the city, and returned to the YMCA. At that time, Deng Yingchao was responsible for printing propaganda materials at the YMCA site, with the printing tools and materials hidden inside the YMCA. On May 7, 1925, the YMCA participated in the May 7th National Humiliation Demonstration and served as a liaison. In 1935, the YMCA organized and invited the famous musician Zhang Xiaohu to teach young students patriotic songs such as “Save China” and “Everyone Must Strive,” aiming to inspire patriotism. From July to August 1948, the YMCA launched a relief campaign in Tianjin to support the struggles against civil war and hunger. Zhang Boling, a renowned educator in modern China, served as president of the Tianjin YMCA from 1920; Yong Jianqiu, a notable figure in modern Chinese religious circles, served as president from 1933.

The Former Site of the Tianjin YMCA was also the first place in China where the Olympic spirit was introduced. In 1914, Mr. Zhang Boling, a modern Chinese educator and known as “China’s First Olympian,” who was then the principal of Nankai School, delivered a speech at the YMCA auditorium, introducing the concept of the Olympic Games and the Olympic spirit to the Chinese people. He was the first to propose that Chinese people should participate in the Olympics and even bid to host them.

Further Reading:

· Fourth Batch of Protected Cultural Heritage Sites of Tianjin