Peach and Willow Embankment

Peach and Willow Embankment

The Peach and Willow Embankment is located at the Qianjian Bridge on Tianjin’s Inner Ring Road, by the North Canal. It is a long-renowned scenic spot. During the peach blossom season, it attracts throngs of visitors who come in an endless stream. Some are young couples, others are families with children, all out for spring outings and flower viewing. Poets also gather here for elegant gatherings, composing and reciting poetry, finding joy in the experience.

The Peach Garden spans 13,000 square meters and is built along the embankment of the North Canal. Peach trees are planted along the dike, while willows are lined up the slopes. As early as the Yuan Dynasty, the area was already lush with trees and misty beauty, and it continued to develop into a celebrated scenic site during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. When Qing emperors passed by on their southern inspection tours, they were so captivated by the beauty of the peach blossoms that they stopped their boats to go ashore for sightseeing and composed poems on the spot.

Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty wrote the ci poem “Dian Jiang Chun” (Touching the Vermilion Lips) in praise of the Peach Embankment: “Having passed through Zhejiang before, I saw peach blossoms in bloom. Now, returning to Tianjin, I see them flourishing again. To the tune of ‘Dian Jiang Chun’: ‘Once more I see peach blossoms, their red reflections in Tianjin still so fair. Just returned to the capital, I wonder if spring has come twice. Royal barges glide through starlit night, at dawn emotions drift afar, under the radiant sun, swaying gently—not the weeping willows grown old.’”

Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty made multiple inspection tours to Tianjin. He once rode on horseback to inspect the embankment and composed the poem “Two Poems on Xigu”: “Where three waters converge at Xigu, the clear flows of the northern and southern canals run through. Relying solely on embankments won’t suffice; proper guidance is needed to ensure smooth flow. At dawn, returning from the city inspection, I ride my horse to view Xigu. Passing through misty villages and connecting dikes, the imperial boat awaits me by the riverbank.”

The poetic brilliance of literati regarding the peach blossoms has never ceased. During the Qianlong era, poet Wang Hang wrote in his “Miscellaneous Poems on Tianjin Affairs”: “Outside the Peach Blossom Temple, peach trees stand, still blooming as spring departs to welcome imperial visits. Do not marvel at the clever loom of the grand duke—crimson clouds gather to escort the imperial presence.” Another Qianlong-era poet, Jiang Shi, wrote in “Miscellaneous Songs on the Gu River”: “Within the Peach Blossom Mouth lies the Peach Blossom Temple, where temple peach blossoms herald two springs. Peaches especially bloom to greet the imperial visit, each branch crimson reflecting over the willow-lined ford.” During the Republican era, Tianjin’s poetry societies often gathered on the Peach Embankment for poetic composition. In early April 1923, over ten members of Lübo Society, one of the most influential modern literary groups in early Tianjin—including Zhao Jingshen, Gong Nanmai, and Jiao Juyin—traveled here by boat to admire the peach groves and composed new-style poetry celebrating the peach blossoms. Nan Xi wrote: “Peach blossoms, oh peach blossoms without hierarchy, scatter your seeds across the globe!” Clearly expressing a fresh perspective. In short, whether the verses of emperors or the odes of literati, all have greatly praised the Peach Embankment, a scenic gem of Tianjin, endowing it not only with natural beauty but also rich cultural significance.

The present-day Peach Embankment was reconstructed in 1985 and 1991 under the auspices of the Hongqiao District People’s Government, surpassing its former glory. Not only are there weeping willows covering the embankment slopes, but there are also over 500 mountain peaches and peach blossoms on the embankment top, creating a spectacular, fiery sea of blooms when in season. Additionally, historical sites have been restored, including the imperial landing dock where Emperor Qianlong moored his boat and went ashore, the You Pavilion, the Dragon Wall, and the Welcome Pavilion. The imperial landing dock features a stone platform and white marble railings. Inside the hexagonal Dragon Pavilion, a stone tablet is inscribed with the three characters “桃柳堤” (Peach and Willow Embankment). The Dragon Wall is adorned with colorful tiles forming five dragons in various hues. The Welcome Pavilion displays historical records and images related to “Famous Historical Figures in Hongqiao” and “China’s Renowned Garden Shuixizhuang.” Visitors here can not only bask in the spring sunshine and enjoy the misty scenery but also gain historical knowledge and immerse themselves in culture. The Peach Embankment is truly a serene and beautiful retreat that nourishes both body and mind.