Tide-pooling at Lvjuxi

Tide-pooling at Lvjuxi

Tide-pooling at Lvjuxi — this name originates from Lvjuxi, a small fishing village on the coast of Tianjin, just 10 kilometers from Tanggu city center. It lies along the coastal highway and is a must-pass spot en route to the Tianjin Seaside Tourist Resort. “A sprite from the bitter sea and salted shores, the divine donkey reveals the way, treading a golden path to prosperity, turning life’s dead ends into new hope.” The poem refers to this small fishing village located in the southern part of Tanggu — Lvjuxi. Legend has it that the “donkey” is the steed of Zhang Guolao, one of the Eight Immortals who crossed the sea.

Lvjuxi is a small seaside village. Legend has it that originally, not a single blade of grass grew here, and it was home to dozens of impoverished families. Driven by hardship, some young villagers risked their lives going to sea, but often never returned, and the village lost many lives. One stormy night, amid thunder and lightning, the villagers suddenly heard the braying of a donkey. Curious, they rushed to the shore. In the lightning flashes, they saw a little golden donkey running along the beach. Wherever the golden donkey stepped, golden light seemed to shine up from the sand. By morning, when the rain had stopped and the sky cleared, the golden donkey had vanished — but in its place, the shining spots had turned into thin streams leading toward the sea. Following these streams, villagers discovered they connected to the ocean, where fish and shrimp were abundant. They quickly set up nets and had a bountiful catch. It is said that the golden donkey was none other than the one ridden by Zhang Guolao during the legendary “Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea.” To honor and remember the golden donkey, the villagers named the village “Lvjuxi” (Donkey Foal River).

Today, the “golden donkey treading the sea” takes on a new form, which has become another unique feature of tide-pooling at Lvjuxi. Thanks to the flat and expansive tidal flats of Lvjuxi, when the tide recedes, people are taken out to the sea in motorized tricycles — from a distance, it looks as if many “golden donkeys” have returned to Lvjuxi. Of course, in the Tianjin dialect, these tricycles have an amusing local name: “gǒu qí tù zi” (dog rides rabbit). Why it’s called that? You’ll have to ask someone from Tianjin.

Another version of the origin of the name Lvjuxi is recorded in the 1985 publication *Tianjin Tanggu District Place Names*: “In the first year of the Hongwu reign during the Ming Dynasty (1368), due to the impact of sea tides, seashells gradually accumulated into sand dunes here. In the third year of the Yongle reign (1405), a refugee couple surnamed Liu from Wudi County, Shandong Province, settled here and made a living by fishing. Gradually, more residents arrived, forming a village.” It is said that at the time, the area around the village was covered in small red-and-white grasses. Some believed the place must be blessed by a golden foal, bringing peace and safety, and thus called it “Ma Ju Hai” (Foal Sea). But the county magistrate at the time was named Ma Hai, and he found the name inappropriate, so he ordered that the character “Ma” (horse) be changed to “Lv” (donkey), and “Hai” (sea) to “He” (river). Thus, the name “Lvjuxi” (Donkey Foal River) has been passed down for 600 years.

The legend of Lvjuxi remains unverified, but the people of Lvjuxi have relied on their own hard work and wisdom, using their unique coastal advantages to forge a path to the sea. For centuries, fishing has been the primary livelihood for villagers, who still use an ancient fishing method that has continued for over 600 years — the “Di Liao Wang” (ground-dragging net). This is a massive, interconnected fishing net that stretches up to 17 kilometers along the coastline. Today, this fishing method only survives in parts of Tianjin’s coastal areas and the Haihe River Delta, making it something of a miracle near a modern metropolis.

Now, the area has developed into a seaside tourist attraction with distinctive coastal characteristics. However, villagers still deeply cherish and admire the legendary golden donkey that brought them hope and good fortune. As such, a bronze statue titled “Golden Donkey Treading the Sea” was erected and placed by the seaside at the village entrance on May 18, 2000, as an encouragement for people to walk through life with confidence and overcome all difficulties.

Related Information

Best Tide-Pooling Times

Date (Lunar Calendar) | Tide-Pooling Time | Date (Lunar Calendar) | Tide-Pooling Time

1st (15th) | 6:00–10:00 | 6th (20th) | 10:00–14:00

2nd (16th) | 7:00–11:00 | 7th (21st) | 11:00–15:00

3rd (17th) | 7:30–12:00 | 8th (22nd) | 12:00–16:00

4th (18th) | 8:00–12:30 | 9th (23rd) | 13:00–17:00

5th (19th) | 9:00–13:00 | 10th (24th) | 14:00–18:00

Transportation

Address: Lvjuxi Village, Tanggu, Binhai New Area, Tianjin

Transportation:

Transportation: From downtown Tianjin, you can take a bus to Tanggu District, then transfer to Bus 822 at Tanggu Railway Station to reach Lvjuxi directly. Travelers from Beijing can take the Beijing-Tianjin-Tanggu Expressway directly.

Self-driving Route: Downtown Tianjin – Kunwei Road – Jinzhonghe Street – Beijing-Tianjin-Tanggu Expressway – Tangjin Expressway – Jinqin Expressway – Jinqin Highway – Seaside Boulevard