Tianjin Old City Museum

　　The Tianjin Old City Museum is a self-financed public institution established by the Nankai District Culture and Tourism Bureau of Tianjin. It is located in the traditional residential compound of the Xu Family Mansion, originally the residence of Xu Puan, a comprador for the British firm Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China in Tianjin. Built in the late Qing and early Republican period, it is the only well-preserved, classic traditional three-courtyard, four-sided enclosed courtyard residence in downtown Tianjin. The museum was officially planned in 2000 and opened to the public on December 23, 2004, the 600th anniversary of Tianjin's establishment as a walled city, to commemorate this milestone. The museum currently houses over 3,600 cultural relics that reflect 600 years of Tianjin's urban development.

　　The Tianjin Old City Museum

　　The Tianjin Old City Museum is located in the traditional residential compound of the Xu Family Mansion, originally the home of Xu Puan, a comprador for the British firm Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China in Tianjin. It was built in the late Qing and early Republican period. The building follows traditional Chinese minor architectural styles, using gray bricks and a flush-gable roof. The entire structure faces south with the main gate positioned in the southeast (Qian residence with Xun gate), and its central axis consists of three courtyards, flanked on both sides by arrow lanes. Its architectural carvings are elegant and exquisite. It is the only well-preserved, typical traditional three-courtyard, four-sided enclosed courtyard residence in downtown Tianjin, covering an area of 1,381 square meters with a floor space of 711 square meters.

　　Architectural Background

　　In the second year of the Yongle era during the Ming Dynasty (1404), the city was fortified and a garrison was established, giving rise to the name “Tianjin Wei.” Following the construction of the city and garrison, wealthy merchants and traders gradually settled in the Old City area, rapidly establishing Tianjin as an economic hub of northern China. Due to the concentration of officials and wealthy merchants, the Old City became bustling with gold shops, jewelry stores, antique dealers, jade workshops, schools, stationery shops, and restaurants. To the north of the Drum Tower were renowned eateries such as “Tongxingyuan” and “Juxingyuan,” while to the east were “Shuangliyuan” and “Deqingyuan” within Dongmenli, all offering diverse cuisines and thriving businesses. Inside the north gate were prestigious gold shops such as Sanyang, Zhengyang, and Tianxiang, shining brilliantly. To the north of the Drum Tower, the Jingshengyuan opera house provided daily performances accompanied by music and traditional opera.

　　At the time of large-scale urban redevelopment in the Old City area, Mr. Feng Jicai, along with numerous experts and scholars, conducted multiple on-site investigations of cultural relics in the district and proposed transforming the Xu Family Mansion into China’s first donation-based museum — the Tianjin Old City Museum. This proposal received strong support from the Nankai District Committee and District Government. Official planning began in 2000, and the museum opened to the public on December 23, 2004, the 600th anniversary of Tianjin’s establishment as a walled city.

　　Architectural Features

　　The compound adopts traditional Chinese minor architectural styles, featuring gray bricks and a flush-gable roof. The entire structure faces south with the main gate positioned in the southeast (Qian residence with Xun gate), and its central axis consists of three courtyards, flanked on both sides by arrow lanes. Its architectural carvings are elegant and exquisite. It is the only well-preserved, typical traditional three-courtyard, four-sided enclosed courtyard residence in downtown Tianjin, covering an area of 1,381 square meters with a floor space of 711 square meters. The west wing room of the third courtyard has been restored to replicate the living quarters of old Tianjin residents. A space of just over 20 square meters is divided into three small rooms, recreating the living scene of people who once lived within the old city.

　　In the first courtyard and the side rooms of the second and third courtyards, the museum displays a variety of cultural relics donated by the public, including an official weighing stone from 1863 used at Tianjin’s grain dock during the Tongzhi era, a redwood “lamp box,” the boundary marker of the Jiangsu Guild Hall, a Republican-era “icebox,” as well as thread-bound books documenting Tianjin folk customs, vintage records, wooden grain measures from the Qing Dynasty, Yangliuqing New Year painting boards, wooden kettle covers, wooden shop signs, portable stoves, and treasured items like a century-old copper bed, a grandfather clock, a hand-cranked gramophone, and a radio.

　　Significance

　　The museum embodies the deep love for their hometown shared by Feng Jicai, numerous experts, scholars, municipal leaders at all levels, and the people of Tianjin. It bears witness to 600 years of the city’s history through trials and triumphs; it preserves the rich cultural heritage of Tianjin Wei; it fosters and develops urban civilization and progress, leaving behind invaluable historical and cultural treasures. It serves as a bond for reminiscing about the past and connecting familial bonds; it acts as an important base for patriotic and local culture education; and it stands as a vital window and bridge for Tianjin, a historic and cultural city, to engage with the world and embrace the future.

　　Transportation Information

　　Address: No. 202, Gulou East Street, Nankai District, Tianjin

　　Address: No. 202, Gulou East Street, Nankai

　　Phone: 27283899-81

Tianjin Old City Museum is aAAA-level attraction