Tianjin Tianhou Palace

　　Introduction

　　Tianhou Palace, commonly known as "Niangniang Palace," is situated outside the Dongmen of the old city area of Tianjin, on the west bank of the Sancha River Estuary, now on Ancient Culture Street. It was first built in the first year of the Taiding era during the Yuan Dynasty (1326 AD) and rebuilt in the first year of the Yongle era of the Ming Dynasty (1403 AD), making it the oldest building in the urban area of Tianjin. The palace faces east and overlooks the Haihe River, covering a construction area of 2,500 square meters. It enshrines the Heavenly Queen. In ancient times, the Heavenly Queen was revered as the Goddess of the Sea. Legend has it that she was from Putian, Fujian, had exceptional swimming skills, and often sailed out to sea to rescue those in distress, thus later being worshipped as a goddess. The 23rd day of the third lunar month is the birthday of the Niangniang, and every year at this time, the "Imperial Festival" is held, featuring performances such as stilts walking, dragon lanterns, dry-land boats, and lion dances. A multitude of performances gather, creating an extremely lively atmosphere. The current Ancient Culture Street includes Tianhou Palace as well as the Nangong and Beigong Streets, stretching a total length of 580 meters and a width of 7 meters. Most of the architecture here imitates folk-style Qing Dynasty buildings. The street houses nearly a hundred shops, mainly dealing in cultural goods, antique books, folk customs...

　　There is an old saying in Tianjin: “Tianhou Palace came before Tianjin Wei.” This shows the status of Tianhou Palace in the hearts of the people of Tianjin. It is one of the three great Tianhou Palaces in China and also the oldest existing building in Tianjin.

　　Tianhou Palace is actually a temple where common people worship the Heavenly Queen, commonly known as “Niangniang Palace.” In the past, the main deity enshrined in Tianhou Palace was, of course, the Heavenly Queen. Due to historical reasons, over the long years, Tianhou Palace developed a complex situation where Buddhism and Taoism were mixed, and numerous deities gathered. However, traditional customs have been preserved, such as the grand “Imperial Festival” held here every year on the 23rd day of the third lunar month, featuring performances of dragon lantern dances, lion dances, Shaolin gatherings, stilt walking, fagu drumming, dry-land boats, local yangge dances, martial arts, as well as Beijing opera, Pingju opera, and Bangzi opera.

　　Suggested Duration

　　1–2 hours

　　Transportation

　　Take buses such as Routes 1, 1 Interval, 605, 610, 611, 619, 632, 633, 641, Air-conditioned 671, 804, 904, 908, 954, and Sightseeing Route 2, and get off at Dongbeijiao Station to reach the site.

　　Admission

　　Admission is 10 RMB per person

　　Opening Hours

　　Tuesday to Sunday, 9:00–16:00

　　Location

　　No. 80, Ancient Culture Street, Nankai District, Tianjin

　　Lin Mo (960–987)　　Lin Mo, also known as Mo Niang, was affectionately called “Auntie,” “Mother-Goddess,” or “Mazu” by the people. She was from Putian. Born on the 23rd day of the third lunar month in 960 AD in Meizhou Isle, Putian County, into an official family. She never cried from birth until she was one month old, hence was named “Mo” (“Silent”) or “Mo Niang” (“Silent Girl”). Her great-grandfather Baoji served as a military commander under the Zhou and later retired to seclusion on Meizhou. Her grandfather Fu inherited the family’s military honors and served as the Governor-General of Fujian. Her father Yuan was an official in the early Song Dynasty, serving as the Patrol Inspector of Fujian. Mo Niang was exceptionally intelligent; at the age of 8, when studying with a tutor, she could grasp the main ideas of the texts. As she grew older, she enjoyed chanting scriptures and worshipping Buddha. She was skilled in medicine, often treating people’s illnesses, teaching them how to prevent epidemics and disasters, and was also well-versed in......   More+

Tianjin Tianhou Palace is aAAA-level attraction