Tide-watching and beachcombing at Lvjuxi

　　Tide-watching and beachcombing at Lvjuxi — this name originates from Lvjuxi, a small fishing village by the sea in Tianjin, just 10 kilometers from Tanggu city center. It lies along the coastal boulevard and is a must-pass spot on the way to the Tianjin Seaside Tourist Resort. “A sprite from the bitter seas and salted shores, the donkey colt reveals the way, treading out a golden path to wealth, turning life’s dead ends into new hope.” The poem describes this small fishing village located in the southern part of Tanggu — Lvjuxi. Legend has it that the “donkey colt” was the mount of Zhang Guolao, one of the Eight Immortals who crossed the sea.

　　Lvjuxi is a small seaside village. Legend says that originally, not a single blade of grass grew here, and dozens of impoverished families lived in hardship. Driven by poverty, some young people risked going to sea, but often never returned, and the village lost many lives. One stormy night, amid thunder and lightning, villagers suddenly heard the braying of a donkey. Curious, they rushed to the shore and, in the flashes of lightning, saw a little golden donkey colt running along the beach. Wherever the golden donkey stepped, golden light appeared on the beach. By morning, when the rain had stopped and the sky cleared, the golden donkey was gone, but in its place, the golden light had turned into small streams. Following these streams toward the sea, villagers discovered that 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 this golden donkey colt was the very one ridden by Zhang Guolao during the legendary “Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea.” To show their gratitude and remember the golden donkey, the villagers named the village “Lvjuxi” (Donkey Colt River).

　　Nowadays, the “golden donkey treading the sea” has taken on a new form, which has become another unique feature of tide-watching at Lvjuxi. Because the tidal flats here are flat and expansive, at low tide, people are taken to the sea in motorized tricycles to go beachcombing. From afar, it looks as if many “golden donkeys” have returned to Lvjuxi. Of course, in the Tianjin dialect, these tricycles are even more interestingly called “dog rides rabbit” (gǒu qí tù zi). Why it's called that? You’ll have to ask a local from Tianjin.

　　Another version of how Lvjuxi got its name is recorded in the 1985 publication "Tianjin Tanggu District Place Names": “In the first year of the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty (1368), due to the impact of sea tides, shells gradually accumulated into sand dunes here. In the third year of the Yongle era (1405), a fleeing couple surnamed Liu from Wudi County, Shandong, 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 with small red-and-white grass, and some said this place must be protected by a golden colt, bringing peace to the villagers, so they named it “Majiu Hai” (Colt Sea). However, the county magistrate at the time was named Ma Hai, and he found the name inappropriate. He then ordered that the character “Ma” (horse) be changed to “Lv” (donkey), and “Hai” (sea) to “He” (river). Thus, the name “Lvjuxi” (Donkey Colt River) has been passed down for 600 years to this day.

　　The legend of Lvjuxi is unverifiable, but the people of Lvjuxi, through their hard work and wisdom, used their unique coastal advantages to carve out a livelihood from the sea. For centuries, fishing has been the primary source of income for villagers, who still use an ancient fishing method that has continued for over 600 years — the “diliao net” (a type of gillnet). This is a connected network of nets stretching up to 17 kilometers along the coastline. Today, this fishing method only exists in parts of Tianjin’s coastal areas and the Haihe River Delta, making it somewhat of a miracle near a modern metropolis.

　　Now, the area has developed into a seaside tourist attraction with distinctive coastal features. Yet, the villagers still deeply cherish and admire the legendary golden donkey colt that brought them hope and good fortune. Therefore, they cast a bronze statue of the “Golden Donkey Treading the Sea,” which was erected on May 18, 2000, at the entrance of the village by the sea, to inspire people to move forward in life with confidence and overcome all difficulties.

　　Related Information

　　Best Time for Tide-Watching

　　Date (Lunar Calendar) Tide-Watching Time Date (Lunar Calendar) Tide-Watching 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 get there directly; from Beijing, you can take the Beijing-Tianjin-Tanggu Expressway directly.

　　Driving route: Downtown Tianjin – Kunwei Road – Jinzhonghe Street – Beijing-Tianjin-Tanggu Expressway – Tangjin Expressway – Jinqin Expressway – Jinqin Highway – Binhai Boulevard