Culture and Sports

A public cultural service system has come into being on the whole to adapt to a modern metropolis. In Tianjin, there are 19 cultural centers and science and technology museums, 18 various museums, and 32 public libraries. Its per capita space and quality of cultural facilities in urban area are both listed in the top in China. There are programs in English in both radio and TV broadcasting. Large-scale international sports games are often held in Tianjin.

  Senior Education and Scientific Research

Located in the center of the talent intensive areas surrounding Bohai Sea, Tianjin has rich human resources. Up to 2005, Tianjin has 42 colleges, universities and higher vocational schools with 332,000 students at the year end including 29,000 postgraduates. In 2005, there are 425,000 specialized technical personnel in Tianjin, which includes 27 academicians (12 academicians from Chinese Academy of Sciences and 15 from Chinese Academy of Engineering), 126 postdoctoral stations with more than 500 post doctors. Tens of state-level engineering research centers, statelevel and ministerial level technical testing centers have been established in Tianjin. In 2005, Tianjin won 14 National Science & Technology Awards, which include 2 Second Prize of National Natural Science Award, 1 Second Prize of National Technology Invention Award and 11 Second Prize of Science & Technology Progress Award. Tianjin has main-tained the third place in China in overall science and technology progress.

  Famous Scenic Sites

Renowned as the “Ferry of the Emperor” and seated on the seashore with a landscape of mountains and lakes, Tianjin has rich tourism resources and enjoys the fame as “the epitome of modern China”. Its famous sites mainly includes: Panshan Mountain in Jixian County - “Back Yard Garden” of Tianjin and Beijing with a green sightseeing site surrounded by famous mountains, quiet forests, clean water, impregnable passes and old temples; Folk Custom Residences like the famous house in Jinmen-Shi Family Mansion, Former Residence of Huo Yuanjia- the famous martial art master, Tianjin Mazu Temple- one of the three largest Mazu temples in China and Yangliuqing New Year Picture Museum; Former Residence of Celebrities including former residences of Sun Yat-sen, Zhang Xueliang, Liang Qichao, Pu Yi (the last emperor), 7 presidents and 5 prime ministers of the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China and Hoover- the former president of the United States; Historical Building of Various Countries(Tianjin is known as the “Museum of Buildings of Various Countries”, there are large number of buildings of different styles on the five main roads and downtown area near Haihe River); Seaside Sight like beaches, harbor, forts, retiredaircraft carrier, Haimen OldTemple,Haihe Beach Park and Imported Goods Market; Wetland and Lakes like Qilihai Lake of Ninghe County, Tuanbowa Lake of Jinghai County, and Dongli Lakeof Dongli District.

  Tourism

Tianjin has developed a well-organized tourism pattern, which takes Haihe River as the axial line, downtown area as the main body, and Jixian County and Binhai New Area as its two wings. Various tourist routes like water travel, travel to the former residence of celebrities, famous street travel, Outing to Yuyang, Xiqing Folk Custom Travel and Travel to Binhai New Area have been launched. In addition, a series of large tourism events were also held on annual basis, like folk custom temple fair (during Spring Festival), Peach Blossom Cultural and Travel Festival on the Great Canal (in March), Huangyaguan Great Wall International Marathon Event (in May)， European Charm Festival (in June), Tianjin-Tanggu Sea Travel (in July), Tianjin Mazu Cultural and Travel Festival (in September)， Yuyang Autumn Travel Festival, Gulou International Folk Custom Travel Festival (in October), Haihe River Travel Festival and International College Students Dragon Boat Competition. In 2005, 740,000 foreign tourists visited Tianjin and spent US$ 510 million in Tianjin.