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Exploring
In China
Letter from the Editor
Editorial piece --By Emily Mathews
Tianjin. 'The port to the heavenly capital' Its fascinating how a seemingly simple word expresses such a rich meaning. Since those early days, our port has evolved into so much more. Over the years, Tianjin has grown from an Imperial capital to an industrial hub and continues to race towards the next millennia.
Despite its success and achievements, Tianjin, still remains as a secondary city to Beijing or even Beijing's little neighbour to many outsiders. To add insult to injury, I have had even to explain Tianjin's location to many friends and acquaintances, some of whom have lived in China for over five years. I admit that I thought Tianjin was a pace slower than the other cities I have lived in, namely Shanghai and Beijing but it is infinitely diverse and rich in history, culture and spirit.
Established during the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), Tianjin has had a long and vibrant history. It suffered during the Boxer Revolution and was eventually invaded by the Europeans, which led to the changed landscape and beautiful buildings in and around the city. In its heyday of 1931 there were 17,000 firms with another 4,000 industrial companies in Tianjin.
This city is also different linguistically. Tianjiners have their own unique dialect, which they are quite proud of. The word `interesting' which in Putonghua translates into `dou' is actually gen (pronounced as `gar') here. And any foreigner who can tell the difference has the respect and admiration of his audience.
Since arriving here five months ago, I have met several foreigners who have called Tianjin home for over 9 years. Tianjin is in their blood and they have become part of the surroundings. Some proudly declare they don't see themselves leaving this vibrant city, they can't do without all its uniqueness and quirks.
This all serves to prove that to know Tianjin is to love Tianjin. You become part of the city and from now on, wherever you go to, you take a little piece of her with you.
