Tianjin is a major metropolitan area in China. Its development began in 1404 C.E. when it was officially established as a town during the reign of Emperor Yongle (Zhu Di) of the Ming Dynasty. According to some old records, Emperor Yongle himself founded and named Tianjin. In 1860,In October–November, 1860, the Second Opium War (Arrow War) ended and Tianjin finally was forced to open to the world. Tianjin became North China’s first and largest port to be opened for trade and other interaction with Western countries. Tianjin is the strategic gateway to the capital and is close to Bohai Bay, a historically important region for fishing and coastal trade. Tianjin's geographic location helped to make it a place of primary importance for interactions between Chinese and other civilizations in modern times. It remained the great economic and cultural center of the North until the early years of the People's Republic of China. Especially after the Westernization Movement in the late 19th century, Tianjin led China's industrial revolution and modernization. More than one hundred first instances of notable changes in China happened at Tianjin, and illustrate Tianjin's great importance in modern Chinese history. When you view China's modern history, you will find that Tianjin is a very special and important window through which to look. Many famous historical events happened here.
