Tianjin hot spot heats up consumption

In the bustling streets of Yangliuqing Ancient Town in Tianjin, Xu Liansen, the artisan of chatang, skillfully pours boiling water into a small bowl containing red sorghum flour and millet flour, then sprinkles it with red sugar, sesame seeds, raisins, peanut crumbs and other toppings, before presenting a bowl of fragrant chatang, or tea soup.

Ahmed Mohamed Saleh from Egypt couldn't wait to take a sip, his face lighting up with surprise."It tastes warm and sweet. I noticed there is no tea in it. Why is it called chatang, literally tea soup?"

"Tea soup originated in the late Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Because it was made by boiling water, similar to brewing tea, it was named chatang. It's especially comforting in winter, quickly warming up the body," Xu said.

During that dynasty, Tianjin served as a bustling hub for water transportation, attracting merchants and travelers from all directions. To cater to the diverse dietary needs of these travelers, a variety of local snacks have emerged, with chatang being one of the best known.

These intangible cultural heritage delicacies have witnessed Tianjin's transformation from a quaint water transport hub to a thriving modern metropolis, and have become beloved by foreign tourists.

Hassan Sameh Hassan Elsayed, also an Egyptian student, tasted the sutang (crispy candy) nearby before buying two boxes to send home. In Yangliuqing, crispy sugar, symbolizing "progress and sweetness day by day", is one of the most popular intangible cultural heritage souvenirs during the Spring Festival.

Xu Liansen, the third-generation inheritor of Xu's Crispy Candy, said his workshop attracted a large number of tourists to stop by and taste the candies during the Spring Festival holiday, with nearly 10 percent purchased by foreign tourists like Elsayed. "Our ancestors' craftsmanship, once enjoyed only during family reunions, has now become an industry that can bring wealth," Xu said.

During the Spring Festival, Yangliuqing Ancient Town put on over 500 performances and interactive activities, averaging more than 70 per day. According to data from the Tianjin Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, during the Year of the Horse Spring Festival, Tianjin received 11.7 percent more tourists than last year, and hotel holiday revenue increased by 9.4 percent.

"Numerous foreign visitors are traveling to China, taking part in the 'China Travel' campaign. They admire Chinese landscapes and savor Chinese cuisine, overwhelmed by the country's rich and diverse cultural products,"Bai Changhong, a professor at Nankai University, told China Broadcasts.

To embrace this international affection, in recent years, historical and cultural tourism sites and intangible cultural heritage food shops in Tianjin have launched cultural and creative products to meet tourists' shopping needs.

The Grand Canal runs through Yangliuqing Ancient Town, where water and land transportation converge, nurturing the area as a hometown of traditional Chinese opera.

Nowadays, the town's three treasures are the opera tower, archway and Wenchang Pavilion, which have been transformed into bookmark souvenirs, allowing visitors worldwide to experience the cultural charm of Yangliuqing.

During the Spring Festival, 59 groups of traditional lanterns illuminated the town. Wu Mingyang, a tourist from Jilin province, said that when the lights were turned on at night, the banks of the canal were breathtakingly beautiful.

Ren Zhenhuai, deputy director of Xiqing district's bureau of culture and tourism, said the lantern designs creatively integrate historical and cultural elements such as canal culture and the martial spirit.

"The deep integration of culture and tourism has become a vital force driving local economic development and improving people's quality of life. The renovation and upgrade of Yangliuqing Ancient Town have preserved its unique cultural heritage while balancing 'ancient' and 'modern' elements, endowing the town with lasting vitality," Ren said.

"Yangliuqing has now become a popular leisure destination offering tourism, entertainment, shopping, dining and accommodation. In the future, we will further enhance the town's brand value and popularity, stimulating consumption potential and allowing more people to experience Yangliuqing's folk and international atmosphere," said, Ma Wenchao, the general manager of Beijing Zhonglian Aobo Culture and Tourism Operation Management Co.

Chen Yijun contributed to this story.

yandongjie@chinadaily.com.cn