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Original title in Dutch: Gezantschap der Neerlandtsche Ost-Indische Compagnie, aan den grooten Tartarischen cham, den tegenwoordigen keizer van China.
English title: An embassy from the East-India Company of the United Provinces [ i.e. the Dutch Netherlands ], to the Grand Tartar Cham, Emperour of China.

By Johannes Nieuhoff, Steward to the Ambassadors; this 1 st [French] edition printed in 1668.

This book gives a detailed description of the Embassy to China undertaken in 1655-1657 by Pieter van Goyer and Jakob Keyzer on behalf of the Dutch East-India Company. The engraving shown here and subtitled Tiencienwei is the very first graphic representation of Tianjin in a western publication. The embassy's chronicler records with astonishment the overwhelmingly mercantile character of Tianjin in the following words:

“The city of Tiencienwey it self lies thirty Miles from Singlo , built also with strong Walls twenty five Foot high, full of Watch-Towers and Bulwarks, and the Place much set forth with Tempes, very populous, and so full of Trade, that hardly the like Commerce is to be found in any other City in all China; for whatsoever Vessels are bound for Peking from any other part of China, must touch here, which occasions an extraordinary Traffick to Shipping which lie continually before this City. Here is also the Staple of all Commodities, this being a free Port, and no custom paid for any Goods Exported or Imported.”

Original Official Circular Letter from the Office of the Commandant of the Imperial Red Bannerman Military Division, the Vice Governor of the Districts of Tientsin and the Sankow Commissioner of Commerce, to the Honorable J.A. Meadows, American Counsul-General at Tientsin;
Dated March 15, 1866.

I have the honor to inform you that owing to Her Majesty, the Empress Dowager's birthday taking place on the 23 rd of March (Chinese Calendar), there will be a general holiday for the commissioned and the non-commissioned officers in the customs service.

As all the offices will be closed that day there wil be no business transaction in the customs.

I shall be much obliged if you will kindly take notice of this official circular.

Guide to Tientsin - Presented by the Astor House Hotel, ca. 1907/08

A small, convenient guide to the history and main sites in and around Tianjin, published under the auspices of its premier hotel, the Astor House. It includes a short, but vital paragraph on the importance of the city prior to the Boxer Rebellion in 1900:

“1874 – From this year, to 1894, Tientsin, under Viceroy Li Hung Chang [Li Hongzhang], steadily developed and was practically the place from which all the Foreign Policy of China emanated.” (p. 16)

The China Times Guide to Tientsin and Neighborhood ; St. John, Mrs. Burton. Tientsin: China Times Ltd. [1908]

A brief readable guide introducing the city to foreign visitors. Describes topography and climate, and provides a short sketch on the “Character of Tientsin”, with historical tidbits. Of special interest is the description of the foreign concessions, the foreign population numbering about 3800, minus military forces. The Japanese, with two concessions, were the largest number of foreigners in Tientsin, listed by the “Guide” as 1984. The British numbered 600, the Germans 500, the French 250 and the Americans (with no concession) 100. The Chinese population was estimated between 600,000 and one million. Various landmarks, institutions, and establishments are located and described, often with interesting anecdotes. The author shows an appreciation for the special qualities of Tientsin at this period of its growth and modernization. The “China Times”, was one of a number of western language newspapers published in Tientsin. It was founded in Peking in 1901, moved its headquarters to Tientsin in 1902, and was published daily from 1902 to 1911 in both cities.

Guide to Tientsin, by the Osaka Shosen Kaisha (O.S.K.) Steamship co.

The OSK Lines, founded in 1884 in Osaka, by 1937 had established a world wide maritime transportation network. In 1890, the first ocean liner went into service to connect Osakao with Busan (now Pusan), Korea. The Tianjin service went into operation only a few years later, and became an important link for Japan and Japanese interests with north China and the capital, Beijing.

Eleven months before Japan entered the war against the U.S. at Pearl Harbor, “local issues at Tientsin” demanded the attention of The Crown and the Japanese diplomatic corps. These issues relate to economic and legal aspects of city governance, especially in consideration of the fact that Tianjin was by 1940 completely under Japanese rule. According to this arrangement, Japanese authorities now had the right to enter the British Concession (or any other concession, for that matter), to “offer information or be present when action is taken by British Municipal Police” related to “dealings in arms and explosive substances, supervision of publications, cinemas and political meetings,…”

The considerable British silver reserves in the Bank of Communications in Tientsin were from now on to remain in that bank “under the joint seal of the British and Japanese Consuls-General in that city.”

One year later, all British subjects and those of other nations living in Tianjin who were not part of the German-Japan war alliance were rounded up and expedited to the infamous Weihsien concentration camp, about 180 miles south of the city, where they remained interned until 1945.

Tientsin – An Illustrated Outline History; by O.D. Rasmussen; Tientsin Press 1925.

A very rare book with highly detailed and very accurate historical narrative of Tianjin as it had developed until the early 20s of the 19 th century. Rasmussen's approach to the city's history (though not totally without bias) went well beyond superficial standards.

“Of yarns and tales about the “early days” there exist, perhaps, the usual number, but the more the author compared these stories with such authoritative records as he was able to uncover, the less value did they have for the type of book he hoped to publish. In fact, many of them were pure fiction.” (preface, p.1). And indeed, one could argue that a goodly portion of the literature exhibited in the case on expatriates is of such quality that can only be described as pure fiction.

The theme in this case – namely, Sports and Competitive Events – was covered by Rasmussen in a separate chapter, giving events, names, winner's names (Rasmussen himself did win a number of tennis championship trophies himself), and other valuable data.

Andy Warhol (née Andrew Warhola, 1928-1987), pop and media artist who commercialized his artistic output through various mass production means, the silkscreen technique demonstrated here being one of them. The “theme” of Mao Tse-tung arrived on the American public scene in 1972, when Richard Nixon traveled to Beijing to inaugurate diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China. China at that point was still deeply embroiled in the so-called Cultural Revolution, and it had developed a cult that centered solely around the figure of Mao. The standard portrait of Mao, now a rare if not completely absent icon in China's public spaces (one notable exception being Tiananmen Square), served as the basis for Warhol's rendering, which was executed in a variety of color schemes and sizes (the tallest being 15 feet).

In articles on Warhol's Mao and the way Mao's (then almost sacred) image was appropriated by Warhol, reviewers stress the notion of irreverence Warhol displayed towards the leader of the Chinese masses, a notion specifically encoded in the flashy, almost garish colors applied to the various parts of the canvas. The main distinctions in semantics in this rendering lie, however, outside of Mao's blue face: the red scarf denotes participation in (and indeed leadership of) the infamous Red Guards, while the green jacket symbolizes Mao as the supreme commander of the military. This particular rendering therefore exerts more authority and genuine historicity than other screenprints of Mao, where Warhol chose (probably quite arbitrarily) to use completely different color palettes.

During and after the 1949 revolution, Mao Zedong and the Chinese Communist Party found Tianjin to be a difficult place to launch the radical social campaign envisioned and implemented earlier elsewhere on the mainland. Tianjin was one of the first major urban center to be liberated, and the hard lessons learnt here were applied in Shanghai and other large cities later on. Tianjin citizens had lived “near the center of conservative political power all of their lives” (Lieberthal, K.: Revolution and Tradition in Tientsin, 1949-1952 , p.5), and its geographic location (close to Manchuria, Russia, and to some degree Korea) resulted in special burdens on its citizens and its facilities.

The image of Mao has been - and perhaps still is - a provocative one, evoking many reactions. If you would like to share your reactions, please drop a line in the box at the reference desk in the Severinghaus reading Room or online under the Wason curator's name, Dr. Thomas H. Hahn, at th99@cornell.edu .

While Shanghai serves as the nation's financial center, and Beijing as the political capital of mainland China, Tianjin's role in its proximity to Beijing is somewhat undefined. It is the nation's largest container port, and as the Tianjin Economic and Technological Development Zone has attracted foreign investment worth more than $10 billion from over sixty countries. It is the top performer among the fourteen Open Coastal Cities, and yet lags far behind Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou (formerly Canton) as visible icons of modernity (such as an urban core comprised of high-rise buildings for example) are concerned.

The study presented here discusses the complex relationship (spatially, politically, and economic) between Beijing and “its” port city of Tianjin as an experienced hub for all matters of foreign affairs.

Historical Background Nieuhoff, 1668 Original title in Dutch: Gezantschap der Neerlandtsche Ost-Indische Compagnie, aan den grooten Tartarischen cham, den tegenwoordigen keizer van China. English title: An embassy from the East-India Company of the United Provinces [ i.e. the Dutch Netherlands ], to the Grand Tartar Cham, Emperour of China. By Johannes Nieuhoff, Steward to the Ambassadors; this 1 st [French] edition printed in 1668. This book gives a detailed description of the Embassy to China undertaken in 1655-1657 by Pieter van Goyer and Jakob Keyzer on behalf of the Dutch East-India Company. The engraving shown here and subtitled Tiencienwei is the very first graphic representation of Tianjin in a western publication. The embassy's chronicler records with astonishment the overwhelmingly mercantile character of Tianjin in the following words: “The city of Tiencienwey it self lies thirty Miles from Singlo , built also with strong Walls twenty five Foot high, full of Watch-Towers and Bulwarks, and the Place much set forth with Tempes, very populous, and so full of Trade, that hardly the like Commerce is to be found in any other City in all China; for whatsoever Vessels are bound for Peking from any other part of China, must touch here, which occasions an extraordinary Traffick to Shipping which lie continually before this City. Here is also the Staple of all Commodities, this being a free Port, and no custom paid for any Goods Exported or Imported.” Original Official Circular Letter from the Office of the Commandant of the Imperial Red Bannerman Military Division, the Vice Governor of the Districts of Tientsin and the Sankow Commissioner of Commerce, to the Honorable J.A. Meadows, American Counsul-General at Tientsin; Dated March 15, 1866. Translation: Hon. J. A. T. Meadows American Consul General Tientsin Sir: I have the honor to inform you that owing to Her Majesty, the Empress Dowager's birthday taking place on the 23 rd of March (Chinese Calendar), there will be a general holiday for the commissioned and the non-commissioned officers in the customs service. As all the offices will be closed that day there wil be no business transaction in the customs. I shall be much obliged if you will kindly take notice of this official circular. I have the honor to be, sir, Your humble servant Ching How Commandant of the Imperial Red Bannerman Division Guide to Tientsin - Presented by the Astor House Hotel, ca. 1907/08 A small, convenient guide to the history and main sites in and around Tianjin, published under the auspices of its premier hotel, the Astor House. It includes a short, but vital paragraph on the importance of the city prior to the Boxer Rebellion in 1900: “1874 – From this year, to 1894, Tientsin, under Viceroy Li Hung Chang [Li Hongzhang], steadily developed and was practically the place from which all the Foreign Policy of China emanated.” (p. 16) The China Times Guide to Tientsin and Neighborhood ; St. John, Mrs. Burton. Tientsin: China Times Ltd. [1908] A brief readable guide introducing the city to foreign visitors. Describes topography and climate, and provides a short sketch on the “Character of Tientsin”, with historical tidbits. Of special interest is the description of the foreign concessions, the foreign population numbering about 3800, minus military forces. The Japanese, with two concessions, were the largest number of foreigners in Tientsin, listed by the “Guide” as 1984. The British numbered 600, the Germans 500, the French 250 and the Americans (with no concession) 100. The Chinese population was estimated between 600,000 and one million. Various landmarks, institutions, and establishments are located and described, often with interesting anecdotes. The author shows an appreciation for the special qualities of Tientsin at this period of its growth and modernization. The “China Times”, was one of a number of western language newspapers published in Tientsin. It was founded in Peking in 1901, moved its headquarters to Tientsin in 1902, and was published daily from 1902 to 1911 in both cities. Guide to Tientsin, by the Osaka Shosen Kaisha (O.S.K.) Steamship co. The OSK Lines, founded in 1884 in Osaka, by 1937 had established a world wide maritime transportation network. In 1890, the first ocean liner went into service to connect Osakao with Busan (now Pusan), Korea. The Tianjin service went into operation only a few years later, and became an important link for Japan and Japanese interests with north China and the capital, Beijing. Local Issues at Tientsin – A British-Japanese Arrangement, June 19, 1940. Eleven months before Japan entered the war against the U.S. at Pearl Harbor, “local issues at Tientsin” demanded the attention of The Crown and the Japanese diplomatic corps. These issues relate to economic and legal aspects of city governance, especially in consideration of the fact that Tianjin was by 1940 completely under Japanese rule. According to this arrangement, Japanese authorities now had the right to enter the British Concession (or any other concession, for that matter), to “offer information or be present when action is taken by British Municipal Police” related to “dealings in arms and explosive substances, supervision of publications, cinemas and political meetings,…” The considerable British silver reserves in the Bank of Communications in Tientsin were from now on to remain in that bank “under the joint seal of the British and Japanese Consuls-General in that city.” One year later, all British subjects and those of other nations living in Tianjin who were not part of the German-Japan war alliance were rounded up and expedited to the infamous Weihsien concentration camp, about 180 miles south of the city, where they remained interned until 1945. Tientsin – An Illustrated Outline History; by O.D. Rasmussen; Tientsin Press 1925. A very rare book with highly detailed and very accurate historical narrative of Tianjin as it had developed until the early 20s of the 19 th century. Rasmussen's approach to the city's history (though not totally without bias) went well beyond superficial standards. “Of yarns and tales about the “early days” there exist, perhaps, the usual number, but the more the author compared these stories with such authoritative records as he was able to uncover, the less value did they have for the type of book he hoped to publish. In fact, many of them were pure fiction.” (preface, p.1). And indeed, one could argue that a goodly portion of the literature exhibited in the case on expatriates is of such quality that can only be described as pure fiction. The theme in this case – namely, Sports and Competitive Events – was covered by Rasmussen in a separate chapter, giving events, names, winner's names (Rasmussen himself did win a number of tennis championship trophies himself), and other valuable data. Courtesy Steve Upton Mao Tse-tung; by Andy Warhol Silkscreen painting; numbered and signed by the artist; 1972. Andy Warhol (née Andrew Warhola, 1928-1987), pop and media artist who commercialized his artistic output through various mass production means, the silkscreen technique demonstrated here being one of them. The “theme” of Mao Tse-tung arrived on the American public scene in 1972, when Richard Nixon traveled to Beijing to inaugurate diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China. China at that point was still deeply embroiled in the so-called Cultural Revolution, and it had developed a cult that centered solely around the figure of Mao. The standard portrait of Mao, now a rare if not completely absent icon in China's public spaces (one notable exception being Tiananmen Square), served as the basis for Warhol's rendering, which was executed in a variety of color schemes and sizes (the tallest being 15 feet). In articles on Warhol's Mao and the way Mao's (then almost sacred) image was appropriated by Warhol, reviewers stress the notion of irreverence Warhol displayed towards the leader of the Chinese masses, a notion specifically encoded in the flashy, almost garish colors applied to the various parts of the canvas. The main distinctions in semantics in this rendering lie, however, outside of Mao's blue face: the red scarf denotes participation in (and indeed leadership of) the infamous Red Guards, while the green jacket symbolizes Mao as the supreme commander of the military. This particular rendering therefore exerts more authority and genuine historicity than other screenprints of Mao, where Warhol chose (probably quite arbitrarily) to use completely different color palettes. During and after the 1949 revolution, Mao Zedong and the Chinese Communist Party found Tianjin to be a difficult place to launch the radical social campaign envisioned and implemented earlier elsewhere on the mainland. Tianjin was one of the first major urban center to be liberated, and the hard lessons learnt here were applied in Shanghai and other large cities later on. Tianjin citizens had lived “near the center of conservative political power all of their lives” (Lieberthal, K.: Revolution and Tradition in Tientsin, 1949-1952 , p.5), and its geographic location (close to Manchuria, Russia, and to some degree Korea) resulted in special burdens on its citizens and its facilities. The image of Mao has been - and perhaps still is - a provocative one, evoking many reactions. If you would like to share your reactions, please drop a line in the box at the reference desk in the Severinghaus reading Room or online under the Wason curator's name, Dr. Thomas H. Hahn, at th99@cornell.edu . Beijing and Tianjin – Towards a Millennial Megalopolis; Hong Kong, Oxford University Press, 1998. While Shanghai serves as the nation's financial center, and Beijing as the political capital of mainland China, Tianjin's role in its proximity to Beijing is somewhat undefined. It is the nation's largest container port, and as the Tianjin Economic and Technological Development Zone has attracted foreign investment worth more than $10 billion from over sixty countries. It is the top performer among the fourteen Open Coastal Cities, and yet lags far behind Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou (formerly Canton) as visible icons of modernity (such as an urban core comprised of high-rise buildings for example) are concerned. The study presented here discusses the complex relationship (spatially, politically, and economic) between Beijing and “its” port city of Tianjin as an experienced hub for all matters of foreign affairs.

Copyright 2004 Wason Collection on East Asia and Division of Rare & Manuscript Collections Carl A. Kroch Library, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853 Webmaster.

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