Jinmen shuxiang? The earliest foreign-related hotels in Tianjin

(Overlooking Lishunde, 1886)

Due to geographical reasons, Tianjin, which is adjacent to the Bohai Sea in the west, has been a fortress for overseas tourists to enter North China and Northeast China for more than 1000 years since the Han and Tang Dynasties. After the Six Dynasties made Beijing its capital, Tianjin became the gateway to the first good area under the emperor's feet. Therefore, it is known as the Golden Gate and the ancient times.

(Depicting the oil painting when Li Shunde was first built)

Tianjin has become one of the top ten foreign trade ports in China since its opening. Since then, the commercial flag has closely followed the cross, like a flood bursting its banks from west to east. Missionaries, businessmen and tourists sit on ships and cross the sea by ladders. They became the earliest pioneers and gold diggers of foreign religions and trade in modern Tianjin.

(Li Shunde's old photo at 1909)

"Golden Gate Miscellanies" contains: "The middle is the British Concession, the East River is the end point, and the West Sea Avenue is the end point. The streets are wide and flat, the houses are clean and tidy, and the trees on both sides of the road are lush. Pedestrians and ants gather in the hive, and goods pile up like mountains, and cars, donkeys and horses are used all night. The wires are connected into a spider's web, and the stars are arranged on the street lamp, which is very good and elegant. It's like a little shanghai. " It is in this situation that merchants and guests gather together that Lishunde Hotel, the earliest foreign-related hotel in Tianjin and even China, came into being.

(Dalong Stamp of Qing Dynasty hosted by Li Shunde)

1In the spring of 863, Yin Sende, a priest of the Church of the Holy Church of England who had been preaching in Tianjin for two years, imitated other British businessmen and signed a "royal lease" for "subletting" the land with 600 taels of silver from a charity and Gibson, the representative of the Queen of England in Tianjin, and bought a piece of land. Later, civilian workers were hired to build a simple British Indian style bungalow at the southernmost tip of the land, which was used as a warehouse, foreign firm, hotel and restaurant. That is the embryonic form of Lishunde Hotel, which is called "mud house" and "old house".

("Li Shun (Germany)" warship built by Li Shunde for Beiyang Navy in the Sino-Japanese War)

Twenty-three years later, in 1886, the Chairman of the Industry and Trade Bureau of the British Concession, the Tax Department of Tianjin Customs, and Detrin, the British and German shareholder of Lishunde Hotel, rebuilt a classical exposed luxury hotel building with an area of 3,200 square meters and a construction area of 6,200 square meters, which has the local flavor of Western Europe, three-story brick-wood structure and flat slope roof. It stood in Tianjin and remained the most magnificent building in Tianjin until the beginning of the 20th century. Lishunde's store emblem is "a ship carried by sea water", and Lishunde's name means "seeking profit only by virtue and following the crowd", which reflects the original intention of building the store.

(Li Shunde's English pamphlet during the Republic of China)

At the beginning of the hotel construction, Detering, the chairman of the British Concession Industry Bureau, was cared for by Li Hongzhang, then governor of Zhili, during his stay in Tianjin. In order to thank him for his kindness, Lishunde Hotel is also called "Governor Hotel".

(Silver tableware customized by Lishunde, UK)

At that time, Lishunde, the main building was three stories high, arranged along the street, protruding from the semi-basement outside the main building, forming the base of the whole building and the balcony on the first floor. There are watchtowers on the second and third floors. The facade of the whole building is lively, with Victoria Park in the west and Haihe River in the east. Beautiful environment, with European pastoral architecture style.

(Li Shunde customizes furniture from Italy)

Internal structure: each floor has an internal corridor layout, and the main entrance is on the middle street side. There are doors, dining room, dining room, kitchen, billiards room and bathroom on the first floor, and there are 5 rooms. Two apartments on the second floor and the third floor, 17 single room. In addition, there are large banquet halls and dance halls. Each apartment has a bedroom, living room, library, dining room, tea room, kitchen, bathroom and balcony.

(Lishunde Lobby, Grand Ballroom, VIP Room, Western Restaurant, 1926)

After the north wall of the building built by 1886 was demolished by 1924, a four-story brick-wood mixed structure building with an area of about 2,500 square meters was built. The whole plan is E-shaped, and the banquet hall of 43 square meters and the restaurant of 150 square meters have been expanded. A lobby, a service desk and a bar have been added. Add 40 rooms.

(Inside Lishunde Guest Room)

A reporter from Russia's Frontier Daily wrote: "I arrived in Tianjin on May 2 190 1, that is, I went to Astor Hotel (that is, Lishunde). I stayed in a cheaper room on the third floor, and the daily meal cost was eight dollars (eight rupees). The floor is carpeted and the ceiling is decorated with various shapes. There is a marble bathroom, an electric bell and a balcony with rattan chairs. At eight o'clock in the morning, a young waiter from China in a foreign country told me the start time of three meals. The bar is open all day, beer is one dollar per bottle and champagne is five dollars per bottle. "

(1 881April1day, Li Hongzhang held a grand dinner for King Karakava and his party at the Lishunde Hotel, the highest foreign-related hotel in Tianjin at that time. The picture on the left shows the king and his entourage, and the picture shows the banquet menu. Dishes include bird's nest, shark's fin, fried fish, lion's head, lamb chops, cold chicken nuggets, ham, mushrooms and so on. And fruit pudding, chocolate cake and buttered finger cake.

Famous foreign guests staying here include former US Presidents Hoover and Grant, former US Secretary of State Costa, former Japanese Prime Minister Ito Bowen, former Myanmar Prime Minister Wu Nu, former Polish Council of Ministers Chairman Sirenkiewicz, and former Czech President Cyrocki.

(Lishunde Old Elevator)

In July 1863 and October 10/KLOC-0, Danish and Dutch envoys signed the Sino-Danish Treaty and the Sino-Dutch Treaty with the government of China in Lishunde, granting them "Most Favoured Nation" treatment. The Sino-Pakistan Treaty of Reconciliation and Trade, Sino-French Treaty of Tianjin, Annan Charter of Border Trade and Sino-Portuguese Treaty of Tianjin were all signed here, which witnessed that complicated history.

(Lishunde old-fashioned barber chair)

In recognition of Li Shunde's builder De Cui Lin's contribution to modern China's internal affairs, diplomacy, military affairs and economy, the Qing government issued the decree of Empress Dowager Cixi on 1896, and Li Hongzhang made an exception and announced that he was awarded the first-class Henaan. You know, China's feudal court awarded foreigners a seal, which is equivalent to the first-class official title of Vice Premier the State Council today, which is unique in the history of China.

(Li Shunde old phone)

Li Shunde also extended his economic tentacles to many fields in Tianjin, such as 1, and invested in the establishment of Beiyang Military Department (Yuan Shikai's military power was arranged by hotel shareholders). 2. Establish and operate Kailuan Coal Mine. 3. Establish Tianjin Gas Company and Dagu Barge Company. 4. Invest in the construction of the battleship Li Shun (Germany). 5. Open Beijing-Tianjin long-distance telephone lines. 6. Dredge the Haihe River, cut the bay and straighten it to improve navigation capacity. 7. invest in the construction of five avenues. 8. Presided over the issuance of Dalong stamps in Qing Dynasty. 9. Open China Times, the first newspaper in Tianjin. 10, invested in the establishment of Turner College (predecessor of Beiyang University), and so on.

(Room where Li Shunde and Sun Yat-sen stayed)

In addition, many buildings in Tianjin are closely related to Lishunde, such as: "Xiaobailou" as the "adjustment hall" for British and American sailors to stop drinking (named after Xiaobailou because it is a two-story white building); The first yard next to the cadre club is De Cui Lin's villa; Racecourse Road and Racecourse are funded by Lishunde; English Club (former office building of the Municipal People's Congress), Victoria Garden (now the garden of the municipal government) and Kailuan Mining Bureau Office Building (former office building of the municipal party committee) are all inextricably linked with Lishunde.

(1946, Lishunde held the Tianjin People's Congress to commemorate the victory of the August 15 th Allied Forces, and there was a tricycle waiting in front of the door)

Many plots in Cao Yu's masterpiece Thunderstorm are related to Li Shunde's history. Mei Lanfang performs in Tianjin and often lives in Lishunde. Zhang Xueliang and Miss Zhao Si are also frequent visitors of Li Shunde, which shows Li Shunde's supreme position in Tianjin's upper life. Lishunde was handed over to Tianjin Municipal People's Government on March 1952.

(1952 Letter from Li Shunde to Tianjin Municipal Government)