[Video/TJyun]

Established as a port by Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) on Dec 23, 1404, the port city of Tianjin recently celebrated its 615th birthday.

Lying on the coast of the Bohai Sea and prospering from canal transportation and trade, it sustains a legacy that's both Chinese and Western, old and new.

Being involved in historical ups and downs, Tianjin is emblematic of China's turbulent past with the west.

It has been the birthplace of a long list of firsts in the country, and its rich cultural resources have resulted in it being home to 33 national intangible cultural heritage projects.

Nowadays, Tianjin is the largest port city in North China and was one of the first open coastal cities in the country. It serves as a strategic point in the Belt and Road Initiative and the China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor