Rivers, Place Names, Colloquial Names, and Others Aspects of Tianjin
天津的河流、地名、俚语及其他
Xu Shen’s Shuowen Jiezi states: "津jīn means a water crossing, derived from the character for ‘boat’ (舟) and ‘Huai’ (淮), a river in China.
A ferry crossing, throughout history, has often been located in regions of bustling trade, flourishing commerce, and thriving economic and cultural development, which naturally fosters a rich harbor culture. Because of this, the Chinese character "津" (jīn) has also taken on a new meaning, referring to key transport hubs, such as the term ‘important crossing(要津yàojīn).
In ancient script, the character "津"(jīn) depicts a horizontal boat, a small river , and a flying bird on the right side, evoking the serene image of "an empty crossing where a boat drifts unattended.” In the Analects, when Confucius sent Zilu to "ask about the ferry," he was referring to finding a ferry. Place names in Chinese that contain "津" (jīn) are all associated with ferry crossings. For example, Mengjin in Henan, an ancient ferry crossing in the region of Meng; Hejin in Shanxi, situated along the Yellow River; and Xiaoyaojin in Hefei, Anhui, also an important ferry crossing.
The saying about Tianjin goes, "Nine Rivers converge at Tianjinwei, with three floating bridges and two passes." The Hai River, which runs through the city, connects the Daqing River, Yongding River, Ziya River, and the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal with the vast Bohai Sea, forming a magnificent scene of rivers and sea converging. This natural geographical advantage has made Tianjin the largest commercial port in northern China, a logistics hub for the Three North regions, a pivotal transportation hub between north and south, and a key port for river and sea transport.
In the opening of On Tianjin, Qing Dynasty juren scholar Yang Yikun praised the city, opening with the verse: "Tianjinwei, a fine place, bustling and more prosperous than even the two Jiang provinces." Earlier names for Tianjin included Zhigu Fortress, Haijin Town, and Tianjinwei. Regardless of the evolution of its names, the characters "沽" (gu), "海" (hai), and "津" (jin) all share the radical for water, reflecting its rich aquatic heritage.
Tianjin encompasses over 300 rivers and canals, including the Yuexia River, Xijian River, Dongjian River, Hongni River, and Weijin River, along with numerous ponds, lakes, marshes, and pools scattered throughout.
"Zhigu" is the earliest known name for Tianjin, and "gu" has become a shorthand for Tianjin, now referred to as Jingu or Gushang. There are many place names in Tianjin that contain the character "gu," giving rise to the saying of the ‘Seventy-Two Gu’s’. Almost all villages and towns with "gu" in their names are situated in the Hai River system area, such as Tanggu, Daggu, Hanggu, Geggu, Xigu, Hougu, Dazhigu, Xiaozhigu, Xianshuigu, Dingzigugu, Dongnigu, and Sanchagu.
The Hai River, also known as Gushui, is Tianjin's lifeline, with its waterfront culture serving as the mainstay of Tianjin's water cultural development.
"九河" refers to nine rivers in Tianjin: Beiyun River, Nanyun River, Daqing River, Ziya River, Yongding River, Zhang River, Wei River, Chaobai River, and Jiyun River. Apart from "Gu" (沽), Tianjin is known for many place names using terms like "gang" (港, port), "bo" (泊, bay), "wa" (洼, depression), "dian" (淀, pool), "gou" (沟, ditch), "tang" (塘, pond), "wan" (湾, bay), and "tan" (滩, beach), such as Dagang, Guan'gang; Yangjiabo, Qingbo'wa; Jiakouwa, Beihuaidian, Sanjiaodian, Chenjiagou, Beitang, Xishuangtang, Zhaojiawan, Tangjiawan, Liutan, and Datantang.
These place names are not merely geographical terms but also represent the social life and cultural essence of the area. Mr. Feng Jicai once said regarding place names, "Cities have life. Therefore, place names hold the significance of life, meaning they carry rich and profound meanings, just like life itself. Place names are the starting point of urban life." (Excerpt from "Memories of Tianjin")
Behind these names lie rich histories, cultures, and humanities, showcasing Tianjin's diverse and rich urban life and cultural landscape.
From this, we can understand some of the water culture elements in Tianjin dialect and place names. For example, the Tianjin idiom "撂旱地儿" reflects this water-centric culture. Legend has it that during the Qing Dynasty, whether it was Emperor Qianlong's travels to the south, north-south trade, or the transportation of grain and salt by water, all relied on river routes. If a boat encountered obstacles or ran aground, it was said to be "撂旱地儿" (lit. left on dry land). This phrase signifies encountering significant misfortune, akin to acts like "burning bridges," "killing the donkey after grinding the millstone," or "adding insult to injury," all of which are considered actions lacking great virtue. For example, Tianjin's witty saying “The water carrier looks at the big river—all they see is money” (挑水的看大河—净是钱啦!) depicts a thriving scene of those whose livelihood depend on supplying water and make a good living. Tianjin residents lived by the water, relying on rivers and ponds for their daily water needs. When urban residents encountered water supply issues due to the absence of wells and the distance from rivers and ponds, the industry of water carriers emerged. This led to the establishment of many water shops inside and outside the city. In areas like Hongqiao and Nankai, there are still many alleys named after these water shops: Shuipu Hutong, Xie Family Shuipu Hutong, Zhang Family Shuipu Hutong, Yang Family Shuipu Qian Hutong, Guo Family Shuipu Hutong, Dan Family Shuipu Hutong, and more.
The Tianjin folk proverb: "The lid of the water shop's pot—held by both hands" refers to a scene from the water delivery business, where water shops expanded their business to include boiling water along with delivering it. Water shops were usually located along main streets or at the alley entrances. Most of them featured large stoves fueled by sawdust, with two big iron pots placed on top. A large bowl was placed upside down inside one of the pots, bubbling away with steam, covered by a lid made of two pieces of wood. The proverb describes this specific scene.
Shuige (pronounced as "gǎo") Street is a local landmark with distinctive features in Tianjin's old city. Located outside the east gate of the old city, it stretches from Dongma Road in the west to Zhang Zizhong Road in the east, spanning over 300 meters. The street derives its name from a pedestrian bridge once known as "Shuige" (Water Pavilion). In the past, this road from the east gate of the old city to the riverside bustled with pedestrians throughout the day, becoming a lively thoroughfare. Daily, water-carrying vehicles and porters traversed this route, earning its rightful title as the "waterway." Due to the high volume of water carriers, the road often became muddy and difficult to traverse. Therefore, in the 28th year of Emperor Qianlong's reign in the Qing Dynasty (1763), a pedestrian bridge named "Guanyin Pavilion" was constructed here. Special personnel were dispatched to regulate and guide the watermen passing through, facilitating easier travel for the public. Because Guanyin Pavilion was situated along this "waterway," it became colloquially known as "Shuige" (Water Pavilion) among the locals.
(张家水铺胡同，南开档案馆馆藏)
许慎《说文解字》：“津，水渡也，从舟从淮。”
渡口，古往今来，往往是贸易频繁、商业兴盛、经济文化发达的地区，也会形成丰富的码头文化。正因为此，“津”又引申出了新的意义，即水陆冲要之地，如“要津”。金文的“津”，下有横舟，旁有小河，右侧还有飞翔的小鸟，如此景象，颇有“野渡无人舟自横”的意味。《论语》里孔子打发子路去“问津”，就是找渡口去了。中国地名里，带津字的地名都是与渡口有关，如，河南孟津是古孟地的渡口，山西的河津是黄河边的渡口，安徽合肥的逍遥津也是重要渡口。
天津“九河下梢天津卫，三道浮桥两道关”，横贯市区的海河, 将大清河、永定河、子牙河、北运河等多条河流与浩瀚的渤海连成一气, 形成河海通津的壮观之景。这种得天独厚的地势, 使天津成为中国北方最大商埠, 三北物流中心, 南北交通枢纽, 河海漕运码头。清乾隆举人杨一昆所作《天津论》开篇即咏:“天津卫, 好地方, 繁华热闹胜两江”。天津早期的名称还有直沽寨、海津镇和天津卫。不管地名怎样演变, “沽”、“海”、“津”三字都是“水”字旁。
天津全市共有包括月牙河、西减河、东减河、洪泥河、卫津河等人工河渠在内的大小河流300余条, 坑、塘、洼、淀星罗棋布。
“直沽”是天津已知最早的名称，“沽”也成为天津的一个简称，如今天津又称津沽或者沽上。天津含“沽”的地名也很有多，七十二沽之说,。凡带“沽”字的村镇地名, 几乎都坐落在海河水系地区, 如塘沽、大沽、汉沽、葛沽、西沽、后沽、大直沽、小直沽、咸水沽、丁字沽、东泥沽、三叉沽等。海河又称沽水，是天津的生命线，以其为轴心的滨水文化是天津水文化发展的主线。
“九河”有北运河、南运河、大清河、子牙河、永定河、漳河、卫河、潮白河、蓟运河。
除“沽”外，天津多有以港、泊、洼、淀、沟、塘、湾、滩等作为通名的地名，如:大港、官港;杨家泊、青泊洼;贾口洼、北淮淀、三角淀、陈家沟、北塘、西双塘、赵家湾、唐家湾、柳滩、大滩等。
地名不是纯粹的地理名词，而是典型的社会生活和文化气质的再现。冯骥才先生谈地名时说：“城市是有生命的。地名便有了生命的意义，也就是有着和生命一样丰富和深刻的含义，地名是城市生命的起点”。(《天津记忆》)
由此，我们可以理解天津方言俚语及地名里的一些水文化色彩。
比如说，天津俗语“撂旱地儿”。传说当年无论是乾隆下江南, 还是南北贸易, 商贾往来, 漕运粮盐等, 都靠水路行船。如果船行受阻，舟船搁浅，“撂旱地儿”了，那就意味着遭到极大的不顺，它的严重程度，与“过河拆桥”、“卸磨杀驴”、“落井下石”一样, 都是“缺了大德”的行为。
还比如说，天津俏皮话:“挑水的看大河—净是钱啦!”说的就是一群以供水为业的人生意繁荣的景象。天津居民依水而居，生活用水在河塘解决。居住在城里的人用水犯了难，城里没有井，离河塘又比较远，于是，挑水卖水的行业应运而生，城里城外有了很多水铺，在红桥、南开两区还保留着很多“水铺”命名的胡同：水铺胡同、谢家水铺胡同、张家水铺胡同、杨家水铺前胡同、郭家水铺胡同, 单家水铺胡同等。
天津民俗歇后语“水铺的锅盖----两拿着”，水铺在送水的业务中又拓展了烧开水的业务，水铺一般都开在临街位置，也有开在胡同里巷进口处的。大都盘有大灶，烧锯末，上面架两口硕大的铁锅，一只锅内扣着一只大碗，咕嘟咕嘟冒着气泡。锅上盖着由两块木板拼起的锅盖，这句歇后语说的就是这种情景。
水阁(音gǎo)大街，是天津老城颇具地方特色的一个地名，位于老城东门外，西起东马路，东至张自忠路，全长三百余米，因这条街道上曾有一座被称为“水阁”的过街楼而得名。当年从老城的东门出来至河边的这条道路，终日人流穿梭，熙来攘往，每天运水的车辆和挑夫大都必经此道，成了名副其实的“水道”。由于每天运水的人很多，造成道路泥泞难行。于是在清乾隆二十八年( 1763)，在此修建了一座名为“观音阁”的过街楼，派专人规范疏导了来往于此的水夫，方便了人们的出行。由于观音阁坐落在这条“水道”上，故人们俗称其为“水阁”。
