Tianjin (postal map spelling Tientsin) is a metropolis in northern China and one of the five national central cities of the People's Republic of China. The opening of the Grand Canal during the Sui Dynasty prompted the development of Tianjin into a trading center. The Grand Canal (also known as the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal), a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the longest canal or artificial river in the world and a famous tourist destination. Entitled: "Theater zu Tien-sin." Image taken from page 429 of China, historisch romantisch, malerisch (historically romantic, picturesque). A translation by Thomas Allom with historical and descriptive notes by the Rev. G. N. Wright, published 1843.