The Liberation Bridge, formerly the International Bridge, is one of the landmarks on the Haihe River. Ma Cheng

Tianjin is usually defined in relation to Beijing. For good or bad, its proximity to the capital city - 137 km from both cities' downtown railway stations - has determined that it will forever be in the capital's shadow, the relatively neglected younger sibling of a high-profile brother, so to speak.

Tianjin was China's third municipality under the central government, after Beijing and Shanghai. It got that status in 1927, but lost it temporarily from 1958 to 1967. Tianjin's awkward position is not just the result of its geographical location.

In terms of history it cannot compete with Beijing. In terms of cosmopolitan flair and industrial prowess, it is no rival for Shanghai. A Tianjin Museum exhibition that highlights its history over the past 100 years even includes several exhibits specific to Beijing.

Moreover, it seems Tianjin has not fully reconciled with its colonial past, which was tinged with such violence as the 1870 church incident and the 1900 Boxer Rebellion. It had nine concessions, while foreign trade also turned Tientsin (as it was then termed) into an international hub.

Western civilization flowed in through this port city, creating China's first modern university, the first law school, the first teacher training college for women, the first school for training music and physical education teachers, the first aquaculture school, among others. Tianjin holds some 100 records of this kind in the nation's progress toward modernity.

While Western imperialists used Tianjin as a stepping-stone, those loyal to the throne, and revolutionaries, viewed the city as a back yard.