Russian Imperial Consulate - Tientsin - 1904
Consulate Rd, Russian Concession.
Whilst the British and French were the first to set up foreign concessions in Tientsin in 1860, a succession of foreign powers were eager to establish a foothold in northern China in the heyday of empire-building. The city was carved up to accommodate a succession of ambitious world powers; the Japanese (1888), the Germans (1899), the Austro-Hungarians (1901), the Italians (1901), the Belgians (1902) and finally the Russians in 1903. At the time, of course, Russia's imperialist ambitions were Tsarist.
The Russian Concession is located on the eastern bank of the Hei Ho River directly across from the British Concession. During the Boxer Rebellion of 1900, it is said that Russian troop reinforcements to Tientsin saved the foreign concessions from falling to the hands of the Boxers. The Russians were also instrumental on the march to and relief of the Peking Legation. The granting of a Russian Concession was seen as a reward for their military efforts.
However, political events in Russia prevented their concession from developing into anything to rival that of the British or French, much to the latters' satisfaction; Imperialist Russia had always been looked upon warily by the traditional western European powers. Following the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 and the Russian Civil War thereafter, political chaos caused waves of White Russians (who opposed communism) to flee. Many were to settle in Tientsin and the northern Chinese cities.
Eyeing an opportunity in the chaos, the Beiyang government of the Republic of China reclaimed the Russian Concession in 1920. Four years later, the Communist government in Russia renounced its claim of the concession.
Fellow flickrite China Postcard has a postcard of the building from 1912 in its resplendent imperial livery at www.flickr.com/photos/china-postcard/3435856524/. By contrast today, it sits somewhat forlornly in its diminished grounds, adjacent to a new (and rather tacky) bridge looking across the river. There is no clue to suggest its past history.
Russian Imperial Consulate - Tientsin - 1904
Consulate Rd, Russian Concession.
Whilst the British and French were the first to set up foreign concessions in Tientsin in 1860, a succession of foreign powers were eager to establish a foothold in northern China in the heyday of empire-building. The city was carved up to accommodate a succession of ambitious world powers; the Japanese (1888), the Germans (1899), the Austro-Hungarians (1901), the Italians (1901), the Belgians (1902) and finally the Russians in 1903. At the time, of course, Russia's imperialist ambitions were Tsarist.
The Russian Concession is located on the eastern bank of the Hei Ho River directly across from the British Concession. During the Boxer Rebellion of 1900, it is said that Russian troop reinforcements to Tientsin saved the foreign concessions from falling to the hands of the Boxers. The Russians were also instrumental on the march to and relief of the Peking Legation. The granting of a Russian Concession was seen as a reward for their military efforts.
However, political events in Russia prevented their concession from developing into anything to rival that of the British or French, much to the latters' satisfaction; Imperialist Russia had always been looked upon warily by the traditional western European powers. Following the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 and the Russian Civil War thereafter, political chaos caused waves of White Russians (who opposed communism) to flee. Many were to settle in Tientsin and the northern Chinese cities.
Eyeing an opportunity in the chaos, the Beiyang government of the Republic of China reclaimed the Russian Concession in 1920. Four years later, the Communist government in Russia renounced its claim of the concession.
Fellow flickrite China Postcard has a postcard of the building from 1912 in its resplendent imperial livery at www.flickr.com/photos/china-postcard/3435856524/. By contrast today, it sits somewhat forlornly in its diminished grounds, adjacent to a new (and rather tacky) bridge looking across the river. There is no clue to suggest its past history.