Tianjin University Opens Campus for Crabapple Blossom Festival

More than 100,000 people, including faculty members, alumni, visiting school students, parents and members of the public, joined Tianjin University’s 2026 Crabapple Blossom Festival as the campus opened to the public, turning the university into a lively spring destination where science, culture and history met in full bloom.

On April 6, the Weijin Road Campus hosted a full slate of events as part of this year’s festival. With blooming crabapple trees framing historic buildings and gathering spaces across the campus, visitors were invited to explore Tianjin University through research showcases, cultural performances, museum visits, science outreach programs and admissions activities.

This year marks the 15th edition of the festival. A photo exhibition tracing its development from 2012 to 2026 was presented on campus, capturing scenes of teachers, students, landmark moments, academic achievements and the changing springtime atmosphere over the years.

At Peiyang Square, the university presented a large-scale exhibition on new engineering education and student innovation. More than 20 projects from over 10 engineering schools were on display, covering areas including intelligent technology and engineering applications. Among them were an intelligent inspection robot for historic architecture, a mind-controlled interactive device and an integrated unmanned inspection platform designed for land, sea and air operations. A themed exhibition on the university’s latest new engineering education initiative was also open to visitors.

Science outreach was another major feature of the day. All 16 of the university’s research and science education bases were opened to the public, allowing visitors to step inside national- and municipal-level platforms in fields such as precision testing, synthetic biology, advanced biomedical materials, heritage conservation, biosciences, smart grids and marine science. Through laboratory tours, experiment demonstrations, lectures and interactive displays, the university offered the public a closer look at its research strengths and scientific achievements.

The campus open day also drew strong interest from prospective students and their families. At admissions consultation sites, teachers and student volunteers answered questions on academic programs, discipline strengths, major selection and career prospects under the university’s 2026 admissions policies. More than 300 teachers and students from nine key middle schools in Tianjin took part in immersive campus visits, touring laboratories, themed exhibition spaces and college history museums.

Art, performance and traditional culture were woven throughout the day’s program. In front of the Ninth Teaching Building, the Peiyang Art Troupe staged a spring performance featuring chorus, opera, instrumental music and dance. Retired faculty and staff joined performers in a fashion show that blended architectural motifs, Peking Opera elements and contemporary design. International student performance groups also took the stage, presenting choral, chamber music and dance performances that reflected the diversity of cultural exchange on campus.

Museums and libraries across the campus welcomed a steady flow of visitors. At the university history museum, student docents introduced the institution’s development and achievements. The Feng Jicai Museum, currently in trial operation, opened to the public by reservation for the first time during the festival, attracting many families. Around Chunshui Library, visitors joined a range of cultural activities including a paper art exhibition, a kite exhibition, a poetry recital and a watercolor class inspired by the season’s blossoms.

Traditional craftsmanship and local cultural heritage also featured prominently. An exhibition of filigree inlay craftsmanship from Tianjin’s Wuqing District was presented during the festival, while an intangible cultural heritage event jointly organized by the School of New Media and Communication and the Nankai district culture and tourism authority introduced visitors to several traditional Tianjin crafts as well as Song Dynasty tea-whisking and tea performance practices. A book launch and classic reading event was also held, with several new publications on university history and culture unveiled during the festival.

At Minyuan Art Museum, an exhibition celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Wang Xuezhong Institute of Art opened to the public, bringing together representative works and traditional art experiences. Sports events added further energy to the day, with Olympic champion Zhang Yifan sharing her journey in a public lecture and Tianjin University Affiliated High School facing the Tianjin University men’s football team in a friendly match. Children from the university kindergarten also joined the festivities through blossom-themed games and performances.

Career planning was also part of the open day program. More than 4,000 students took part in the university’s second career planning carnival, where AI-supported interview and resume tools were introduced and experts offered one-on-one consultation. Guidance was also provided on career pathways including grassroots employment, military service, the Western Development Program and regional talent initiatives.

Schools and colleges across the university also organized a wide range of themed activities, opening their history museums, hosting lectures and presenting exhibitions that highlighted their academic traditions and distinctive disciplinary strengths. Related events were also held at the Peiyangyuan Campus, where several schools opened their history museums and organized cultural programs for visitors.

Under the theme “Spring Arrives as Flowers Fill the Garden,” Tianjin University’s 2026 Crabapple Blossom Festival runs from April 4 to April 11. The best viewing period for the crabapple blossoms falls in early April, with major activities taking place at the Weijin Road Campus on April 6 and at the Peiyangyuan Campus on April 11.

By: Qin Mian