·1910年《天津明细新地图》所标示的天津租界

        租界,是半封建半殖民地旧中国的赘疣,是近代帝国主义侵略的产物。天津是继上海之后,中国第二个设立租界的城市,但在中国,天津是租界最多的城市。自清咸丰十年(1860)被迫开埠之后,到20世纪初,先后有9个国家在天津强划租界,后来美租界归并英租界,所以也有8国租界之说。这些租界的总面积差不多相当于当时天津城区的8倍。
        天津设置租界分3个阶段。第一次是天津开埠之后。咸丰十年(1860)十一月六日,英国率先提出在天津设立租界。此后又进行了3次扩张。其界址为: 东临海河,南沿马场道至佟楼,西到西康路,北沿营口道与法租界毗邻。面积约4169亩。
        英租界划定不久,法国便在天津设立租界。其界址为: 东和北皆临海河,西至大沽路以东吉林路附近,东南接英租界; 后来又进行了扩张,在向老西开地区扩张时,引起了天津人民声势浩大的抗法斗争,发生了“老西开事件” 。面积约2860亩。
        同时,美国也在天津设立租界。其界址为: 东临海河,西至大沽路,北至彰德道,南至开封道东段。面积约131亩。光绪二十八年 (1902)九月二十二日,美租界归入英租界。
        中日甲午战争之后,帝国主义第二次在天津强划租界。光绪二十一年(1895)九月十三日,德国在天津划定租界。其界址为: 东临海河,北沿开封道与美租界相连,西至大沽路,南自小刘庄之北起顺琼州道至大沽路。此后,又将三义庄、桃园村一带扩充为“新界” 。面积共约4200亩。
        光绪二十四年(1898)七月十三日,日本在天津划定租界。其专管租界的界址为: 东以沈阳道与张自忠路拐角处起,沿海河至多伦道口止; 北沿多伦道向西经海光寺至南京路止; 南界由沈阳道与张自忠路拐角处起,向西划一直线至南京路止。面积约1667亩。另外,日本还有所谓预备租界。
        庚子事变以后,帝国主义第三次在津强划租界。光绪二十六年(1900)十一月九日,俄国在天津海河北岸(左岸)划定租界,俄租界分为东、西两区。其西区界址为: 西南毗邻意租界,东至火车站西侧,北至铁路; 东区界址为: 从海河转弯处向南,西临海河,隔河与英、法、德租界遥对,东至京山铁路,南迄十五经路。两区共占地约5971亩,面积超过英租界,居天津各租界之首。
        光绪二十八年 (1902)五月二日,意租界在天津划定。其界址为: 东北从兴隆街沿京榆铁路至俄租界,西南临海河,西北沿北安道至兴隆街。面积约771亩。
        光绪二十七年十二月二十八日 (1902年2月6日),比租界在天津划定。其界址为: 东穿过大直沽中街附近,南迄天津自行车厂附近,西临海河,北与俄租界接壤。面积约556亩。
        光绪二十八年(1902)十一月二十八日,奥租界在天津划定。其范围为: 京山铁路以西,海河以东,意租界以北,狮子林大街以南。占地约1030亩,是天津各租界最北面的一个。
        天津租界的收回,开始于第一次世界大战。1917年3月,中国北京政府宣布与德国、奥地利断交,并收回两国在华租界; 但是,实际上直到第一次世界大战结束后,又经过天津人民的争取,才于1919年9月10日,正式收回奥租界。1921年5月,正式收回德租界。1924年5月31日,苏联政府放弃俄租界。1929年8月31日,比利时政府交还比租界(1931年3月,正式交接)。1945年,日本投降后收回日租界。1947年将英、法、意租界收回。其间,英租界在天津存在时间最长,达87年; 奥租界存在时间最短,为17年。

        

·1913年天津各国租界位置图

        Concessions were the tumors of semi-feudal and semi-colonial China as well as the products of the invasionof the imperialists. Tianjin is the second city that hadconcessions in China (The first one is Shanghai). From1860 to the beginning of the 20th century,nine countrieshad set up concessions in Tianjin. Later,the USConcession was merged by Britain,so it is also said thatTianjin had concessions of eight countries. The total sizeof the concessions,the largest in China,was eight timesbigger than the space of downtown Tianjin.
        There were three phases in the city`s concessionestablishment. In November 1860,or one month afterthe opening of Tianjin as a port,the UK set up its firstconcession in Tianjin and later expanded triple. Itsboundaries were: east,Haihe River; south,MachangRoad to Tonglou; west,Xikang Road; and north,Yingkou Street and French Concession. Its size was4,169 mu.
        After UK set up its concession,France followedsuit. Its boundaries were: east and north,Haihe River;west,Dagu Road to Jilin Road; and southeast,the BritishConcession. France doubled its concession later. Theexpansion to Old Xikai Area aroused vast anti-Francestruggle from Tianjin people,or "Old Xikai Event". Thearea was 2,860 mu.
        The United States also set up its concession inTianjin. Its boundaries were: east,Haihe River; west,Dagu Road; north,Zhangde Street; and south,KaifengStreet. Its area was 131 mu. In September 1902 (the28th year of Emperor Guangxu),the US Concession wasmerged by UK Concession.
        After the Sino-Japanese War in 1894-1895,theimperialist countries sped up their establishment ofconcessions in Tianjin. In September 1895,Germanyacquired its concession,whose boundaries were: east,Haihe River; north,Kaifeng Street; west,Dagu Road;and south,from Xiaoliu Village,Qingzhou Street,toDagu Road. Later,it enclosed Sanyi Village and TaoyuanVillliage as "New Concession". Its space was 4,200 mu.
        In July 1898,Japan obtained its concession inTianjin. The boundaries were: east,from the corner ofShenyang Street and Zhangzizhong Road to Haihe Riverand Duolun Street; north,from Duolun Street,HaiguangTemple,to Nanjing Road; south,from the corner ofShenyang Street and Zhangzizhong Road to the west ofNanjing Road. Its area was 1,667 mu. Japan also had theso-called preparatory concession.
        After the Gengzi Event,the third climax ofconcession division by force occurred. In November1900,Russia got its concession to the north bank ofHaihe River. It has east and west areas. To the southwestof west concession was Italian concession; east: railwaystation; and north,the railway. To the south of the eastarea was the curve of Haihe River; west,Haihe River(the opposite side were Britain,French and Germanconcessions); east,Jingshan Railway; and south,Shiwujing Road. The two areas occupied 5,971 mu,larger than British Concession. Russian Concessionranked No. 1 in space in Tianjin.
        In May 1902,the Italian Concession wasestablished. Its boundaries were: northeast,fromXinglong Street,Jingyu Railway to Russian Concession;southwest,Haihe River; northwest,from Bei`an Street toXinglong Road. Its area was 771 mu.
        On February 6,1902,Belgium got its concession.Its boundaries were: to the east,Dazhigu Street; to thesouth,the Tianjin Bicycle Factory; to the west,the northof Haihe River and to the nouth,Russian Concession. Itsarea was 556 mu.
        In November 28,1902,Austria founded itsconcession in Tianjin. Its boundaries were: to the west,Jingshan railway; to the east,Haihe River; to the north,Italian Concession; to the south,Shizilin Street. Itsarea was 1,030 mu. Of all the foreign concessions,itslocation was the northest.
        The return of concessions in Tianjin began from theWorld War I. In March 1917,the Beijing Governmentdeclared severing diplomatic relationship with Germanyand Austria and took back the concessions of the twocountries. By the end of World War I,the AustrianConcession was returned on September 10,1919 andthe German Concession in May 1921. On May 31,1924,Russian forsook its concession. On August 31,1929,Belgium returned its concession (the ceremonyheld in March 1931) to Chinese Government. In 1945,Japan surrendered and returned its concession. In 1947,British,French and Italian concessions came back oneafter another. The history of the British Concessions inTianjin was the longest,lasting for 87 years. Meanwhile,the history of Belgian Concession was the shortest,which is 17 years.