Situated at 104 Haerbin Avenue, Heping District, the Great China Theatre is the heritage site under city protection and the important protection historic architecture in Tianjin. Zhou Zhendong (The translator of French Industry Bureau) and Meng Shaochen (A local businessman) invested to build the theatre on the land donated by Gu Weijun, an eminent diplomat.
In September 1936, General Zhang Zizhong, the then mayor, attended the opening ceremony and the Fufeng Troupe led by Ma Lianliang was invited to give the first performance in the history of the theatre. Covering an area of some 2700 square meters and having a floor area of about 7700 square meters, the theatre designed by Leli Engineering Company was the largest and most advanced theatre in Tianjin at that time.
The vertical lines on the facade make the four-storied building look straight and high, reflecting the simple style of modern architecture. Moreover, the theatre features a top-class architectural acoustics design.
