Editor's note: An array of Chinese cities have maintained their cultural memories in the form of historical neighborhoods that have only added to their multilayered charm and vigor with the passage of time. China Daily is taking readers on a journey through some of the timeless city blocks where President Xi Jinping has left his footsteps and remarked on the preservation and revitalization of their heritage. In this installment, we take a stroll near the Haihe River in Tianjin's downtown, to an area that cultivated the city's merchant culture.

Amid the good-humored repartee of storytellers to the beat of bamboo clappers, the street-side stalls laying out propitious festive items, and the mouthwatering scent of delicious local specialties, Tianjin Ancient Cultural Street offers a condensed and distilled sample of the authentic Tianjin.

When asked about the ideal day trip to this historically and culturally interesting city block, Yang Kai, 56, a Tianjin native who has been plying his trade there for the past 35 years, says in the unique Tianjin accent, which exudes a laid-back, but witty air: "Don't come too early."

Ten o'clock is the ideal time to arrive, he recommends, after having a prolonged and satisfying breakfast. The block is noted for its two gateways of antique elegance, which stand at its southern and northern ends, but it doesn't really matter from which one a visitor starts their journey.

"If you are here for the cultural atmosphere — it is, after all, a cultural street — you're in for a treat. We have the Niren Zhang clay figurines, Yangliuqing New Year pictures, bookstores … Take your time and browse the stores, especially now that each one offers its own experiential activities. These activities will take up a lot of your time, and two hours will have passed before you've realized," he says.

Lunchtime is a perfect moment to savor the many Tianjin delicacies available on the street, including Guoren Zhang (crunchy, coated varied nuts with diverse flavors), 18th Street Fried Dough Twists, pancake wraps, tea soup and stuffed buns.

In the afternoon, Yang recommends continuing to peruse the street's diverse array of stores, and the square at the block's center is an ideal place to take a rest.

Located beside the square are two sites dedicated to the sea goddess Mazu — the Tianhou Temple (Temple of the Queen of Heaven), built during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), and the Peking Opera Theater, built in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

Shows featuring local characteristics, including xiangsheng (traditional comedic crosstalk), stilts performances and folk dances, are frequently hosted on the square and on the theater's balcony.

Or, on the quieter days, visitors can simply sit at the foot of the theater and enjoy a clear view of the Haihe River.

Yang vividly remembers his first impression of the cultural street — it was New Year's Day, 1986, the first day that the block opened to the public after being renovated. A high school student at the time, he immediately visited the street after hearing the news of its reopening.

"Like me, so many people came to have a look that the entry had to be limited. I wanted to buy a cassette. It was very popular and difficult to find, and the street, which had just opened, included a rare record shop," he recalls.

After purchasing the cassette, he paid his first-ever visit to the Yangliuqing Arts Store for a casual browse. Unbeknownst to him then, a few years later, in 1989, he would embark on a 35-year career there.

The store sells and displays Yangliuqing woodblock New Year pictures, a form of traditional decoration that combines woodblock printing with painting.

Comprising the four main procedures of sketching, engraving, printing and painting that require the collaboration of specialized artisans, it originated during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and has become representative of Tianjin's culture and customs.

The pictures have long been a necessary purchase for Tianjin residents preparing for Spring Festival. Their subjects include motifs depicting folk lifestyle, women and children, fictional stories, traditional opera, Chinese mythology, as well as landscapes and flowers.

"Around a month before Spring Festival, Tianjin residents will do their New Year shopping, including buying these New Year pictures. They all carry propitious meanings and are traditionally believed to bring blessings to the household," says Su Liyan, an inheritor of the pictures' printing technique.

"For locals, it is now an artistic medium for a wider range of social occasions. They gift them to friends on their birthdays or to celebrate weddings. We have different themes suited to different occasions, but all with auspicious connotations."

While these pictures are still popular among the locals, the store is also seeking innovative ways to combine the tradition with contemporary life, producing a variety of products that serve as suitable souvenirs for tourists.

"We have been drawing inspiration from our heritage. Our latest merchandise includes bookmarks, coin purses and fridge magnets adorned with imagery found on the ancient pieces. They have proved popular among the younger crowd," Su says.

"For tourists, the pictures might not be easy to carry. With these products, all visitors to the cultural street can take something featuring our intangible cultural heritage back home with them."

This seamless merging of tradition and innovation is not something new. Similar to Yang Kai's experience, in the recollections of Zhang Yu, 46, the sixth-generation inheritor of the Niren Zhang clay figurine art form, the neighborhood has long been a hub for all kinds of cultural stores that captivated him as a youngster.

"This place has always been very lively, especially back in the day when we could buy a lot of things here that couldn't be found anywhere else. The block provided the widest variety and the highest quality of traditional Chinese stationery. It also boasted all sorts of books, old and new, and the latest toys, some of which I'd never seen before," Zhang recalls.

"When it comes to Spring Festival, the block is filled with a festive and joyful ambience. Even if you're not shopping for anything specific, simply come here for a walk, and you will feel the anticipation of the approaching New Year."

The Niren Zhang clay figurines were invented by Zhang Yu's ancestor Zhang Mingshan (1826-1906), who won wide acclaim by combining the traditional Chinese clay figurine manufacturing techniques with Western aesthetics.

Since 2000, Zhang Yu has been working on the street and running the Clay Figurine Zhang Family Store. He also serves as the curator of the Clay Figurine Zhang Art Gallery, which sits in a courtyard house inside the block's historical Tongqingli complex, secluded from the hustle and bustle of the main street.

At the gallery, which has offered free entry since its founding, visitors are treated to a regular exhibit of more than 100 representative Niren Zhang clay figurines — from antiques created by Zhang Mingshan himself, to Zhang Yu's contemporary works — or, they can attend workshop sessions to learn how to make the figurines themselves.

Zhang Yu has observed a shift in tourists' preferences — instead of simply going sightseeing and buying souvenirs, many tourists have grown fond of spending time getting to learn local culture.

"A lot of people are keen on participating in our workshops in the long term. Some of them have gradually delved deeper into the art form and become aficionados, but we also welcome those who come just to have a try, and perhaps find it interesting enough to come again if they have a chance," he says.

"I think this represents the openness of our traditional culture. Everyone can participate in their own way, but as long as they get to learn about traditional culture, a seed has been planted in their hearts."

The charm of the Tianjin Ancient Cultural Street lies in its every corner, from the shops and their wares, to the historical architecture and intangible cultural heritage. But Zhang Yu gives yet another tip that might provide visitors with a unique Tianjin experience — talk to the shop owners when you have the chance.

"A feature of the cultural street is that most shop owners are present in their shops every day, many having spent two or three decades here. You can learn a lot by talking to them, and they are more than willing to chat with visitors," he says.

"We enjoy talking with others. It doesn't matter whether the customers buy anything, and indeed visitors to the cultural street don't necessarily need to buy anything. What matters, I believe, is to see Tianjin's old streets and feel the distinctive personalities of the natives."