Exploring the Morphology of Tianjin’s Salt Settlement in the Mid-Qing Dynasty: A Study Based on the Iconography of “Painting of Luhe Duyun”

This study investigates the significant impact of the salt industry on the morphology of historical settlements in Tianjin, which has been underrepresented in previous scholarship. By utilizing the iconological method, the “Luhe Duyun Paiting” painting was analyzed as a valuable source of historical data depicting Tianjin during the Mid-Qing Dynasty. This research combined analysis of local chronicles, salt law chronicles, historical maps, and the painting to demonstrate the central role of salt transportation and salt officials in shaping the city's spatial structure. The salt transportation route served as the axis, and the official salt office was the nucleus of the settlement, leading to the distinctive landscape of the salt industry settlement. The official salt office was also the most prominent structure, and the salt industry had a significant influence on the construction of other buildings and the surrounding landscape. The study emphasizes the importance of the salt industry's impact on the historical settlement morphology of Tianjin and highlights the need for further research to explore its broader influence on the city's social, economic, and cultural development.