Mobile Toilets and Crosstalk in Tianjin
The characteristic activities in Tianjin related to mobile settings and crosstalk mainly include traditional folk art performances at the smart public toilet in the northwest corner and the 'Crosstalk Bus' cultural experience project.
Linkage between the Smart Public Toilet in the Northwest Corner and Open-Air Folk Art Performances
During the May Day holiday in 2024, a new smart public toilet was added at the intersection of Jieyuan Road and Ximalu in the northwest corner of Tianjin. With a total construction area of 114 square meters, it is equipped with 12 independent unisex toilet cubicles. Inside, there are facilities such as baby care stations and child safety seats to meet the needs of mothers and babies, the elderly, children, and special groups. The toilet uses a patio ceiling-mounted central air conditioner, smart anti-fog makeup mirrors, high-pressure negative ion plant fragrance deodorization equipment, and is equipped with a smart control system that can synchronize real-time data on toilet cubicle status and air quality. At the same time, the 'Early Summer Market' on Lingdangge Street opened. The century-old crosstalk club, Baohexuan, staged open-air performances in the street area, with traditional folk arts such as crosstalk, clapper talk, magic tricks, and qigong being performed in rotation, creating an interesting linkage between smart facilities and traditional culture. This model combines the upgrading of public service facilities with the revitalization of folk art culture, enhancing the toilet experience for citizens and tourists while restoring the traditional Tianjin folk art performance form of 'open-air performances' through the market setting, demonstrating the integration of urban culture and modern technology.
'Crosstalk Bus': Folk Art Innovation in Mobile Settings
Tianjin's pioneering 'Mobile Crosstalk Theater' - the double-decker 'Crosstalk Bus' - made its debut during the 14th Tianjin Crosstalk Festival in 2025. Operating at night along the Haihe River sightseeing belt, the bus passes through more than 20 scenic spots including the Tianjin Eye and the Ancient Cultural Street, with a total journey time of 50 minutes. On-board crosstalk actors perform impromptu shows of crosstalk, clapper talk, Tianjin folk ditties, and other programs in combination with the landmarks passed by, deeply integrating folk art with the urban scenery and forming a 'walking' cultural business card. This innovative form breaks through the limitations of the fixed setting of traditional theaters and provides an immersive experience of 'sightseeing while listening' through a mobile carrier, meeting tourists' needs to explore Tianjin's urban culture and offering a new dissemination setting for crosstalk art, becoming a typical case of the integration of culture and tourism in Tianjin.
Cultural Value of the Characteristic Activities
The smart public toilet in the northwest corner and the 'Crosstalk Bus' reflect Tianjin's exploration in upgrading public services and revitalizing traditional culture from the dimensions of static facilities and dynamic experiences, respectively. The former enhances the quality of people's livelihood services through technological empowerment while incorporating folk art performances to strengthen the cultural atmosphere; the latter expands the boundaries of crosstalk dissemination in the form of a mobile theater, achieving cross-border integration of 'folk art + tourism'. Together, they build Tianjin's urban characteristics of 'interweaving tradition and modernity and coexisting culture and life'.
