On January 27, the Tianjin Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism released an administrative penalty decision, imposing a fine of 250,000 yuan (approximately USD 35,000) on Cangmenkou Church in Tianjin for conducting construction work without authorization within a designated cultural heritage protection area.
According to public information, the local bureau determined that the church carried out construction activities within the protection scope of a registered cultural heritage site without obtaining the required approval. The action was found to be in violation of Articles 21 (Paragraph 2) and 17 of the Cultural Relics Protection Law of the People's Republic of China (2017 revision). The penalty was imposed in accordance with Article 66 of the same law.
Cangmenkou Church in Tianjin dates back to the early 20th century. Its origins can be traced to the 1860s, when it was founded by Henry Blodget, an American Congregational missionary. The current church building was completed in 1912. It is regarded as the first Protestant church in North China to have achieved the principles of self-governance, self-support, and self-propagation under Chinese leadership.
The church complex faces south and consists of a main gate, auxiliary buildings, and the sanctuary. It covers a land area of approximately 1,241 square meters, with a total floor area of about 1,126 square meters. In January 2013, Cangmenkou Church was officially listed as part of Tianjin's fourth group of municipally protected cultural heritage sites.
