Haiguang Temple was originally named Putuo Temple, later renamed Haiguang Temple by Emperor Kangxi himself. It was once a famous temple in Tianjin. However, the temple no longer existed; it was burned to the ground after the invasion of the Eight-Nation Alliance. After the Boxer Protocol, Haiguang Temple was incorporated into the Japanese concession. Due to its advantageous geographical location and important transportation position (Haiguang Temple is located at the intersection of Nanjing Road and Nanmenwai Street), the Japanese built it into a military barracks.
The Japanese army had long coveted China, and thus painstakingly constructed fortified defenses around Haiguang Temple. After decades of effort, Haiguang Temple had become a thorn in the side of Tianjin, providing a continuous
