中國電影誕生的第二年，即光緒三十二年(1906) 12月8日，天津權(quán)仙茶園便開始放映電影，影片是美國平安電影商人從海外運來的，每3日更換一次影片，每晚9點到11點放映，男女分坐?？梢匀菁{二三百位觀眾。樓下有幾十條長板凳，票價3角～5角；樓上是雅座，票價1元。影片內(nèi)容主要是世界各地的風光片和滑稽短劇片。影片放后，加演外國魔術(shù)和歌舞表演。
權(quán)仙茶園是利用舊倉庫改建而成的，位于原法租界紫竹林葛公使路與巴黎路交口處的權(quán)仙電車站旁，實際是以放映電影為主的電影院。它比西班牙商人安·雷瑪斯，于光緒三十四年(1908) 12月22日，在上海海寧路與乍浦路口建成的虹口活動影戲院早2年?？梢哉f，權(quán)仙茶園是中國最早的電影院。
此后，天津人周紫云對權(quán)仙茶園進行改造，用白布制作了銀幕，并且利用早年在法商百代公司電影機械部任職的有利條件，使用百代公司的法國造手搖式放映機等放映設(shè)備，于宣統(tǒng)元年(1909)閏二月十二日，建成 “新權(quán)仙電影茶園”開業(yè)，這可以說是中國第一家中外合資電影院。同時，周紫云還成立了權(quán)仙電影公司。
在很多資料中，把中國第一家電影院稱為“上權(quán)仙茶園” ,這是不準確的。上權(quán)仙茶園，是1914年，周紫云建造的又一座新的電影院。地址在南市東興大街，后來的群英影院斜對過，租用的是東興房地產(chǎn)公司的地皮。中國的傳統(tǒng)，將北稱為上，將南稱為下，南市東興大街在紫竹林的北面，所以稱為“上權(quán)仙” 。
上權(quán)仙影院是中國古建筑形式，開業(yè)后生意興隆。同時，在影院北側(cè)與人合資聯(lián)建了西餐館，名 “洋飯店” 。1917年，洋飯店失火，飯店與影院全部被焚毀。
1918年，周紫云用保險賠款及多方籌集的資金，在南市榮業(yè)大街(后來的淮海影院址),改建起新“上權(quán)仙電影院” 。為磚木結(jié)構(gòu)，2層樓，樓上為包廂，樓下池座為長條椅子，營業(yè)比較好。

·天仙茶園

1935年，周紫云侄子周恩玉，接任新上權(quán)仙電影院經(jīng)理。20世紀40年代，“上權(quán)仙” 曾與小蘑菇(常寶堃)的兄弟劇團簽訂合同，在電影場后加演曲藝、話劇。吸引了大批觀眾，使 “上權(quán)仙”得到中興。
1952年，上權(quán)仙影院改為國營，為紀念淮海戰(zhàn)役勝利更名淮海影院。20世紀50～60年代，南市一帶只此一家甲級影院，業(yè)務(wù)較好。1976年有損停業(yè)。1979年，國家投資53萬元進行重建，1981年開業(yè)。能放映普通銀幕、寬銀幕、立體寬銀幕電影。
1992年重新翻修改造，建成豪華特級影院。一、二樓部分租給日商經(jīng)營。成為改革開放后，天津市電影行業(yè)第一家中外合資單位，集電影、錄像、卡拉OK等為一體的大型豪華娛樂場所。1997年3月，因為榮業(yè)大街拓路工程，淮海影院被拆除一部分 (563平方米),影院全面停業(yè)。
The next year after the birth of Chinese film,that is,1906 (the 32nd year of Emperor Guangxu),QuanxianTeahouse began to play films. Films were transportedfrom abroad by Ping`an Film Business of the UnitedStates. Films were played from 21:00 to 23:00 everyday,one film was played for about three days,then anew film would be played instead. Balconies for menin the teahouse were separated from those for women.The teahouse could accommodate an audience of aroundthree hundred in number. There were dozens of longbenches downstairs. Audience on the benches wascharged three to five Jiao. Upstairs there were balconiesin which each seat was charged one Yuan. Most filmswere scenery around the world or short comedies.Foreign magic,singing and dancing were also performedafter the film.

·上平安茶園

Quanxian Teahouse was reconstructed from anold warehouse. It was located near Quanxian trolleybusstation in the cross between Paris Road and ZizhulinGegongshi Road in French concession. The teahousewas a film playing and opera performing place,whosepursuit was profit. It was an indoor performance placecombined performers and audience within one building.Quanxian Teahouse mainly played films. It was openfor film playing two years earlier than Hongkou Cinemalocated near the cross between Haining Road and ZhapuRoad in Shanghai,because the latter was foundedby a Spanish businessman Ann Rimas in December22,1908 (the 34th year of Emperor Guangxu). Therefore,Quanxian Teahouse can be said as the earliest cinema inChina.
Mr. Zhou Ziyun,a Tianjin local,reconstructedQuanxian Teahouse. He made screens with white cloth.As he had been employed in Film Machinery Departmentin French Baidai Company,he played films using hand-bioscope made by Baidai company. In February 12,1909(the first year of Emperor Xuantong),the New QuanxianFilm Teahouse was opened to service. This can beregarded as the first joint cinema in China. At the sametime,Mr. Zhou Ziyun founded Quanxian Film Company.
In many documents,the first cinema in Chinawas mistaken as Shangquanxian Teahouse. Actually,Shangquanxian Teahouse was another cinema ZhouZiyun built in 1914. It was located in Dongxin Streetin the south of the city,opposite to the later QunyingCinema,whose land was rented from Songxing RealEstate Company. Because,in Chinese tradition,northis called as Shang (up) and south as Xia (down),also because Dongxin Street in the south of the citywas to the north of Zizhulin,this cinema was calledShangquanxian.
Shangquanxian Cinema was in terms of its styleChinese of typical. Business boomed after its opening toservice. Zhou Ziyun,together with somebody else,builta western restaurant in the north of the cinema,calledWestern Restaurant. In 1917,Western Restaurant caughtfire that destroyed both the cinema and the restaurant.
In 1918,with the indemnity from insurancecompany and funds raised,Zhou Ziyun built a newShangquanxian Cinema in Rongye Street in the south ofthe city (the address of Huaihai Cinema in later times).The new cinema was of brick-timber construction. It hadtwostories.Upstairstherewerebalconiesanddownstairslong benches.It ran well. According to the report ofYishi Newspaper in June 8,1921,"film developedquickly and flourishingly. Cinemas in the south of thecity and in French concession were all very crowded. "
In 1935,the nephew of Zhou Ziyun,Zhou Enyutook over the management of the new ShangquanxianCinema.
In 1952 Shangquanxian Cinema was restructuredinto state-owned cinema. It was renamed as HuaihaiCinema to memorize Huanhai Campaign. In 1979 thegovernment invested 530 thousand Yuan to rebuild it andthe rebuilt cinema opened to service in 1981. It couldplay common-screen,wide-screen,dimensional wide-screen films.
In 1992 the cinema was renovated into a luxurioussuper cinema. The first and second floors were rented toJapanese businessmen. The cinema became the first jointunit in Tianjin film industry. It was a large luxuriousrecreation place with film,video and Karaoke etc. InMarch 1997,part of the cinema was removed (about 563square meters),and it had to close its business becauseof the widening of Rongye Street.

·1939年建的西權(quán)仙電影院