Since late August, videos of Tianjin's elderly residents jumping into the Haihe River have gone viral on social media, turning the Lion Forest Bridge on the Haihe River into a popular "photo-taking" spot. Today, more and more internet influencers are joining this joyful diving event, with some even playing the role of judges, simulating official competitions, and some even dressing up as"Avatar" characters for their own diving routines. In online discussions, the Lion Forest Bridge has seen its rating rise from a "6A" level attraction to an "8A" level attraction.

When reporters from the Yangcheng Evening News arrived at the Lion Forest Bridge on the Haihe River, it was the hottest part of the day, around 2 PM. However, the bridge and both banks of the Haihe River were still crowded with spectators and eager participants.

The act of "swimming" and "diving" itself is not new to the locals, so what's making Tianjin's dive craze go viral?

For Ms. Ren, who was born and raised in Tianjin but has studied abroad and lived in other cities, this phenomenon may be a result of Tianjin's unique social atmosphere and the collective pursuit of a laid-back personality this year. "'Enjoy every minute you live' - that's the slogan I've seen the middle-aged male divers using, and now it's become my motto," Ms. Ren said. "Regardless of whether it's trending or not, Tianjin is such a livable city. With the amount of work stress these days, being able to spread this kind of happiness to netizens across the country, I feel proud as a Tianjin native."

Experts point out that the attention garnered by Tianjin's diving uncles is closely tied to Tianjin's Haihe River culture and comedic traditions, reflecting the humor of the city's aging population.

To prevent any accidents, traffic police keep managing traffic around the area, while local officials repeatedly remind the volunteer organizers of the diving teams to prioritize safety and discourage untrained tourists from diving. Additionally, two professional lifeguards in life jackets were stationed at the bridge piers of the Lion Forest Bridge, ready to respond in case of emergencies.

天津：狮子林桥集体跳水吸引众多游客

从8月底开始，多段天津大爷大妈们在海河跳水的视频就在社交媒体上广为流传，使海河上的狮子林桥成为网红打卡“景点”。到了今天，越来越多的网红博主开始参与到这场欢乐盛宴中，甚至有网友在岸边模仿正式比赛打分，扮演“阿凡达”参与跳水。狮子林桥也在网络评论中一路从“6A”级景区升级为“8A”级景区。

当羊城晚报记者到达海河上的狮子林桥时，正值下午2点，是一天当中最热的时候。但桥上以及海河两岸仍站满观众与蓄势待发的挑战者。

“游泳”“跳水”本身只是当地的一项民俗活动，并不新鲜，那天津这次何以爆火？

在天津土生土长，同时又有过留学、旅居其他城市经历的任女士看来，这或许是天津特有的社会氛围与今年大家所追求的“松弛感”的共鸣。“‘生存一分钟，快乐60秒’，这是我看到的伯伯们的口号，现在也成了我的个性签名。”任女士说，“其实不管火不火，天津都是这样一座宜居的城市。现在工作压力这么大，能把这种快乐传递给全国网友，作为天津人我也感觉很荣幸。”

有专家表示，天津跳水大爷受到广泛关注，其背后离不开天津的海河文化、相声文化，是积极老龄化下天津大爷的幽默表达。

为防止不测发生，持续有交警在周边进行交通疏导工作，街道办事处的工作人员不断叮嘱跳水队伍的志愿组织者要注意安全，劝阻没有经过训练的游客随意跳水。同时，在狮子林桥的桥墩处，已经有两位穿着救生服的专业救生员随时待命，防止意外发生。

文、图、视频 | 羊城晚报驻京全媒体记者 刘克洪 王莉
视频剪辑｜羊城晚报全媒体记者　黎杰文
翻译｜刘佳慧
责编 | 王瑜瑛
校对 | 赵丹丹