By Rui Hu, EDITOR

Chongqing is a mountain megacity, it is also a city on rivers. Therefore, bridges are everywhere. As of now, the city occupies over 4,500 bridges. In 2005, Bridge Committee of Mao Yi-sheng Science and Technology Education Foundation recognized it as the only “the City of Bridges” in China.

Chongqing has a mass of ancient bridges with a long history, more than numerous modern bridges that are majestic and built with superb and diversified construction technologies. It is reported that nearly 800 ancient bridges are scattered across the city, and there are 17 Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the Provincial Level ascribed to their long history, complicated construction technologies or grand scale.

Chaotianmen Bridge

Shiji Bridge

Shiji Bridge was established roughly a thousand years ago in the 2^nd year of Huangyou in the reign of Emperor Renzong of the Northern Song Dynasty (about 1050). It located in Rongchang District, Chongqing, and it stretches over the Laixi River. The bridge is 110.5 meters long with seven spans, each spanning 11 meters, 7.8 meters wide and 8.5 meters high. It became famous in the Qing Dynasty when Empress Dowager Cixi hailed it as the “barrier of East Sichuan” due to it was a securing way to transport salt from Sichuan to Hubei during the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. It was an oppositional state in China from 1851 to 1864, supporting the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty by Hong Xiuquan and his followers.

Shiji bridge

Yanxi Bridge

Yanxi Bridge is 24.3 meters in length, 2.5 meter in width and 6.2 meters in height. As a single-span stone arch bridge, the central span is 5.6 meters long. Built by Zhang Yanyuan, it is one of the two ancient bridges found in Chongqing, which were built in the Song Dynasty. Specifically, Yanxi Bridge was built in the year of Yimao of Qingyuan Era in the reign of Emperor Ningzong of the Southern Song Dynasty (1195). In the year of Dinghai during the reign of Emperor Daoguang of Qing Dynasty (1827), Zhu Ruhui expanded it.

Yanxi Bridge

Fengdu Naihe Bridge

Fengdu is known as “Ghost City”, and Pingdu Mountain (also known as Mingshan Mountain) is where Yama, the Emperor of the Underworld, lives, according to folklore. Gradually, Naraka-concerned temples and shrines were established. Three parallel single-span stone arc bridges stand in front of the Liaoyang Shrine on Mingshan Mountain. They are Naihe Bridge (“Bridge of Helplessness”), according to Buddhism.

Fengdu Naihe Bridge

Taiping Bridge

Taipingchang Town in Nanchuan District has a distinctive bridge, which named as Taiping Bridge. Visitors can have a rest, chat with friends or enjoy viewing of landscapes under its roof. Established in the 12^th year of Emperor Guangxu of Qing Dynasty (1886), Taiping Bridge has wooden hybrid roof truss and cyan pantiles. It is 5.7 meters wide and stretches all its 30.6 meters on 2 stone piers. The bridge deck is about 6 meters away from the river bottom. In December 2009, Chongqing Municipal People’s Government recognized Taiping Bridge as a Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the Provincial Level.

Taiping Bridge

Lu’an Bridge

Lu’an Bridge sits in Qinglong Waterfall Scenic Area, Wanzhou District. Yu Maolin donated 5,000 silver dollars alone in the 10^th year of the reign of Emperor Tongzhi of Qing Dynasty (1871) to build the bridge, which played a significant role at that time.

It is 16.65 meters high, 9.6 meters wide and stretches all its 59.8 meters on a single arch spanning 31.7 meters of the river. The bridge deck has ladders on it and boards on both sides, featuring great span and thin arch. Lu’an Bridge enjoys an important status in China’s history of bridges and Wanzhou’s history of transportation. Its impressive construction techniques and shape attracted Mao Yisheng and Joseph Needham to include it in the History of Ancient Bridge Technology and Science and Civilisation in China respectively.

Lu`an Bridge

Darong Bridge

Darong Bridge, a stone slab bridge, was established in the early years of the reign of Emperor Zhengde of the Ming Dynasty and was repaired for many times in the Qing Dynasty. It stands in Wanling Town of Rongchang and enjoys only two arcs at both ends, which were changed into that in modern times. Darong Bridge, with a length of 116 meters, a width of 1.8 meters and a thickness of 0.5 meters, is supported by 25 piers. On both sides of the bridge deck respectively are 24 balusters all once engraved with exquisite dragon heads and tails. Unfortunately, only one winding tail still stands on a baluster now. It is a Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the Provincial Level of Chongqing.

Darong Bridge

Yanyue Bridge

Yanyue Bridge is a three-span arc bridge stretching over Maoxi Creek and being parallel to the Yangtze River. It stands facing Dafo Temple, which is situated in Nan’an District, on the other side of the Yangtze River. Main span, and left and right approach spans are 60 meters, 78.5 meters, and 39 meters long respectively. And its width reaches 6.4 meters and height 14 meters. Some words engraved on the middle span say: “Daqing Daoguang Ershiba Nian Wushen Zhongxiari Jidan, Cunxintang Juanjian.” Literally, it means that in the 1st day of May, the 28th year of the reign of Emperor Daoguang of Qing Dynasty (1848), Cunxin Hall donates money to build Yanyue Bridge.

Beiji Bridge

Beiji Bridge is a Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the Provincial Level of Chongqing. Located in Fuling District, 125 kilometers east of Chongqing, the south-north-stretching bridge is 31.5 meters long, 5.5 meters wide and 7.7 meters high with span reaching 9.9 meters and arc’s height 6.6 meters. It is 800 years old, considering its establishment in the 5th year of Shaoxi Era of the reign of Emperor Guangzong of the Southern Song Dynasty (1194). Actually, Beiji Bridge is the oldest and largest stone arch bridge still standing in Chongqing.

It mainly used bluestones with herringbone on the surfaces. Original riverbed was used as the bridge abutment, dressed stones of the arch were arranged like ribs and surrounded by extrados. It reflects the techniques, styles, features, and standards of the Song Dynasty in private bridge construction.

Beiji Bridge