Monument

Baziqiao Bridge

Release date:2019-08-17 04:42:30 Author:admin Views:2478

In the first year of Tiansheng in Northern Song Dynasty (1023), the 34-year-old Fan Zhongyan worked as officer of Salt Warehouse of Xixi. During his post, he had made so many contributions for Xixi residents, including the repairing the Baziqiao Bridge. Xionghe River (also named as Yuxinghe River) and Yanxihe River within the area of ancient town crossed the town, so there was a formation of "Ding" conjunction in the town, and there were so many inns, tea houses, shops and living houses in the both sides, so it was so inconvenient for the residents at the both sides. To fix the traffic difficulty, Fan Zhongyan supervised two bridges in the conjunction of two rivers. The east-to-west bridge is Tongjiqiao Bridge with the length of 18 meters and width of 5 meters; and the south-to-north bridge is Guangjiqiao Bridge with the length of 25 meters and the width of 5.5 meters.

For the convenience of the shipping, the two bridges are single-hole arch structure, and they are made of pure black bricks. With the color of blue-gray and the body of viewing saddle, the bridges are so high and wide in the same style. They look like twins. Seen from the shipping boat, the semicircular bridge holes look like two ancient city gates. The bridges are linked with each other to form a “Eight” form, so it is called as Baziqiao Bridge. The Bridge has been key cultural relics protection unit in Dongtai City.    

The arch bridge is flat and wide. Green bricks are embedded at an angle of 45 degrees to form a sawtooth, so the people at all ages would be comfortable with it.

Under the bridge, the river water is clear. The shadow of bridge, willow in the riversides and the ducks playing in the river form a living quiet ink painting.

There are mosses in the holes for the moisturizing of water. Sometimes, there are Bobo boats (name of boat in Xixi) go across the holes to send the scratching sound of "squeaky, squeaky", which sounds more like a water town with a unique interest.  

The bridge bars are elegant and simple. The lines are beautiful and smooth. It is not that high, but 0.6 meter, so it is safe, and it would not block the vision of people. People could even sit on the bars.

The living houses near the bridges are along the river and each of them look at each other across the river, so there is water town artistic conception with small bridge, flowing water and people.

There is a marble inlaid in the middle of the two bridges. The inlaid is smooth with unique pattern. The writing of Tongjiqiao Bridge and Guangijqiao Bridge is winding smoothly and delicately. Along with the delicate engraving technique, these words are so charming. It is said that these words were written by Fan Zhongyan. 

At night, the Baziqiao Bridge seems to be a pair of new moons crossing the Xionghe River and Yanhe River. The stars, the bright moon, the bridge shadow and the waves reflect each other.

When you stand at the top of the bridge and reading the poet of Fan Zhongyan, “谁道西溪小,西溪出大才……”, you will be charmed by the poetic and paintings and you seem to be in the fairytales. Of course, you could feel it when you come to the bridges by yourself.

Xixi Baziqiao is Fan Zhongyan and skillful craftsmen of Song Dynasty creating the boutique with natural conditions to layout the design. It achieves the harmony and unity of practicality and aesthetics with its ingenious conception and exquisite works, and with its ingenious conception and exquisite construction technology. There is reputation of “Stepping on the top of two bridges by one step and two bridges lead to three banks”. It is treasure wealthy left by Fan Zhongyan to Xixi people.

Xixi Baziqiao Bridge is built more than 10 and 20 years earlier than the Baziqiao Bridge in Jiaxing, Zhejiang and the double-bridge in Zhouzhuang, Kunshan, respectively. It deserves to be a treasure of ancient bridges in our country and can be regarded as an absolute legacy.  

 

 

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