Yongji Bridge

Zhuozhou Yongji bridge is located 1.5km north of Zhuozhou City, Hebei Province, and crosses Juma River from north to south. The bridge was first built in the second year of Wanli in the Ming Dynasty (1574 A.D.), named "Jumahe bridge". It was rebuilt in the 16th year of Wanli (1588 A.D.) and rebuilt in the 6th year of Tianqi (1626 A.D.). Later, due to the southward movement of the river, the bridge also collapsed. In 1760, a new jiukong bridge was built in the south of the old bridge and connected with the old bridge. Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty gave it the name of "Yongji", and wrote "the story of rebuilding the stone bridge in Zhuozhou by imperial system" and "the poem and preface of Yongji bridge by imperial system". An approach bridge was built at the end of the bridge, a stone dike was built at the south of the bridge, and 22 culverts were set under it. The old bridge was also built according to the shape of the culvert, making it a "dike like approach bridge" to discharge the flood in summer and autumn.

Yongji Bridge

Yongji bridge in Zhuozhou, the first feldspar arch bridge in China, is a national key cultural relic protection unit. It is located in Beiguan, the ancient city of the first state in the world, across Juma River. In ancient times, it was the only thoroughfare of 18 provinces. The emperor's rush out of Beijing was the place where the governor was tall and graceful, and the south of Beijing was beautiful. Because of its large arch span, beautiful shape, long as a jade belt, and a rainbow crossing both sides from afar, the bridge has the reputation of "resisting horses and rainbow", and is one of the eight scenic spots in Zhuozhou.

Yongji bridge was built in the second year of Wanli in the Ming Dynasty (1574). It was originally called "Juma River Bridge". It was repaired in the 16th year of Wanli (1588) and rebuilt in the 6th year of Tianqi (1626). In the Ming Dynasty, six bridges were built and six bridges were destroyed. During the reign of Chongzhen in the Ming Dynasty, the river moved southward. In 1760, a new bridge was built in the south of the old bridge, which was renamed Yongji. In addition to the approach bridge, Yongji bridge has a total length of more than 627 meters and 50 and 2 culverts, which is the first feldspar arch bridge in the world.

the source is distant and the stream long

Notre Dame Bridge

"Juma River, two miles away from the city, is full of torrential water every autumn. It's too late to travel and drown a hundred people every year. The Empress Dowager read it. There are people in Huizhou who beg to build a bridge. The Virgin Mary worships the gold workers in the palace. A man does not serve the people, and a man does not take money from the government. "

In the Ming Dynasty, Empress Dowager Tzu Sheng, the Virgin mother of the Ming Dynasty, sympathized with the common people and donated the silver in the imperial palace to recruit craftsmen. She did not need the common people to do corvee or the state capital to build the original Yongji bridge on the Juma River, which is thousands of miles away from the capital.

The picture shows the statue of Empress Dowager Tzu in front of the virgin platform in Yongji park.

Qianlong restoration

The ancient Juma River was ferocious and huge. Only in the Ming Dynasty, six Yongji bridges were built and six destroyed. "Zhuozhou Zhi" records: "after Chongzhen, the river moved to the south, pedestrian disease involved. In the 25th year of the reign of Emperor Qianlong, a new nine hole bridge was built in the south of the old river bridge. Two culverts were built under the extended stone dike. The length of the dike was 200 Zhang

According to Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty's the story of rebuilding the stone bridge in Zhuozhou: "Geng Chenchun Jiukong new bridge was moved to the south of the old bridge. Still building stone embankment, under the culvert 20 have two. The decadent old bridge was repaired and replaced by culvert 18. The two hundred Zhang long dike of the new and old bridge

After the reign of Chongzhen in the Ming Dynasty, the Juma River moved southward, so in 1760, a new jiukong bridge was built in the south of the old bridge. An approach bridge was built at the end of the bridge, and a stone dike was built at the south of the bridge with 22 culverts under it. The old bridge was also built according to the shape of the culvert, making it a "dike like approach bridge" to discharge the flood in summer and autumn. The new bridge, together with the approach culvert and the old bridge reconstruction culvert, has a total length of 627.65m and 52 culverts.

Jingnan Xingsheng

Grand View of Zhou

Yongji bridge is a nine hole stone bridge. More than ten approach bridges are built at both ends of the bridge. The main bridge is 153 meters long, and the total length of the whole bridge is more than 627 meters. The main bridge is 7 meters high and 8.5 meters wide. The bridge body is all built with rectangular boulders, and the railings are carved with white marble. The craft is exquisite, and the scale is magnificent.

Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty gave it the name of "Yongji", and wrote "the story of rebuilding Zhuozhou stone bridge by imperial system" and "the poem and preface of Yongji bridge by imperial system".

During his southern tour, Qianlong had a special liking for Zhuozhou, an ancient county. He had been in the city for many times and built a palace. He once granted a memorial archway to the emperor

It is the most difficult state in the world.

The Yongji bridge was rebuilt by Emperor Qianlong, and it is a grand view in the first state in the world

The thoroughfares of the 18 provinces are covered like clouds, fighting for the sufferings of one state,

Two thousand years old county, river beam sunset, parking for a moment, many feelings.

Li Hongzhang, a famous official and governor of Zhili in the late Qing Dynasty, wrote in praise of the inscription of rebuilding Yongji bridge: "Zhuolu is the first state in the south of the capital. Its north gate is called Juma River, and the upper reaches of Baigou are also located. From the clouds, through the Bauhinia pass into the edge, Yan Jin at the junction of mountains, streams vertical and horizontal. Between summer and autumn, when see pan Yong, cover the ground potential ran also. The bridge across the river is called Yongji. The pilgrims from all directions, the tribute envoys to Huanghua, the payment of the scabbard and the call of the feather, and the plan to serve the Jia all come out. "

Resisting Ma Changhong

The ancient county of Zhuozhou is famous all over the world. There is a poem about Yongji bridge in Zhuozhou, which praises the boundless smoky water and the bridge across the shore. Another couplet says: two towers hold the sun and the moon high, and a bridge lies with dragons and snakes.

Yongji bridge in Zhuozhou has a large arch span. It is built with the traditional arched technique of ancient China. It has a beautiful shape and flies over Juma River. It has a huge span, long as jade belt, and looks like a rainbow across both sides. It is known as "Juma Changhong" and one of the "Eight Sights of Zhuozhou".

art beats nature

Dinghai needle hot metal

On the right side of the main culvert on the west side of Yongji bridge stands a square iron pillar, 25 cm long and weighing several tons, with a square knob cast on the top and 6.8 meters above the river bottom. It has an inscription:

In March of the second Gengchen, the 25th year of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, Fang Guancheng, the governor of Zhili, the crown prince, was ordered to rebuild.

The iron pillar is on one side of the bridge, and the bridge stone is chiseled with grooves to fix the iron pillar. According to relevant data, it is called "Zhenqiao", which is the only bridge in Zhuozhou Yongji.

In addition, there is an iron pillar in Zhuozhou Museum, which is similar to the one used in Yongji bridge in Ming Dynasty

The fourth year of the Apocalypse of the Ming Dynasty

What exactly are the two square iron pillars and what are their specific uses? Whether they are the "sea calming needles" of Zhenhe river or the water rules (also known as water records, namely water level gauges) that prompt whether boats can pass through and warn the water level are to be verified.

Boat shaped pier ice chopping sword

The Yongji bridge stands across the river. The ancients divided the water to smooth its flow. Because the river in the North freezes in winter, the whole ice surface will bring great thrust to the bridge foundation driven by the flow under the ice. Therefore, the bridge pier is made into a boat shape, the water (ice) surface is an acute angle, and the cast iron sharp edge is used to protect the bridge pier and split the ice surface. This structure is not only the characteristic of ancient northern bridges, but also the embodiment of the wisdom of ancient craftsmen.

Iron Butterfly and silver Falcon

In the construction of Yongji bridge, the ancient craftsmen also used the traditional butterfly tenon structure. They chiseled the stones that need to be reinforced and combined into an inverted isosceles trapezoid, which together looked like a butterfly. The groove was filled with a metal ingot or stone, forming a pair of unbreakable butterfly tenon and mortise structures. A pair of "iron butterflies" greatly improve the pier's resistance to water flow impact and earthquake resistance, making the ancient bridge stand for hundreds of years.

Comity platform in Scenic Area

There are many emergency parking belts on both sides of modern expressways, which are used to make cars or people stay in an emergency. The ancients also had such consideration when building bridges. They added a wide platform at the end of the bridge for passers-by to have a rest and enjoy the scenery. When there was a collision between the car frames, they could also stop and wait to pass politely. This design is available on both sides of Yongji bridge.

Rutting deep carved fence

As an important thoroughfare bridge in the capital of Ming and Qing Dynasties, Yongji bridge has always been built under the leadership of the royal government. All the bridges are made of rectangular boulders, the heaviest of which is more than two tons. The railings on the bridge deck are carved with white marble. On both sides of the bridge deck, there are ground balustrades, 0.84-meter-high railings and 1.4-meter-high watchposts. The railings are carved with bottles and lotus leaves, and the watchposts are carved with square rolled leaves. The craft is exquisite and the scale is vast.

Over the past 400 years, the ancient stone slab on the bridge deck has made the ox cart and carriage rutted, which is just the mark of history! Despite the vicissitudes of life, the art carved by the craftsmen at that time is still standing on the bridgehead, attracting people to think deeply about the ancient times.

The best in the world

World leaders

Mr. Luo Zhewen, an expert of ancient architecture in China, called the bridge "the first feldspar arch bridge in China". Cultural relic experts believe that the bridge is of large scale, scientific construction, special structure and unique style. The main bridge, the North-South approach bridge, the original buildings at both ends and the Qing Emperor Qianlong's stele show the profound cultural heritage and important historical role of the bridge.

In December 2004, after the exploration and trial excavation of the bridge approach, the total length of the main bridge of Yongji bridge and the North-South approach is about 627.65m. Mr. Luo Zhewen, an expert of ancient architecture in China, inscribed "the first feldspar arch bridge in China". 

On May 25, 2006, Yongji bridge in Zhuozhou became the Sixth Batch of national key cultural relics protection units announced by the State Council.

Yuzan stele Pavilion

On the west side of the road at the north end of Yongji bridge, there is an original stele Pavilion and a stone tablet inside, which is engraved with inscriptions written by Emperor Qianlong in Manchu and Han Dynasties. The stone tablet at the end of the south approach bridge was written by Li Hongzhang himself. There is a big pavilion with eight pillars in the North approach bridge, commonly known as "jiujianting". At the south end of the bridge, there is a plaque on both ends of the bridge

Chinese PinYin : Yong Ji Qiao