Eight character Bridge

Baziqiao is known as "the oldest overpass in China". Shaped like eight characters, it skillfully connects three rivers converging here. Some people say that the design features of the eight character bridge are to conform to the existing layout of streets and houses in Shaoxing City, to make good use of the terrain, not to demolish houses or change streets, to solve the traffic problems and not to build large-scale buildings in the city. Eight hundred years later, the old bridge is still peaceful. Every place built will become a fine one, which may be used today. Standing on the bridge - eyeful bridge, water, people. Quiet, quiet, lively and vivid. Occasionally glimpses of Zhenhe people's daily life, it seems that they are back to the age of simplicity and purity. The harmonious environment makes people feel that the culture of Shuixiang should be like this.

Eight character Bridge

Baziqiao is located at the east end of Baziqiao straight street, Jishan street, Yuecheng District, Shaoxing City, Zhejiang Province. It is located between Guangning bridge and dongshuang bridge, a historical and cultural block of Baziqiao.

It was built before the Jiatai period of the Southern Song Dynasty (1201-1204)

. The two bridges are opposite and oblique, and they are shaped like eight characters, so they are named after each other.

The structure of the eight character bridge is a stone beam bridge, which is built at the confluence of the three rivers. It is composed of the main bridge and the auxiliary bridge, with a total of four groups of steps.

It is designed for the four-way slope of the intersection of three streets and three rivers. In the east of the bridge, the South and north slopes are in the shape of eight characters. The west of the bridge is the West and south slope. In the shape of an octagon. The southward slope of the two ends of the bridge is also octagonal.

The eight character bridge is one of the symbols of Shaoxing's history and culture.

The structure of Bazi bridge is simple and stable, which reflects the maturity of bridge construction technology in Shaoxing area of Southern Song Dynasty. It is an important example for the study of bridge construction technology in Song Dynasty and Chinese bridge history.

On June 25, 2001, the Bazi bridge was announced by the State Council of the people's Republic of China as the fifth batch of national key cultural relics protection units.

Historical evolution

The eight character bridge was built before the Jiatai period of the Southern Song Dynasty (1201-1204)

. The two bridges are opposite and oblique, and they are shaped like eight characters, so they are named after each other.

In the fourth year of Baoyou in the Southern Song Dynasty (1256), the eight character bridge was rebuilt.

According to Qianlong Fu Zhi, in 1763, Yang Zhousheng rebuilt the eight character bridge.

In 1783, the Bazi bridge was rebuilt.

In May 1922, the eight character bridge was repaired.

In January 1962, the small pier on the west side of the Bazi bridge was washed down by the flood, which made the steps of the bridge collapse and the stones of the bridge body split. The cultural relics department of Shaoxing County applied for special funds for rush repair.

In 1982, Shaoxing cultural relics management committee carried out comprehensive repair according to the damage of the Bazi bridge. For the damaged foundation and bridge body, the machine core high-pressure shotcreting and high-standard cement are used to make the internal structure close, and the external block stone is used to fill the reinforcement. The damaged stone railings, stone columns and boulders are replaced, and the East-West two small rivers are restored.

Architectural features

structure

The structure of the eight character bridge is a stone beam bridge, which is built at the confluence of the three rivers. It is composed of the main bridge and the auxiliary bridge, with a total of four groups of steps. The main bridge tunnel has a clear span of 4.5 meters and a height of 4 meters. There are 9 stone columns on both sides. The stone column has a slight side foot and faces outward. The lower end of the stone column is inserted into the groove of the foundation stone. The top of the stone is close to the diamond wall on both sides, and the bridge pier is formed close to the diamond wall. The top of the stone columns on both sides of the bridge opening is set with one big stone as the abutment stone, and the top of the abutment stone is chiseled with the replacement beam groove, and the bridge is built with the replacement beam wood. Because of the long history, the timber of the substitute beam has rotted away, leaving only the trough of the substitute beam. Seven large stone beams are erected on the abutment stone to form a micro arch bridge in the form of moon beam. The stone pillars, abutment stones and large stone beams are connected by mortise and tenon. The bridge opening of the auxiliary bridge is a beam type hole with small shape and no column in the hole. The bridge deck is paved with stones side by side.

The main bridge of Baziqiao is east-west, across Jishan River, with West steps leading to Baziqiao street; at the east end, there is a platform, which is divided into two groups of North-South steps to avoid houses along the river. At the east end, the South steps connect a small bridge, crossing jinjianlou and leading to the East Riverside of dongshuangqiao; at the North step, it leads to the riverside of Baziqiao. The southwest step of the main bridge is the auxiliary bridge, which crosses the duanhetou and connects the West Riverside of dongshuangqiao.

In the south, two roads are connected with the roads on both sides of the main river. One road on the West Bank of the South crosses the river, one road on the West connects the straight street of the Baziqiao, and the other road on the East Bank of the main river and the East Bank of the South is on the same line, which is divided into North and south slopes.

Both sides of the eight character bridge are steps. The East Pier of the bridge is close to the residential buildings and steps down the river. One is along the river bank and goes down to Guangning Qiaozhi street in the north, and the other is on the East Riverside of dongshuangqiao in the south. In addition to the steps from the Baziqiao street to the main bridge, there are also steps on the West Bank of dongshuangqiao bridge. Under the steps leading to the east bank and the West Bank of dongshuangqiao bridge, there are also one beam type bridge openings. All the steps on the piers, like the main bridge, are built with stone railings and watchposts on both sides.

The construction area of the bridge deck is 322.5 square meters, the length of the bridge is about 16.40 meters, and the width of each section is different. The east end is 3.14 meters wide, the middle is 3.30 meters wide, and the west end is 3.65 meters wide. Five large stone beams are laid in the middle opposite to the bridge opening, which is slightly high. Therefore, there are road blocks on both sides, grade 1 in the East and grade 2 in the West. There are 6 watchposts on both sides, which are basically symmetrical. There are 2 at the west end of the bridge deck and 4 at the east end of the bridge deck, which are shared with the stomp.

On the east side of the bridge, the stampede is divided into North and South roads. On the north side, the stampede is 18.80 meters long and 3.78 meters wide. There are 14 steps of stampede with different depths. The columns on both sides are symmetrical, with 4 columns on each side. The total length of the South stampede is 10 meters, and there are 13 steps of stampede. The two pillars on both sides are basically symmetrical except that the two pillars on the north end (top) and the west side are parallel. There are four pillars on the east side, five pillars on the west side, and the second, third and fourth pillars form a right angle. The stampede extends below the Baogu stone.

The overall length of the west facing road stamp of the bridge is 17 meters. The upper end is 3.65 meters wide and the lower end is 3.57 meters wide. There are 13 steps of the stamp. There are three symmetrical pillars on each side. The stamp extends to about 10 meters below the Baogu stone.

The total length of Stamou on the southwest side of the bridge is 15.80 meters, the upper end is 2.15 meters wide, and the lower end is 2.30 meters wide. There are 17 steps of Stamou, four columns on each side are symmetrical, and there are drum stones at the end.

characteristic

As one of the main waterways of Yuecheng in ancient times, the Baziqiao luliansan road connects the north and the south, the Jianhu Lake in the South and the Hangzhou ancient canal in the north. It is located at the intersection of three streets, three rivers and four roads. The bridge is a stone beam bridge with stone pillars and piers in east-west direction. It falls on all sides in three directions, and the second bridge tunnel is set under the second slope, which solves the complex traffic problems.

Special slope structure: the eight shaped bridge has a four-way slope design to adapt to the complex environment of the intersection of three streets and three rivers. In the east of the bridge, the South and north slopes are in the shape of eight characters. The west of the bridge is the West and south slope. In the shape of an octagon. The southward slope of the two ends of the bridge is also octagonal.

There is a bridge in the bridge with special structure: there is a bridge hole under the south two slopes of the eight character bridge, and the two slopes become two small bridges. "Two bridges in eight characters" means that the main bridge and the small bridge on one side are in eight characters with the small bridge on the other side.

The design features of Bazi bridge conform to the existing layout of streets and houses in Shaoxing City, make good use of the terrain, do not demolish the house, do not change the street, not only can solve the traffic problems, but also will not cause great construction in the city.

Cultural relics

On the outside of the bridge, there are two layers of stone, slightly in the shape of moon beam. The stone railings are engraved with the names of the bridge donors. The head of the column is carved in the shape of a lotus, which means "to save all living beings". The cloud arch bucket is used under the staff. The fifth stone column on the west side of the eight character bridge is engraved with the words "shibaoyou Bingchen, built on a auspicious day in mid winter".

At the corner of the stone wall under the bridge, there are traces worn out by the rope.

History and culture

Legends and anecdotes

Bazi bridge, also known as Bashi bridge, is said to have been built with the donation of eight believers at that time.

Cultural relic value

As one of the symbols of Shaoxing's history and culture, Bazi bridge is known as "Overpass" in ancient China.

The location and layout of the Bazi bridge reflected the densely populated residential environment and the frequency of economic activities in Shaoxing at that time. The structure of Bazi bridge is simple and stable, which reflects the maturity of bridge construction technology in Shaoxing area of Southern Song Dynasty. It is an important example for the study of bridge construction technology in Song Dynasty and Chinese bridge history.

Cultural relics protection

In September 1961, the people's Committee of Shaoxing County announced the Baziqiao as a key cultural relic protection unit at the county level.

In March 1963, the people's Committee of Zhejiang Province announced the Bazi bridge as a key cultural relics protection unit at the provincial level, which was under the full-time protection and management of Shaoxing County Cultural Relics Management Committee.

On June 25, 2001, the Bazi bridge was announced by the State Council of the people's Republic of China as the fifth batch of national key cultural relics protection units.

Tourism information

geographical position

Baziqiao is located at the east end of Baziqiao straight street, Jishan street, Yuecheng District, Shaoxing City, Zhejiang Province.

Opening Hours

all day.

Ticket Price

None.

Traffic information

Shaoxing City Bus: take bus 8, 21, 22, 25, 3

Chinese PinYin : Ba Zi Qiao