Hangzhou Canal Customs

Author: Gu Xiji
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-05-01
Features: If boats are the main means of transportation that accompany the people of the water villages day and night, then the ancient and solemn bridges are the important transportation facilities found everywhere in the water villages. The Grand Canal connects the north-south waterways, but it also separates the land travel between the two banks of the canal. This seems to be a double-edged sword. Therefore, building bridges of all sizes across the canal water system has become the lifelong wish of the people in this area. The saying "Every village has a river, and every river has a bridge" vividly reflects such a water village landscape.
Traditional bridges are divided into stone bridges, brick bridges, wooden bridges, and bamboo bridges. Compared to them, stone bridges have a longer lifespan. To this day, after so much wind, snow, rain, and erosion of time, the ancient stone bridges that have been lucky enough to survive are mostly covered in scars. Strolling across the ancient stone bridges in the Grand Canal water system, admiring the fortune of the land and the lingering charm, one cannot help but be filled with endless reverie.
Tangqi Ancient Town was once known as having "thirty-six and a half bridges," showing how many bridges there were there. Some ancient bridges no longer exist today, but new ones have joined their ranks over time. By 1982, the entire town had 57 bridges, indicating that the number of bridges has only increased. Among them, the most famous is undoubtedly the Guangji Bridge, which crosses the town and spans the Grand Canal.
The Guangji Bridge is also known as the Tongji Bridge and the Baitian Bridge. The local people simply call it the Long Bridge. There are 169 stone steps on the bridge, and it is 83 meters long, making it a seven-arch bridge, which is rare among ancient bridges on the Grand Canal. The date of its original construction is unknown. According to folklore, it was built by the Tang Dynasty general Yuchi Gong, although this has not yet been confirmed, it undoubtedly added to the bridge's prestige. It was rebuilt during the Hongzhi period of the Ming Dynasty, which is well-documented. In the Jiajing period, the bridge cracked, and the locals donated money to repair it. After that, it collapsed and was repaired repeatedly. Eventually, it survived and is now a provincial-level cultural relic protection unit, making it even more precious.
The Dragon Eye Bridge has a unique name. Legend says that a dragon here wanted to soar, but it was shot in the eye by Liu Bowen, breaking the feng shui. It seems the story is purely fictional, but the bridge name has stuck. There is also a (Bridge of Fulfillment), which is said to have been named to celebrate the completion of the Guangji Bridge. There are too many bridges in Tangqi to count, such as Yuebo Bridge, Yulong Bridge, Cang Bridge, and Sigu Bridge. When their stories are told, the local elders will all become animated and eloquent.