Beijing ancient bridge

Author: Liang Xinli
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2007-01-01
Features: I found an article I wrote 10 years ago about an ancient bridge and decided to use it as the Preface for this book. The title is "Seeing Another Ancient Beijing Bridge Again." There are many ancient bridges in Beijing, and each has a long story to tell. Among them, seven are classified as national or municipal treasures. One of the "Eight Great Views of Yanjing," "Morning Moon over the Lugou Bridge," is also a famous bridge. Recently, I saw a bridge in the Western Hills. It is both ancient and charming. I decided to write about it in hopes of drawing attention to its importance and ensuring it is well-preserved.
This ancient bridge is built in a deep mountain gully and is a large single-arch stone bridge. In Beijing, among single-arch bridges, the most beautiful is undoubtedly the Jade Belt Bridge, one of the six bridges on the Western Dike in the Summer Palace. It rises dramatically from the water, forming a large humpback arch, which is extremely high and steep, with an elegant and astonishing design. The bridge in the mountain gully is also a single-arch bridge, but it is quite the opposite. The arch is large, but the bridge opening extends downward very deeply, with a relatively flat humpback arch. This is because it is built between two mountains, as if a giant stands with legs spread wide, standing proudly in the gully with an extraordinary presence.
The bridge is made of stone, with large, neatly arranged green stones from bottom to top, showcasing exquisite craftsmanship. It remains standing alone today. This bridge is imposing and majestic due to its size and grandeur. It is not a "small bridge over a stream," but a grand bridge. The radius of the arch is about 3 meters, and below the semicircle, it extends downward another 4 to 5 meters, with a total height of about 8 meters, equivalent to three floors. It is truly spectacular. Such a grand bridge spans the wilderness, with a deep mountain gully below. The rushing stream of a spring flows through strange rocks and stones, creating a breathtaking scene whether viewed up close or from a distance. It is undoubtedly a beautiful sight in the world.
My companions, Li Chengzhi and Ding Chuantao, who accompanied me to see the bridge, told me that it has a history of 800 years. They are both enthusiasts for cultural relics in Shijingshan. That would place it in the mid-Jin Dynasty, almost as old as the Lugou Bridge. The reason is that there was an ancient temple near the bridge, called Shuangquan Temple, which was a summer retreat for the Jin Emperor Zhangzong. The temple was named after two mountain springs flowing nearby. The temple stele records the bridge as the "Wanshan Bridge." The "Exam of Old Scenery Under the Capital" also mentions this bridge in its 104th volume. In the seventh year of the Hongzhi era of the Ming Dynasty (1495), the scholar Qian Fu wrote a stele in honor of the bridge, which was erected exactly 500 years ago. This at least sets the minimum age of the bridge, showing how ancient it truly is.
The bridge is located at the western foot of the Eight Great Views. To reach the Tiantai Mountain on the west side of Shuangquan Temple, one must cross the mountain and a deep ravine, following an ancient pilgrimage path where the Wanshan Bridge was a must-pass bridge. Today, there is a small stone Buddha about half a person tall on the opposite western slope, with an inscribed stone tablet on the right: "Shuangquan Temple monk Yuanxi, with a vow to build a guiding Buddha, the first day of the eleventh month of the tenth year of the Wanli era (Nov. 1, 1582)," which is over 400 years old. This is also strong evidence of the bridge's history.
In the above the bridge, there are several large, dark-green mountain stones with unique shapes, structures, and patterns. It is unclear where they came from, but they serve as a beautiful complement to the bridge. In the deep ravine below the bridge, there is a small pond fed by mountain springs, which remains filled year-round, with fish swimming in it—a picturesque scene. The area around the bridge is filled with cherry trees, apricot trees, fragrant trees, and soap trees. Unfortunately, the local villagers lack the knowledge to cultivate them, leaving the fruits and tender leaves to wither on the trees, showing how isolated the place is from the outside world.
Now, the area is sparsely populated, with most young people having moved to the mountains or into the city. Only scattered stone mills and stone rollers remain, indicating that the place may have once been prosperous. A large stone roller with a 2-meter diameter is still in good condition but has long been abandoned, placed there like an exhibit in a folk museum. It looks a pity, as the stone roller seems to silently narrate the changes of human history.
Today, traveling from the city to the Wanshan Bridge no longer requires climbing over mountains and ridges. Simply head to Shijingshan District, exit Moduokou, reach Sanjiaodian, and follow the mountain road called Heichen Road. Driving up, you can reach the bridge directly. There, you will find mountain springs, an ancient bridge, cherry trees, and stone rollers, all inviting and waiting to be appreciated by today's visitors.
This is the article I mentioned earlier. Recently, I received a letter from a person named Liang Xinli, who has written two books—Beijing Ancient Lions and Beijing Ancient Bridges, both focusing on the Beijing region. He hoped I would be interested in reviewing them. A few days later, he came to visit me with two thick manuscripts. I immediately sat down to read them. He quietly waited nearby and later asked me, "Could you write a preface for me?" Without hesitation, I replied, "Of course." Then I remembered the article I had written earlier and had the idea of using it as the "Preface" for Beijing Ancient Bridges.
I wrote about only one bridge, while Liang Xinli has found over 200 ancient bridges, all accompanied by photographs and detailed descriptions. Many of these bridges are even more spectacular, fascinating, and valuable than the Wanshan Bridge I described. This shows the significance of his book. Moreover, Liang Xinli has listed the names and locations of over 500 disappeared ancient bridges in Beijing. Just this number alone is astonishing. Without a doubt, this is an authoritative work on ancient bridges in Beijing.
There is an intuition that, regarding Beijing's ancient bridges, there is much in common between me and this author. For example: a selection of ancient bridges should be made—note, a whole batch of bridges—recommended to the government for inclusion as key protected sites, with signs installed, even at the district level. The purpose of these signs is to prevent demolition. And preventing demolition is the prerequisite for solving all problems. If water is the lifeblood of a city, then bridges are the markers of these lifebloods—immortal and beautiful markers. Water is a gift from heaven, while bridges are the product of human wisdom and labor. With bridges, there is harmony between heaven and humanity. With bridges, there is connection, interaction, exchange, friendship, and progress. Therefore, we should thank the bridges. We should remember the bridges. We should protect the bridges.