Xinfang Bridge

Xinfang Bridge

Xinfang Bridge is a Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Changzhou’s Xinfang Bridge is located on Heping South Road in the downtown area of Changzhou.

Spanning the city river, it is a north-south oriented single-arch stone bridge, measuring 35.2 meters in length, 5.3 meters in width, and 8.6 meters in height. The bridge piers are 6.8 meters wide, and the arch span is 9.5 meters. It was originally built in the first year of the Datong era during the reign of Emperor Wu of Liang (535), rebuilt during the Huangqing era of the Yuan Dynasty, and underwent renovation in the eleventh year of the Hongzhi era of the Ming Dynasty (1498). Later, due to damage to the bridge deck, it was refurbished again in 1986.

The original stone stele inscribed with “Record of the Renovation of Xinfang Bridge” by Zhu Yu has been lost. The arch is constructed using the method of segmented parallel courses, with granite slabs forming the arch. The piers are also built from stone slabs, and the bridge deck features granite cloud-patterned balusters and ring-patterned railings.

On December 19, 2011, the Jiangsu Provincial People's Government announced it as part of the seventh batch of Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Further reading:

· Seventh Batch of Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units