Jihe Bridge

Jihe Bridge

Jihe Bridge is a cultural relic protection unit of Jiangsu Province.

Jihe Bridge is located at the south gate of the Jizi Temple in Jiuli Village, Yanning Town. Also known as the Naihe Bridge, it now stands over the Jiuli Pond, which was originally the former course of the Xiangcao River during the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. Jihe Bridge was first built in the 2nd year of the Zhi Zheng era of the Yuan Dynasty (1342), initiated through fundraising by Monk Fa’an. In the 2nd year of the Jing Tai era of the Ming Dynasty (1451), it was rebuilt as a stone arch bridge, situated at the forefront of the south gate of the then Jizi Temple. The bridge is constructed from bluish-white stone, featuring a single-arch design with longitudinally jointed and parallel-laid stonework. It runs north-south, stands 6.18 meters high, is 22.3 meters long, and 5.5 meters wide. The keystone blocks on both sides of the arch are inscribed with the three characters “Jihe Bridge,” and the lion-faced carvings at the arch corners are rare in the province. Jihe Bridge fully embodies the craftsmanship characteristics of Ming Dynasty stone arch bridges in the Jiangnan region. It remains simple, elegant, and well-preserved, holding significant historical and artistic value.

In 1991, it was designated as a municipal-level cultural relic protection unit of Danyang City by the Danyang Municipal People’s Government.

In 2007, it was designated as a municipal-level cultural relic protection unit of Zhenjiang City by the Zhenjiang Municipal People’s Government.

On December 19, 2011, the Jiangsu Provincial People’s Government listed it as part of the seventh batch of provincial-level cultural relic protection units.

Jiuli Village: Located at the southwestern corner of Danyang City, adjacent to Jintan and Dantu, Jiuli Village is about 15 kilometers from downtown Danyang. It includes three natural villages, has a population of over 2,600, and covers 2,600 mu of land. … More details about Jiuli Village++

Further reading:

· Seventh Batch of Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Units