The North and South New Bridges over the Xicheng Canal

The North and South New Bridges over the Xicheng Canal

The North and South New Bridges over the Xicheng Canal are protected cultural heritage sites of Jiangsu Province.

The North and South New Bridges over the Xicheng Canal are located in Jiangyin City. They date back to the Ming Dynasty.

The South New Bridge is located at the southern end of Qingyang Town’s south street, next to the former Wanyuan Textile Factory, spanning the old Xicheng Canal, and is also known as the Sanyuan Bridge. The South New Bridge, the Middle New Bridge (Qingyang Bridge), and the North New Bridge are all in Qingyang Town. Together with the original Catholic church, they form a scenic landmark of Qingyang Town and are iconic buildings of ancient Qingyang. The South New Bridge was built in the sixth year of the Jiajing reign during the Ming Dynasty (1527), funded by Zhang Ji, the then magistrate of Jiangyin. The Yingxiu Bridge (North New Bridge), built at the same time, shares the same specifications and bridge type. The South New Bridge is 34.5 meters long, with a clear span of 11.0 meters, an arch apex elevation of 10.8 meters, a deck width of 3.5 meters, and a base width of 4.5 meters. The east slope has 36 steps leading to a landing, which then splits into 8 steps descending southward and 8 steps descending northward. The west slope has 39 stone steps. In the forty-seventh year of the Wanli reign (1619), the South New Bridge was renamed the Sanyuan Bridge. According to the Jiangyin County Annals from the Daoguang reign of the Qing Dynasty: “During the Kangxi era (1662–1722), Ma Ziqiu and Tao Yuxian donated funds for repairs.” It was renovated twice more, in the twenty-third year of the Qianlong reign (1758) and the first year of the Xianfeng reign (1851). In the eighth year of the Republic of China (1919), Ge Fengchi, a notable figure from Qingyang, and others funded its reconstruction.

Unlike the North New Bridge, the Sanyuan Bridge’s structure is mainly composed of granite. Another distinctive feature of the Sanyuan Bridge is that its arch slightly exceeds a semicircle, forming an "8" shape together with its reflection in the water. This type of arch bridge design is also referred to as a "horse hoof shape."

The North New Bridge is located at the northern end of Qingyang Town’s north street, spanning the old Xicheng Canal. It is also known as the Yingxiu Bridge or the Ningxiu Bridge. The old Xicheng Canal, which flows through Qingyang Town, was historically also called the Grain Transport River or the Canal River. The North New Bridge was built in the sixth year of the Jiajing reign (1527) under the construction of Magistrate Zhang Ji. This bridge was built in the same era and year as the South New Bridge (also known as the Sanyuan Bridge). The two bridges are the same size and share the same design, making them sister bridges. In the forty-seventh year of the Wanli reign (1619), Jiao Zheng reconstructed the bridge. The reconstructed Yingxiu Bridge has now stood for 385 years. In the first year of the Xianfeng reign (1851), local townspeople contributed funds for another renovation. In 2005, the Jiangyin municipal government allocated 300,000 yuan, and the Qingyang government carried out major repairs. The Yingxiu Bridge is constructed from Suzhou Jinshan stone. It is 9.3 meters high, 21.4 meters long, with a clear span of 11 meters, a deck width of 3.5 meters, and a base width of 4 meters. The east slope has 30 stone steps, and the west slope has 20. The apex of the arch is 10 meters above the water. Atop the bridge sit four lively little stone lions serving as column capitals, adding a charming touch.

The North New Bridge features two pairs of playful stone lions atop the bridge’s column capitals. However, due to human damage, some have broken limbs, which were later repaired with cement. The North New Bridge’s arch structure, railing drum stones, and particularly its column capitals are unique—the tops of the pillars are not flat, as is common, but slanted to match the incline of the bridge slopes.

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

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of Provincial Cultural Heritage Protection Units of Jiangsu Province