Bulong Bridge

Bulong Bridge

Bulong Bridge is a cultural relics protection unit of Wuxi City.

Bulong Bridge is located in Yuanshangxiangli Village, Xizhu Town, Yixing City. Built in the first year of the Wanli era during the Ming Dynasty (1573), it is said that an emperor once passed over the bridge, hence the name. In November 1996, it was designated as a municipal-level cultural relics protection unit by the Yixing Municipal People’s Government. In June 2006, it was listed as a provincial-level cultural relics protection unit by the Jiangsu Provincial People’s Government.

Bulong Bridge is a single-arch stone bridge oriented from north to south (33° west of due south). It is constructed from bluestone, and its railing consists of four pillars and five sections, with lotus patterns carved on the tops of the pillars. The bridge is 19 meters long, 3.30 meters wide at the center, 3.70 meters wide at the approaches, and has a slope of 14°. The clear span of the arch is 4.60 meters, and the height from the base to the apex is 3.55 meters. Embedded in the arch stones beneath the bridge is a stone stele documenting the bridge’s restoration, inscribed with the three characters “步龙桥” (Bulong Bridge). The inscription reads: “Bulong Bridge, initiated by Ren Yugui, Ren Yuyu, Ren Zhoufeng, and Ren Congsan. Constructed on the auspicious first day of the first lunar month in the first year of the Wanli era.”

Xizhu Town: Xizhu Town is located in the southwest of Yixing City, a renowned pottery capital in China. Situated in the economically developed core area of the Yangtze River Delta and at the center of the Shanghai–Nanjing–Hangzhou triangle, it enjoys highly developed land and water transportation. The town covers a total area of 66.6 square kilometers, comprising 10 administrative villages, 289 villager groups, 9,204 households, and a population of 29,261 as of the end of 2005. Xizhu Town boasts a beautiful environment, abundant resources, and fertile land, making it suitable for industry, agriculture, commerce, and residential living. The town is home to over 100 industrial enterprises, with linen textiles, copper processing, and aluminum processing serving as its pillar industries. The area enjoys distinct seasons, a pleasant climate... More details about Xizhu Town++