Han Bridge

Han Bridge

Han Bridge is a cultural relic protection unit of Nanjing.

Han Bridge is located in Yanziji Subdistrict, Qixia District, dating back to the Song Dynasty.

Also known as Hanqiao, it is now a cultural relic protection unit of Nanjing. With over 730 years of history, this single-arch stone bridge is currently preserved within the Nanjing Chemical Factory.

Historical records such as the Song Dynasty's "Jingding Jiankang Zhi," the Yuan Dynasty's "Zhizheng Jinling Xinzhi," the Ming Dynasty's "Wanli Shangyuan Xianzhi," and the Qing Dynasty's "Qianlong Shangyuan Xianzhi" all briefly document this ancient bridge as: Han Bridge, located thirty li northeast of the city. Among them, the "Jingding Jian'an Zhi" compiled during the Southern Song Dynasty and the "Shoudu Zhi" published during the Republican era provide more specific and detailed accounts of Han Bridge.

According to the "Jingding Jian'an Zhi": at that time, the area where this ancient bridge stood was under the jurisdiction of Shangyuan County. The main road connected to both ends of the bridge led south to Jiankang City (present-day Nanjing) and north to the Baidu Mountain ferry on the southern bank of the Yangtze River, extending as far as Wulong Mountain and Zhoujia Mountain—making it an important thoroughfare along the southern bank of the Yangtze. To defend against the Jin invasion, the Southern Song court, under the direction of Administrator Yao Xide, established the Ningjiang New Army, consisting of 6,280 soldiers. Eight military garrisons were set up along the riverbank, with Han Bridge being one of them. The eight garrison locations were: Xiashu Garrison, Majiabu Garrison, Shahe Garrison, Hanqiao Garrison, Wangsha Garrison, Xin Kaihe Garrison, Xiashan Garrison, and Wangcaigang Garrison. Yao Xide, styled Fengyuan, was from Tongchuan, Sichuan (present-day Santai County). Known for his integrity, frugality, and deep knowledge of the Six Classics and classical literature, he passed the imperial examination during the Jiading era of the Southern Song and rose to the position of Cenzhi Zhizhi, where he openly submitted memorials advocating resistance against the Jin. He was posthumously honored as Shaobao, and his works include the "Xu Yanxing Lu Zaogao" and "Juzhou Wenji."

During the Qing Dynasty, the Eight Banners troops stationed in Jiankang City also prioritized Guanyinmen, Han Bridge, and Yanziji as key defensive points. This highlights the historically significant strategic location of Han Bridge.

Over its more than 700 years of history, Han Bridge has witnessed numerous changes: the river beneath it has shifted course multiple times, and the bridge itself has collapsed and been rebuilt several times. Originally located north of Xuejiacun, the bridge was later relocated to the side of the Nanjing Chemical Factory auditorium. The original riverbed beneath the bridge had long since silted up and dried, with the entire stonework buried under soil, leaving only the highest part of the bridge exposed above ground. The current bluestone single-arch bridge was reconstructed in 1914, the third year of the Republic of China (lunar year of Jiayin), under the supervision of Sun Furui from Changzhou. On the bridge’s railings, one stone slab is embedded on each side, inscribed with two bold Chinese characters: “Han Bridge.” The upper inscription reads: “Second spring month of Jiayin year,” while the lower inscription states: “Donated and reconstructed by Sun Derui of Changzhou.”

Han Bridge is a cultural relic protection unit of Nanjing.

Yanziji Subdistrict: The Yanziji Subdistrict Office is located at No. 59 Taiping Village. It covers an area of 37.11 square kilometers with a population of 61,125. The subdistrict administers 14 communities: Taiping Village, Jixiang’an, Dianqi Xincun, Huaxian Xincun, Shihua Cun, Zhonghua Cun, Nanhua Xincun, Mufu Shanzhuang, Yanziji, Xiaozhuang, Yanhua Shanzhuang, Jixiang, Xiamiao, and Liutang.

… Detailed information about Yanziji Subdistrict ++