Liren Bridge in Wujiang

Liren Bridge in Wujiang

Also known as Deqing Bridge, it is located in the old town center of Xinta, Luxu Town, Wujiang City, spanning the east and west banks of the city river.

The name "Liren" comes from the Analects of Confucius: “It is good to live in a neighborhood where virtue prevails.” It was first built during the Ming Dynasty. After being rebuilt in the fourth year of the Kangxi reign (1665) in the Qing Dynasty, it collapsed. In the 20th year of the Qianlong reign (1755), Jingxuan Gong (Mr. Shangde) and Yu Tian Gong (Mr. Yutian), a philanthropist, planned together and jointly donated 200 taels of silver to rebuild it at a new location, renaming it Deqing Bridge. It was renovated again in the 18th year of the Republic of China (1929). In July of the 21st year of the Republic of China (1932), an additional 1,696 silver dollars were spent for another renovation. On July 29, 1994, it was listed as a cultural relic control unit of Wujiang City.

A single-arch granite beam bridge oriented from east to west. It has a total length of 13.7 meters, a central width of 2.5 meters, an approach width of 3.35 meters, an arch height of 4 meters, and a span of 5.8 meters. There are 14 and 15 stone steps on the eastern and western approaches respectively. On both sides of the bridge deck, there are seven iron railings, which were cast during the 18th year of the Republic of China (1929) renovation. These are connected horizontally with cylindrical iron bars to serve as safety handrails for pedestrians. The iron posts still bear faint inscriptions such as "Made under supervision in Xinta, Wujiang County." The entire set of iron railings features exquisite designs and fine craftsmanship. On the south-facing side of the bridge is the couplet: “In spring, one sees the green of riverside grass; in autumn, one hears the sound of water-lifting devices across thousands of homes.” The term “water-lifting device” (桔槔, also called a “well sweep”) is a primitive water-drawing tool used since the Spring and Autumn period. It consists of a wooden pole balanced on a post, with a bucket tied to one end and a counterweight (or manual force) on the other, moving up and down to draw water from a well. The “sound of water-lifting devices” refers to the noise made by local residents carrying buckets to draw water from the riverbank wharf by the bridge. On the north-facing side of the bridge is the couplet: “Boats ply north and south, earning fortunes; people come and go east and west, bringing in the harvest.” The character “?” (here representing someone delivering meals) refers to those who bring food to farm workers in the fields. This couplet paints a scene where, beneath Liren Bridge, boats travel in all directions, laden with goods, as boatmen engage in busy water transport, exuding the joy of reaping “fortunes”; while on the bridge, elders, women, and children from both banks walk back and forth carrying baskets of fragrant rice to deliver meals and drinks to their hardworking relatives in the fields. Their bustling footsteps express hopes for a “bumper harvest,” as a joyful and intoxicating harvest season is soon to arrive. These two couplets attest that the village of Xinta, situated along the Xinxixi River between the Zuozizhou and Yi’anyizhou polders, was a prosperous agricultural settlement with vibrant traffic and beautiful scenery during the Ming Dynasty and afterward, reflecting the local rural character and profound historical-cultural heritage of Xinta at that time.

Source: Wujiang Archives Bureau