Tongli Pu'an Bridge

Tongli Pu'an Bridge

Tongli Pu'an Bridge is a cultural relics protection unit of Suzhou.

Pu'an Bridge. Located at the eastern end of the new revetment, also known as Xiaodongxi Bridge, it is a single-arch bridge running north-south, spanning Hougang. It was first built in the second year of the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty (1369), and was rebuilt during the Hongzhi era (1488–1505) by local residents Gu Kuan and Shen Da. The existing bridge was reconstructed in the 30th year of the Daoguang era of the Qing Dynasty (1850), with a total length of over 21 meters, an arch span of 7 meters, and is entirely constructed from granite, giving it a refined and elegant appearance. The west side of the bridge bears the couplet “A pool of moonlight holds the shadow of the moon” and “The sound of reading from both banks joins the songs of the boatmen,” hence it is commonly known locally as the “Reading Bridge.” This couplet depicts a scene titled “Moon Over Dongxi,” which is one of the Eight Scenic Spots of Ancient Tongli. Pu'an Bridge was listed as a Cultural Relics Control Unit of Wujiang in September 1986, and as a Cultural Relics Protection Unit of Wujiang in December 2008.