Wujiang Chuihong Relics Park

Wujiang Chuihong Relics Park

Wujiang Chuihong Relics Park is a cultural tourism attraction.

Wujiang Chuihong Relics Park is located outside the east gate of Songling Town, Wujiang District, Jiangsu Province. The Chuihong Bridge was renowned as the “Longest Bridge in the South of the Yangtze.” The Chuihong Scenic Area is a park built on the ruins of the Chuihong Bridge, covering an area of 6 hectares. A large stone within the park is inscribed with legends about the Chuihong relics, next to which lie two sections of the remnants of the ancient Chuihong Bridge. The scenic area employs classical garden design techniques to shape the spatial experience of the Chuihong landscape, organically integrating the surrounding greenery, the small river, the Chuihong Bridge ruins, and the Huayan Pagoda. It carries forward the garden design characteristics of Ji Cheng, a master landscape architect from the Ming Dynasty, and highlights the local cultural heritage of Wujiang.

The Huayan Pagoda was built in the fourth year of the Yuanyou era during the Song Dynasty (1089), located within the Ningjing Huayan Lecture Temple outside the east gate of the county town. It is a seven-story square pagoda with a pagoda on each of its four sides, commonly known as the Square Pagoda. It collapsed in the early years of the Republic of China. The bricks used to build the pagoda contained hand-written scrolls of the Avatamsaka Sutra, but unfortunately, most of these scriptures have been lost, with some even scattered abroad. The Wujiang Municipal Party Committee and Government listed the reconstruction of the Huayan Pagoda as one of the key government projects in 2004. The reconstruction project commenced in May 2004 and was completed in September 2005. The rebuilt pagoda is a seven-story square pagoda modeled after the Song Dynasty style, with a construction area of 1,119.2 square meters, a height of 51.3 meters, and is both grand and elegant.

The Chuihong Bridge was first built during the Song Dynasty. Initially, it had a wooden deck and spanned 99 arches. During the Yuan Dynasty, it was reconstructed as a stone arch bridge with 72 arches, including three large central arches to allow the passage of large boats. The bridge also featured three pavilions on its deck. With its graceful and lightweight form, it was known as the Longest Bridge in the South of the Yangtze and is also one of China’s famous long bridges. In 1915, it underwent one round of maintenance. After the liberation, it was designated as a Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit in 1957. However, on the evening of May 1967, the Chuihong Bridge collapsed and was not restored, leaving only 17 arches remaining. In 1996 and 2005, the Wujiang Municipal People's Government carried out restoration work on these 17 remaining arches.

Both the Huayan Pagoda and the Chuihong Bridge are iconic cultural relics worthy of remembrance in Wujiang. Today, the new Huayan Pagoda, together with the surrounding greenery, water features, Chuihong Bridge ruins, and the Ji Cheng Memorial Hall, form a distinctive park in Wujiang where residents can relax and reflect on history.

Scenic Area Address: Huayuan Road, Outside the East Gate, Songling Town, Wujiang District, Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province

Transportation: Within Wujiang District, take air-conditioned bus routes 101, 113, 202, 203, etc., and get off at the Chuihong Scenic Area stop.

Taihu New Town (Songling Subdistrict): The administrative region of Songling Subdistrict consists of 10 neighborhood committees from the former Songling Town: Xitang, Beimen, Luxiang First Village, Luxiang Second Village, Dongmen, Chengzhong, Shili, Xiyuanwei, Meishi, and Xiangtai, as well as 5 village committees: Nanshe, Jiangxin, Nanliu, Second Fisheries, and Qiangang; and 9 neighborhood committees from the former Binhu Subdistrict: Aolin Qinghua, Shuixiang, Xinyuan, Suhe, Hubin Huacheng, Longhe, Shuixiu, Changban, and Dongmei, plus 7 village committees: Changan, Ludang, Bula, Liantuan, Gaoxin, Wumo, and Meili. The office of Songling Subdistrict is located within the Hubin Huacheng Neighborhood Committee, at No. 96 Lushang South Road... Detailed information on Taihu New Town (Songling Subdistrict)++