Xiao Family Xiaolong Bridge

Xiao Family Xiaolong Bridge

Xiao Family Xiaolong Bridge is a cultural relic protection unit of Zhejiang Province.

Xiao Family Xiaolong Bridge is located in Tangxi Town, Wucheng District, Jinhua City, dating back to the Qing Dynasty.

The Jiangnan region experiences frequent rainfall, with crisscrossing rivers and dense water networks. In ancient times, bridges were indispensable for travel. As early as the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty, Xiao Family Xiaolong Bridge was a vital transportation hub on the ancient Jinhua–Quzhou post road. More than 300 years later, this longest surviving ancient bridge in Wucheng District no longer bustles with the activity of olden days, the once wide Xinfan Stream no longer rushes with strong currents, and even the inscribed characters on the bridge’s side have faded into near illegibility. Nowadays, with convenient travel options, this ancient bridge cannot accommodate vehicles, nor is there a smooth road leading to it. Sometimes, a whole day may pass without a single visitor. Xiaolong Bridge stands like an elderly man weathered by time, gazing at the quietly flowing river, solitary, serene, and tranquil.

I visited the ancient bridge on a deep autumn noon. Xiao Family Village, whose main economic crop is rice, had already entered its busy harvest season. Located northwest of Tangxi Town, Xiao Family Village borders Yangbu and the railway to the north, Xizhu Village to the east, Longyou to the west, and Huangtang Village to the southwest. According to the *Linglan Xiao Clan Genealogy*, Xiao Yuanlu migrated here from Zetou Hall in Lanxi, and the village was named after their ancestor, hence “Xiao Family.” The village administers two natural villages: Xiao Family Village and Xiaolong Bridge Village, with a total of 220 households and approximately 400 residents. The path to Xiaolong Bridge is a narrow, winding gravel road flanked by rice fields—clearly not the local main thoroughfare. After walking through the fields for nearly 10 minutes, I only heard someone nearby shout, “We’re here,” yet all I could see was an endless expanse of golden yellow. “No river, no water—how could there be a bridge?” Then, upon closer inspection, I noticed what appeared to be a stone-paved path stretching into the distance at the far end of the fields, with stone piers supporting the slabs beneath—wasn’t this a bridge?

It turns out that due to the narrowing of the river channel, the Xinfan Stream under Xiaolong Bridge now only flows through four of the bridge’s arches. The bridge has a total of 11 arches; the remaining seven now sit atop a raised riverbed, some overgrown with weeds, others cultivated into farmland. From a distance, these first seven “overpasses” almost blend into the yellow rice fields. Only when you approach the bridgehead can you see the blue water on the other side. This contrast makes the scenery atop the bridge even more picturesque. Standing on the bridge, you can hear the quiet flow of the stream beneath your feet, where aquatic plants thrive and small fish swim in schools. On one side of the bridge are shady trees, and on the other, endless fertile fields. Not far away, you can even spot trains speeding along the Zhejiang–Jiangxi Railway line. Xiaolong Bridge feels like a forgotten corner—you might call it lonely or peaceful. There are no cafés or trendy restaurants within a ten-mile radius. Here, you can bask in the sun and daydream, likely only disturbed by the fish swimming beneath your feet.

Xiaolong Bridge is located about 1 kilometer west of Xiao Family Village in Tangxi Town. Built in the 16th year of the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty (1751), it spans the Xinfan Stream from east to west and is an 11-arch stone beam flat bridge constructed from strip stones. Research indicates that the bridge is 75.3 meters long, making it the longest surviving ancient bridge in Wucheng District. The boat-shaped piers are built with staggered strip stones. According to Xiao Shulin, an 83-year-old villager, the base of the piers was actually laid with raw pine wood, which was then bonded with putty to fix the stones together. “When I was a child and diving in the water, I could indeed feel the pine wood embedded into the riverbed—many people in the village knew about it back then. I think the reason was probably to save on stone material costs, as transporting those strip stones was too laborious.” The upstream-facing sides of the piers are designed with cutwaters; the pointed tips are made of bluestone, while the rest is red sandstone, whereas the downstream piers are square-shaped. At the connection between the piers and the bridge deck, two roughly 0.6-meter-wide strip stones are laid to increase the load-bearing area of the deck. Four parallel bluestone slabs are placed on top to form the bridge surface. The deck is less than 1.5 meters wide, making it unsuitable for cars, though it is said horses could cross during ancient times.

Since its construction, Xiaolong Bridge has withstood multiple floods and even Japanese artillery bombardment during the War of Resistance, yet it still stands firmly over the Xinfan Stream. Over time, it has undergone multiple repairs but currently faces threats such as localized fractures and weathering of the strip stones.

On January 13, 2017, the People’s Government of Zhejiang Province listed it as part of the seventh batch of Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Units.

Tangxi Town: A town under the jurisdiction of Jinhua County. It is a key grain production base and industrial powerhouse in Jinhua County. Established as Jinhua County in the 7th year of the Chenghua era of the Ming Dynasty (1471), Tangxi County was formed in 1951, incorporated into Jinhua County in 1958, reorganized as Tangxi Commune in 1961, changed to a township in 1983, upgraded to a town in 1985, and expanded in 1992 by incorporating the former Dongzhu, Houda, and Zhongdai townships. Located in the western part of the county, it is 25 kilometers from the county seat, covering an area of 104.5 square kilometers with a population of 45,000. The Bai (Longqiao)–Tang (xi)–Xia (Pan) road, National Highway 330, Provincial Road 46 (Lanhe Line), and several county-level roads pass through the area. The town administers Tang… Detailed information about Tangxi Town++

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Units