Chixi Five-Arch Bridge

Chixi Five-Arch Bridge

Chixi Five-Arch Bridge is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Chixi Five-Arch Bridge is located in Guoxi Village, Chixi Town, Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province.

The original construction date of the bridge is unknown, but it was rebuilt in the third year of the Xianchun era during the Southern Song Dynasty (1267). It is a five-span beam-type stone bridge stretching from north to south, though the river channel has now silted up. The bridge is 24.6 meters long and 1.7 meters wide. The piers on both sides of the central span are built of stone, with cutwaters on both the upstream and downstream sides. The bridge piers at the northern and southern ends are each constructed with three square pillars arranged in parallel, topped with a cap beam stone. One side of the central stone beam bears an inscription reading "Rebuilt in the good month of Dingmao, the third year of Xianchun in the Song Dynasty."

The bridge is well-preserved, features a simple and classic design, and has a confirmed construction date, making it an important reference for the study of ancient bridges. In 2006, Chixi Five-Arch Bridge, as an ancient structure from the Song Dynasty, was included in the sixth batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units by the State Council.

Further Reading:

· Sixth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units