Nine Lions Bridge

Nine Lions Bridge

Nine Lions Bridge is a cultural relic protection unit of Shaoxing City.

Nine Lions Bridge in Shangyu, Shaoxing, Zhejiang

Location: 500 meters southwest of Fenghui Town, Shangyu City, Shaoxing

Period: Jiading 7th Year — Yuan Zhi Zheng Era — Ming Wanli Era

Listed as a Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit in 1997

The "Shaoxing Prefecture Annals · Construction Records II · Bridges · Shangyu County" published in the 57th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty records: Nine Lions Bridge (from "New Chronicles of Yu Yue") is located in front of Dengci Temple east of the county (Shangyu County Annals). It was rebuilt as a stone arch bridge during the Yuan Zhi Zheng era. (Huang Hezhong’s poem on Nine Lions Bridge: “For years I tired climbing the perilous steps; the success of stacked stones is truly verifiable. Nine lions stand in the columns preserving old tales; four-horse carriages await new inscriptions. Gazing down the long river, many splashes fly; along the high bank, broken sections lie in rows. Many thanks to the old monk who revived the ruined; all scenic marvels are entrusted to the monastery.”) According to the Jiatai Annals, Dengci Temple Bridge, one li east of the county, is none other than Nine Lions Bridge.

The "Shangyu County Annals · Bridges and Ferries" published in the 17th year of the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty records: Nine Lions Bridge is located in front of Dengci Temple east of the county (from "New Chronicles of Yu Yue"), which collapsed long ago. In the Yuan Zhi Zheng Year of the Guiwei cycle, monks Yongyi, Liangyu, Puyi, Sier, and Dakui of the temple raised funds to rebuild the stone arch bridge (Zhengtong Annals). Shen Kui’s supplementary note states that the inscription on Nine Lions Bridge reads “Repaired on the sixth day of the second month in the year Jiaxu, the seventh year of Jiading,” yet this bridge is not recorded in the Jiading Annals. The Zhengtong Annals say that the stone arch bridge was repaired during the Zhi Zheng era, so Nine Lions Bridge must have been renamed during the Yuan Dynasty. The Dengci Temple Bridge from the Jiatai Annals refers to this one. A poem by Yuan Dynasty’s Huang Hezhong reads: “For years I tired climbing the perilous steps; the success of stacked stones is truly verifiable. Nine lions stand in the columns preserving old tales; four-horse carriages await new inscriptions. Gazing down the long river, many splashes fly; along the high bank, broken sections lie in rows. Many thanks to the old monk who revived the ruined; all scenic marvels are entrusted to the monastery.”

The 1990 edition of the "Shangyu County Annals · Culture · Cultural Relics and Scenic Sites" records: Nine Lions Bridge is located on the street river of Fenghui Town. Originally named Dengci Temple Bridge, it was named after Dengci Temple. After being rebuilt by monks from Dengci Temple during the Yuan Dynasty, it was given its current name. It is a single-arch stone bridge, 26.85 meters in total length, 6.3 meters in overall height, and 8.8 meters in width. The arch is built with voussoirs laid longitudinally in a continuous pattern, with a clear span of 9.95 meters. Its compact structure and classic style make it one of the county’s most renowned ancient bridges.

Also known as Dengci Temple Bridge, Nine Lions Bridge is now located 500 meters southwest of Fenghui Town, Shangyu City. It runs north-south, connecting with East Main Street and East Small Street, spanning the street river. The street river beneath the bridge is a tributary of the ancient Xiaoshao-Yong Canal’s Forty-Li section.

Nine Lions Bridge is a single-arch stone bridge. Its original construction date is unknown. It was repaired in Jiading 7th Year of the Southern Song Dynasty, rebuilt in the third year of the Yuan Zhi Zheng Era, and renamed Nine Lions Bridge. It was repaired again in the 11th year of the Ming Wanli Era. The current bridge is the result of reconstructions during the Yuan and Ming Dynasties. The bridge is 26.85 meters long, 8.8 meters wide, with a clear span of 9.95 meters and an arch rise of 6.3 meters. The bridge deck is paved with flat stone slabs laid in a staggered pattern. Guardrails are installed on both sides of the center, with the outer side of the railing panels engraved with the bridge name “Nine Lions Bridge.” Stone steps are set at both ends of the bridge: the south side has 26 steps over a slope length of 10.8 meters, while the north side has 29 steps over a slope length of 12.25 meters. Long flagstones are laid directly along both sides of the steps without guardrails. The arch structure is distinctive, using horizontally laid and staggered stone slabs — a rare masonry technique for arched bridges, unique in the Shaoxing area. Two long tie stones are present, both with plain fronts. On the west side of the southern abutment wall, stone slabs bear inscriptions: one noting the repair in the year Jiading 7th (1215), the sixth day of the second month,辛丑 (Xinchou), and another indicating the repair in the first month of the 11th year of the Ming Wanli Era.

Nine Lions Bridge features a broad deck, which is very rare among single-arch bridges in Zhejiang, reflecting the bustling market activity at the bridgehead in its heyday. As the oldest stone arch bridge in Shangyu, it holds significant value for the study of stone arch bridges in the Shaoxing region during the Song and Yuan periods. It was listed as a Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit in 1997.

Fenghui Town: Fenghui Town is an industrial powerhouse, agricultural hub, and cultural landmark in Shangyu City, Zhejiang Province — one of China’s top 100 counties in comprehensive economic strength. Located in the southeastern part of Shangyu City, the town covers an area of 118 square kilometers, governs 79 administrative villages and 6 neighborhood committees, and has a permanent population of 54,000. Fenghui Town boasts a long history and has produced many notable figures. As early as the 2nd year of the Tang Changqing era (822 AD), it served as the seat of Shangyu County government, with a history of over 1,100 years. Well-preserved cultural relics include the Confucius Temple built in the Song Dynasty, Nine Lions Bridge from the Yuan Dynasty, and the Qian Family Mansion from the Ming Dynasty. Wei Boyang, the father of chemistry… More details about Fenghui Town ++

Further Reading:

· Fourth Batch of Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units