Fuyuan Bridge

Fuyuan Bridge

Fuyuan Bridge is a cultural relic protection unit of Jiashan County.

Fuyuan Bridge is located at the junction of Dangshang and Dongxubang in Nancun Village, Yaozhuang Town. Dating back to the Qing Dynasty, it is classified as an ancient architectural structure.

According to the 1884 Jiashan County Annals, Fuyuan Bridge, commonly known as Tengjia Bridge, was rebuilt in the tenth year of the Tongzhi reign (1871) through donations raised by local resident Shen Honghui and others. It was designated as a county-level cultural relics protection unit in June 2010. Covering an area of 34 square meters, it is a single-arch stone slab flat bridge running from north to south across Tengjia River. The bridge is 16.1 meters long, with a deck width of 1.8 meters and an abutment width of 2.4 meters. The piers are constructed of stacked stone blocks, and the deck is paved with three stone slabs. There are 16 steps on both the northern and southern ends. Fuyuan Bridge is the oldest documented stone bridge in Yaozhuang and serves as a physical example for the study of ancient bridges in the water town region.

Historical records indicate that the original northern abutment of Fuyuan Bridge had a pavilion, which was formerly a Guan Yu Temple. It was renovated in the 1950s, and the beams bear an inscription dating back to the twelfth year of the Daoguang reign (1832). Although the bridge has been reconstructed, its long history and improper use have significantly affected its overall appearance, and partial repairs could not resolve the fundamental issues. To protect this historic bridge, the Yaozhuang Town Government, in coordination with the County Cultural Relics Protection Office, commissioned Suzhou Taihu Classical Garden Architecture Co., Ltd. to carry out restoration work on Fuyuan Bridge. Based on thorough investigation and evaluation, the project aimed to preserve the bridge’s original material composition to the greatest extent possible, ensuring the retention of its original form, materials, and craftsmanship. Every effort was made to authentically and completely maintain the historical appearance and architectural features of the original bridge. The restoration was completed and passed inspection in 2014.

On June 7, 2010, Fuyuan Bridge was designated as a cultural relics protection unit of Jiashan County.

Yaozhuang Town: Located in the northeastern part of Jiashan County, known as the "Silver Jiashan," Yaozhuang lies 80 kilometers east of Shanghai, 98 kilometers west of Hangzhou, and 90 kilometers north of Suzhou. Covering a total area of 30.8 square kilometers, the town administers nine administrative villages and one community neighborhood committee, with a total population of 30,000, including 10,000 "new Jiashan residents." The terrain in the town is flat, the land fertile, and the climate mild with distinct seasons, earning it the reputation of a "land of fish and rice." It is projected that in 2006, the town achieved a gross production value of 950 million yuan, with a combined industrial and agricultural output value of 7.5 billion yuan — including 7.22 billion yuan from industry and 280 million yuan from agriculture, and fiscal… More detailed information about Yaozhuang Town++