Site of Pu’an Bridge

Site of Pu’an Bridge

The Site of Pu’an Bridge is a protected cultural heritage site of Zhejiang Province.

The Site of Pu’an Bridge is located in Heping Village, Tudian Town, Tongxiang. The actual distribution area of the site covers nearly 10,000 square meters. The site features rich accumulations and is divided into five cultural layers: Layer 2 consists of Shang and Zhou dynasty deposits, Layer 3 is composed of Liangzhu culture remains, Layer 4 is an artificially built ancient earthen mound, and Layer 5 contains remains from the Songze culture, showing a largely continuous development process from the Songze culture to the Shang and Zhou periods.

Since its discovery in 1994, over 600 square meters of the site have been excavated, uncovering 13 houses and 41 tombs. The coexistence of residential and burial areas was a first-time discovery for the Liangzhu culture. Artifacts unearthed include stone tools, jade objects, pottery, bone implements, and animal bones, with some items coated in bright red pigment. The Site of Pu’an Bridge features both living quarters and burial areas. The formation of the earthen mound is related to the daily life and funeral practices of early inhabitants, differing from single-platform cemeteries. Well-preserved architectural remains at the site—such as postholes, wall foundation trenches, and hearths—largely reveal the layout of individual buildings and the overall living landscape of the settlement. The tombs are all single, vertical pit burials oriented north-south. Coffins came in two types: flat-bottomed box-style and round-bottomed dugout canoes. Unearthed artifacts include jade cong, jade bi, jade yue, as well as finely lacquered pottery, painted pottery, and black-glazed pottery.

Archaeologists believe that the relatively intact architectural remains excavated at the Site of Pu’an Bridge fill a gap in the understanding of architecture during the same period and provide important data for studying the settlement patterns of that era.

In March 2005, it was designated as part of the fifth batch of Protected Cultural Heritage Sites of Zhejiang Province.

Heping Village: Located at the southeastern tip of Tongxiang City, Heping Village borders Tudian Town, with the Changshan River to the north. To the south lies Rongxing Village of Tudian Town, and to the west is Baifu Village of Wutong Subdistrict. The village enjoys convenient water and land transportation and has a distinct geographical advantage. With crisscrossing rivers, good water quality, and beautiful surroundings, it is a typical Jiangnan water town area.

Heping Village is under the jurisdiction of Tudian Town, covering an area of 4.23 square kilometers. The village includes 24 natural villages, 741 households, and a total population of 2,985, with 82 Party members. The village currently has over 3,000 mu of arable land, including 2,325 mu of paddy fields and 734 mu of dry land. The soil is rich in organic matter and fertile... More details about Heping Village++

Further reading:

· Fifth Batch of Protected Cultural Heritage Sites of Zhejiang Province