Lijia Tower slab bridge

Lijia Tower slab bridge

Lijia Tower slab bridge is a cultural relic protection unit of Yuyao City.

Lijia Tower slab bridge is located in Lijia Tower Village, Luting Township. It is a stone-pier roofed slab bridge, notable for its unique structure and distinct local characteristics.

The southern regions of the Yangtze River receive abundant rainfall and experience changeable weather. Bridges serve as essential pathways and iconic features of the water towns. Pavilions provide travelers with places to rest and take shelter from the rain. Lijia Tower slab bridge uniquely integrates a shelter into the bridge structure, combining the functions of a bridge and a pavilion, greatly benefiting those who pass through.

The bridge is 27.7 meters long and 4.5 meters wide. Its piers consist of six massive stone beams, each 8.95 meters tall, standing vertically in the stream. A single horizontal stone beam is laid on top to connect the piers and prevent them from collapsing. The entire bridge has only one pier, giving it a side profile that resembles a golden rooster standing on one leg. Ten large logs are laid flat across the pier and anchored to both riverbanks, with wooden planks nailed on top to form the bridge deck. The bridge is covered with ten bridge houses about 4 meters high. The roof trusses combine raised beams and through-tenon techniques, creating a corridor-like central section. The wooden rafters are topped with small green tiles. The sides of the bridge are enclosed with wooden railings, and the lower parts are shielded with wooden boards. Originally, there was a nunnery at the southern end of the bridge, which used the bridge as a symbol of universal salvation, adding a vivid Buddhist atmosphere to the temple.

The construction date of Lijia Tower slab bridge is unknown, but based on its architectural features, it is believed to date back to the late Qing Dynasty.

Lijia Tower slab bridge was designated as a cultural relic protection unit of Yuyao City in October 1987.

Lijia Tower Village: Located at the eastern edge of Luting Township, Lijia Tower Village is 2 kilometers from the township government seat, 38 kilometers from Yuyao city center, and 46 kilometers from Ningbo city center. It was formed by merging the former Lijia Tower Village and Dongfengshan Natural Village. The village has a total of 410 households, with a population of 1,100 people. It is divided into 9 villager groups, with 36 villager representatives, 46 CPC members, 24 Communist Youth League members. The village has a total of 446 acres of arable land (including 52 acres of dry land) and 5,180 acres of forestland (including 2,892 acres of bamboo forest). The collectively managed mountain area covers 637 acres, and there is a chestnut base spanning 150 acres. … Lijia Tower Village detailed information++