Magpie Bridge Painting

Magpie Bridge Painting

　Magpie Bridge Painting, also known as Shuyang Bridge, is located three li north of Xiwu. It was renamed to its current title after being renovated in the 14th year of the Guangxu Emperor’s reign. In 1944, it was raised by one meter, and later by another three meters.

Legend has it that during the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty, the Zhou family in Xiwu, Fenghua, had a golden bamboo garden. In this garden lived a golden bamboo spirit that fell in love with a clam spirit from Clam Pond. When night fell, the clam spirit would climb onto that golden bamboo. Strangely enough, whenever the clam spirit climbed onto the golden bamboo, the bamboo would emit a soft glow.

At that time, there was a Zhang censor from Fenghua who returned home to visit his family. He learned of the golden bamboo spirit. Eager for promotion and wealth, he reported it to the emperor upon returning to the capital. The emperor, upon hearing of such a marvel, was overjoyed and issued an imperial decree ordering Zhang and his men to retrieve the golden bamboo spirit from the Zhou family. With no other choice, the local people had to uproot the bamboo along with its roots, load it onto an official boat, and sail northward along the river toward the capital.

By then, the clam spirit and the golden bamboo spirit had become deeply attached and could not bear to be apart. Upon hearing that the golden bamboo spirit had been taken away, the clam spirit was heartbroken and clung to the bottom of the boat, following it along. Within days, the official boat reached the sea. Unable to tolerate the saltwater, the clam spirit on the hull soon died from the saline. The golden bamboo spirit, stricken with grief, began to wither. By the time the boat arrived at the capital, it was no longer in its former state.

When the emperor saw the withered bamboo, which no longer glowed at night, he assumed that Censor Zhang had deceived him. Without delay, he had Zhang’s head cut off for his crime of lying to the emperor.

After Zhang the censor died, he was reincarnated as a huamei bird (a type of thrush). Feeling too ashamed to face anyone, he flew to the Zhou residence and dashed himself to death against a wall. When the local people learned of this, they still sought to resolve the unresolved tragedy. Behind the golden bamboo garden, they built a bridge and named it Magpie Bridge Painting — symbolizing the hope that the spirits of the golden bamboo and the clam could cross the magpie bridge and be reunited.