Dapeng Bridge

Dapeng Bridge

Dapeng Bridge is a cultural heritage site protected by Cixi City.

Dapeng Bridge is a typical beam-style stone bridge in the Jiangnan water town style, located in Dapeng Village, Sanbei Town, Cixi City, spanning Menqian River from east to west. The bridge is constructed entirely of strip stones, featuring three planks and two railings, with six steps on each side, a total length of 6 meters, and a width of 3 meters. It has a sturdy structure and a simple form. On both sides of the bridge railing, there are two square baluster posts, with the outer side engraved with the three large characters “Dapeng Bridge,” and smaller inscriptions reading “Reconstructed in the eighth month of the first year of the Xuantong reign” and “Reconstructed on the auspicious day of the Gui month, Xuantong year Jiyou.” The bridge gate pillars are adorned with ring-holding taotie motifs. The southern couplet reads: “Amidst the midstream, the gushing waters surge three thousand zhang; Ascending to Dapeng Mountain, countless layers lie ahead.” The northern couplet reads: “Receiving the scroll, I seek the traces of the Marquis of Liu; Inscribing the pillar, I lament my lack of Sima’s talent.” The southern couplet takes natural scenery as its theme, vividly depicting the landscape around Dapeng Bridge; the northern couplet draws on historical figures to express the author’s thoughts and emotions at the time of composing the verses. It can be said that every word is as precious as a jewel, and the couplets are ingeniously paired. According to interviews conducted during the 1983 cultural relics survey, the couplets were authored by Hong Yunxiang, known as the “Foremost Talent of Sanbei.”

There are no records in historical texts regarding when Dapeng Bridge was first built. According to the elders of the Sun family, it was built by the “Sun Family’s Grandmother.” During the 1982 cultural relics survey, a Qing Dynasty stele from the 49th year of Qianlong (1784), “Stele of the Women’s Ancestral Hall of Yan Yi Tang,” was discovered inside the Sun family ancestral hall. This stele dates from the same period as the construction of the ancestral hall. Since the Sun family ancestral hall was built in the 49th year of Qianlong, which aligns with the records in the “Zhennan County Annals,” it suggests that the construction of Dapeng Bridge may not be directly related to Yang Wenli, the wife of Sun Sheng from the Sun family of Henghe in Sanbei, who was known for nurturing “three grand secretaries and one imperial censor” during the Ming Dynasty. Therefore, the so-called “Sun Family’s Grandmother” likely refers to someone else. Some scholars also believe that the couplet inscribed on the bridge, which mentions “seeking the traces of the Marquis of Liu,” leads to an inference about Zhang Liang (Lord of Liu), suggesting that “Zhang Liang (Marquis of Liu) and Xu Fu (Lord of Junfang) were both the eighth-generation disciples of Mohism sent to distant lands as spiritual envoys. Among these envoys, aside from Zhang Liang, the others were key figures in eastward maritime expeditions.” They further speculate that “the bridge was named Dapeng Bridge to commemorate Xu Fu’s arrival at Penglai Mountain from Dapeng Mountain.” According to investigations, the Dapeng and Jiao Lake areas are home to many temples dedicated to lords and marquises, such as the Temple of Zhang Fei, Lord of Huan, and the Temple of Huang Zhong, Lord of Gang, but notably absent is a temple dedicated to Zhang Liang. Since it is not uncommon for poems and couplets to draw parallels between the past and present, this couplet alone cannot confirm whether the bridge has any direct or indirect connection to Zhang Liang.

During the Qing Dynasty, Dapeng Bridge was located within the territory of “Situ Yitu” in Zhenhai’s Xixu Township. Reviewing the Republican-era “Zhennan County Annals,” it is noted that there were over eighty recorded bridges within Xixu, yet Dapeng Bridge is nowhere to be found. What could be the reason? Could it be that the bridge was originally simple and unremarkable, thus omitted from the records? Or perhaps it had another name and was renamed Dapeng after being reconstructed? Unfortunately, there is insufficient evidence to draw a definitive conclusion. However, Dapeng Bridge, adjacent to the vast waters of Jiao Lake and named after the majestic Dapeng Mountain, boasts picturesque scenery. The bridge gate pillars also feature couplets composed by the renowned modern scholar Hong Yunxiang, carrying profound meaning and blending cultural and natural landscapes into one. It has become an important embellishment to the Dapeng Mountain scenic area. Particularly within this scenic zone, traditional stone bridges with historical, artistic, and scientific research value have become extremely rare. Therefore, protecting Dapeng Bridge is of utmost importance. In December 2003, the People’s Government of Cixi City designated Dapeng Bridge as a cultural heritage site under the fifth batch of protection, erecting a commemorative plaque nearby for public viewing.