Dongqiao

Dongqiao

Dongqiao is a cultural heritage site protected by Haishu District.

Dongqiao is located on the Nantang River between Qiaojie Natural Village and Xiaduan Natural Village in Dongqiao Village, Dongqiao Town, Haishu District, Ningbo. According to the "Yinzhou County Annals," it was originally built during the Jianlong era of the Song Dynasty, with the current structure dating back to the Qing Dynasty. The bridge spans the Nantang River from east to west and is a single-pier, double-bay wooden covered bridge.

The bridge has an H-shaped layout, with a wooden deck measuring 24.43 meters in length and 6.31 meters in width. The deck features seven covered bays supported by raised beams, with a depth of five bays from north to south and a double-step structure at both ends. The entire bridge is designed as a single-eave, suspended gable roof in an "I" shape. Wooden benches and railings are installed on both the eastern and western sides of the central covered bay. The northern covered bay is three bays wide and four rafters deep, with five stone benches inside. The central bay is connected to the village road and the bridge deck via stone steps. The southern covered bay lacks stone benches but features a covered bay and a Temple of the Earth God on the eastern side, with three stone steps in the center connecting it to the bridge deck.

The bridge pier is boat-shaped, with a pointed front facing the water on the western end, ensuring a stable and scientifically designed structure. To the north of the bridge is a bridge pavilion, which now serves as a village elderly activity center.

With a long history, solid structure, and scientific design, Dongqiao is a masterpiece of ancient bridge-building art and holds significant historical value for the study of local transportation development and settlement growth. It was designated as the eighth batch of district-level cultural heritage sites in Yinzhou District in 2007 and was placed under the jurisdiction of Haishu District following the 2016 administrative division adjustment of Ningbo.

Dongqiao Village: Named after the bridge, Dongqiao Village is located southwest of Ningbo, approximately 23 kilometers away. It lies 3 kilometers west of Yinzhou Town and 2.5 kilometers east of the Dongqiao Town government. The village consists of five natural villages: Hebei, Henan, Wujiazhuang, Qianwangfan, and Lanpuyan, covering a total area of 1.6 square kilometers. It has 579 households and a population of 1,378, with over 1,650 mu of arable land. Dongqiao Village has a long history; archaeological findings suggest human activity dating back to the Neolithic Age. From the Tang Dynasty through the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the village was home to ten major scenic and historic sites, including two bridges (Dongqiao, …). More details about Dongqiao Village++