Ling Bridge

Ling Bridge

Ling Bridge is a cultural relic protection unit of Zhejiang Province.

Ling Bridge is located at the confluence of three rivers in Haishu District, Ningbo, spanning the lower reaches of the Fenghua River. Commonly known as the Old River Bridge, it was originally a pontoon bridge formed by linking wooden rafts and is the oldest large-span floating bridge in Ningbo. It was first built during the Tang Dynasty and was once called the Dongjin Pontoon Bridge. Due to its location in a bustling area, Ling Bridge has enjoyed enduring popularity through the ages. Though it was frequently repaired and just as frequently damaged, and damaged again and rebuilt, its unique geographical position, coupled with the fact that wooden floating bridges could not withstand wind and rain, meant that as people and vehicles crossed, whenever typhoons or sudden storms hit, the bridge often suffered broken chains, snapped cables, scattered rafts, and even pedestrians falling into the water. By the late Qing Dynasty and early Republican period, proposals to rebuild the bridge began to emerge. In 1922, Chen Shutang, a native of Ningbo, also suggested reconstructing it. After many twists and turns, it was finally in 1931 that Ningbo residents in Shanghai such as Le Zhenbao, Zhang Jixian, and Zhang Shenqi re-initiated the project. On August 1, the Preparatory Committee for Rebuilding the Old River Bridge in Ningbo was established, with preparatory offices set up in Shanghai and Ningbo to raise funds. The design was carried out jointly by British and Chinese engineers, while the German firm Siemens Bauunternehmung was contracted for the overall construction, with work undertaken by Ningbo locals. Construction started on May 1, 1934, and in 1936, it was rebuilt as a three-hinged steel arch bridge with a single span and ring openings, measuring 132 meters in length and 97.5 meters in span, with the bridge deck 3 meters above the water level. The design was rational and quite forward-thinking, with excellent construction quality. As China’s first single-span steel arch ring bridge, Ling Bridge embodies the deep love of the “Ningbo community” for their hometown, and as an iconic structure, it has become a symbol of modern Ningbo.

Further reading:

· Fifth Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units of Zhejiang Province