Gongchen Bridge

Gongchen Bridge

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

Gongchen Bridge is located to the north of Daguan Bridge, connecting East Lishui Road and Taizhou Road to the east, and Bridge Lane Street to the west, which links to Xiaohe Road. It is the tallest and longest stone arch bridge among the ancient bridges in Hangzhou. The bridge is 98 meters long and 16 meters high. The middle section of the bridge deck is slightly narrower at 5.9 meters wide, while the approaches at both ends are 12.2 meters wide. It is a three-span thin-pier connected arch humpback bridge, with the side spans having a clear span of 11.9 meters, the central span 15.8 meters, the arch ring stones 30 cm thick — which is 1/52.7 and 1/39.7 of the span respectively — the central pier about 1 meter thick, equivalent to 1/15.8 of the large span; the coping stones are 20 cm thick. It adopts a wooden pile foundation structure, and the arch rings are built using the longitudinal joint separate segment parallel laying method. According to the "Complete Collection of Illustrations and Writings from the Earliest to Current Times · Hangzhou Bridges Examination" and the Kangxi-era "Hangzhou Prefecture Records," it was initiated by the late Ming businessman Xia Mujian. The bridge was destroyed and rebuilt several times during the Qing Dynasty. In the eighth year of the Shunzhi era (1651), the bridge body once collapsed; in the fifty-third year of the Kangxi era (1714), it was reconstructed under the advocacy and donation drive led by Zhejiang Provincial Administration Commissioner Duan Zhixi, with the monk Huilu of Yunlin Temple making strenuous fundraising efforts to assist. In the fourth year of the Yongzheng era (1726), Left Vice Censor-in-Chief Li Wei led his subordinates in donating their salaries to renovate the bridge, thickening it by 2 chi, widening it by 2 chi, and writing the "Record of the Reconstruction of Gongchen Bridge." In the autumn of the second year of the Tongzhi era (1863), Zuo Zongtang led the Xiang Army and the "Ever Victorious Army" in a fierce attack on the Taiping Army in Hangzhou. As the Gongchen Bridge had a Taiping Army fortress at its center, the bridge was ravaged by war and once again nearly collapsed. In the eleventh year of the Guangxu era (1885), it was renovated under the supervision of Hangzhou resident Ding Bing. After the opening of Hangzhou as a port in the late 19th century, the Japanese paved a 2.7-meter-wide concrete slope in the middle of the bridge deck to allow the passage of cars and rickshaws. After the liberation, the Hangzhou Municipal People's Government prohibited motor vehicles from using the bridge.

Gongchen Bridge is currently a municipal-level cultural relic protection unit of Hangzhou. Due to nearly a century of erosion by wind and rain, the surface of the masonry has severely weathered, and there are also partial damages to the bridge’s stone steps and railings. Given that the bridge is a cultural relic, routine maintenance is limited to clearing weeds from the bridge and strengthening inspections, promptly reporting any issues discovered.

The canal section where the bridge is located is a Class V waterway with considerable ship traffic. Additionally, the square central span of Gongchen Bridge only allows one-way navigation. The main piers show noticeable signs of collision damage from passing vessels.

On September 26, 2005, a cargo ship struck the central arch of Gongchen Bridge while passing through, damaging the arch stones. On November 23, 2005, the same location was struck again before the previous damage had been repaired.

Gongchen Bridge is situated in the northern part of Gongshu District, Hangzhou, and is named after the bridge. It spans the canal, connecting East Lishui Road and Taizhou Road to the east, and Bridge Lane Street to the west, which links to Xiaohe Road. It is a three-span stone bridge. Staff from the Hangzhou Place Names Office say that, according to legend, in ancient times, “宸” referred to the residence of an emperor, and “拱” meant to cup one’s hands together in a gesture of respect. Whenever the emperor made a southern tour, this tall arched stone bridge symbolized the welcome and reverence for the emperor — hence the name Gongchen Bridge, meaning “Welcoming the Emperor.” The bridge was first built in the fourth year of the Chongzhen era of the Ming Dynasty, funded by the then scholar Zhu Huafeng. In the eighth year of the Shunzhi era of the Qing Dynasty, the bridge collapsed. In the fifty-third year of the Kangxi era, it was reconstructed under the advocacy and leading donation of Provincial Administration Commissioner Duan Zhixi, with Monk Huilu of Linyun Temple making strong fundraising efforts. It took four years to complete the current Gongchen Bridge. In 1895, after the signing of the humiliating Sino-Japanese Treaty of Shimonoseki, Hangzhou was designated as a treaty port. In 1896, a foreign customs house was established here, which was abolished after the victory of the Anti-Japanese War. Today, the name Gongchen Bridge has evolved into a directional district name.

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Units