Longyuan Heda Wenxing Bridge

Longyuan Heda Wenxing Bridge

Longyuan Heda Wenxing Bridge is a cultural relic protection unit of Anhui Province.

Longyuan Heda Wenxing Bridge

Located at the entrance of Liaoyuan Village, the bridge spans across the Longxi River. Originally built during the Ming Dynasty, the bridge pavilion underwent major renovations during the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty. In September 2012, villagers pooled funds to restore the bridge while preserving its Ming-style architecture. The bridge features a single arch with a clear span of 7 meters, an overall length of 13 meters, a width of 3.3 meters, and a height of 6 meters. The bridge deck is paved with bluestone slabs. On the southern side of the arch apex is a horizontal plaque inscribed with the three characters “Wenxing Bridge” (文星桥). A pavilion, named “Wenxing Bridge Pavilion” (文星桥亭), gracefully stands atop the bridge, covering the entire deck. The pavilion stretches 13 meters in length and is divided into five bays, constructed with a brick-and-wood structure, featuring whitewashed walls and dark gray tiles. At the western end of the pavilion, there are arched gateways opening to the north and south. The southern gateway leads to a road that connects to Longchuan Village, while the northern one leads to the farmland. At the eastern end, only one northern-facing archway is open, through which the road passes into Heda Village and extends further to Lingli and Dongcun, eventually connecting to the Huining Post Road. Corresponding to the northern archway is a small circular window on the upper part of the southern wall. Originally, the central northern wall of the pavilion featured a perfectly round large window with a diameter of one meter, but it was later modified into a square shape during renovations, though traces of the original can still be seen. The wooden framework of the pavilion is simple and rugged, without any deliberate ornamentation or carvings, retaining the architectural style of the Ming Dynasty. On the central ridge beam is an inscription in regular script: “Reconstructed in the first month of spring, 1901, during the reign of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty, by the Zhang Liuye Hall of Heda” (大清光绪辛丑年（1901）季春吉旦鹤岱章六也堂重建). Inside the pavilion, wooden benches and “beauty’s backrests” (meirenkao, a type of curved wooden seating) are placed along both the northern and southern corridors, offering travelers a place to rest. From the windows, one can enjoy views of the village scenery: picturesque green mountains all around, lush trees, and the chirping of birds. Upstream from the bridge is a check dam; water cascades over the top, forming a waterfall with a pleasant, continuous gurgling sound that adds a touch of charm to the Heda water outlet. The bridge remains largely intact and holds significant cultural heritage value. In 2017, it was designated as a municipal-level cultural relic protection unit, approved under official document Xuanzheng Mi [2017] No. 45.