Evening Cattle Gazing at the Moon Bridge

Evening Cattle Gazing at the Moon Bridge

Evening Cattle Gazing at the Moon Bridge is the West Bridge recorded in the county annals.

The 1915 Revised Annals of Mengcheng County states: “The West Bridge is located outside the west gate of the county town, and is the site of one of the Eight Scenic Spots of the county—Evening Moon over the West Bridge. In the early years of the Kangxi reign, Sun Zongyu, a Taoist priest from Yu Huang Temple, renovated it.”

The early years of the Kangxi reign were in 1662. Since it was a renovation, the bridge must have been built before that. The exact time is no longer traceable.

This bridge still existed after the liberation, though it was badly damaged, it was still passable. Originally, there was a major north-south road outside the west gate of the old county town. At the bend in the southern section of the road, there was an east-west ditch that flowed eastward into the moat. The bridge spanned this ditch. At some point, the ditch had dried up.

This was one of the Eight Scenic Spots of Shansang in those days, but what the scenery was actually like back then is hard to discern from any definitive historical records. The Revised Annals of Mengcheng County includes as many as eight poems titled “Evening Moon over the West Bridge.” Below are two excerpts presented for readers’ enjoyment.

The first poem was written by Lu Qi, styled Fangqian, also known as Song’an. He was a native of Wobei, Mengcheng (now Qiyuan Town) during the Kangxi era of the Qing Dynasty, a renowned local scholar known for his great learning and talent. He once served as a teaching officer in Gaochun (now Gaochun County, Jiangsu Province), where he achieved remarkable educational results, and tales of him are still passed down among the locals.

The poem reads:

A piece of moon above the West Bridge,

Its quiet reflection clarifies the water’s sheen.

The bridge divides twin lunar shadows,

While ripples cradle two bright pearls.

I fear the sword-turned-dragon may snatch

The pearls and dive toward Nanping.

The heavenly wind rushes down in haste,

As the cold reed maiden crosses the bridge.

Laugh at those who lie by the stream,

Their ears washed clean—but only in pretense.

“The bridge divides twin lunar shadows, / While ripples cradle two bright pearls.” It is said that due to the bridge’s unique location, on nights of the full moon, the bright moon would cast two reflections in the water on either side of the bridge. The ripples danced, and the two gleaming orbs shimmered in tandem. The sight was so extraordinary it captivated and enthralled all who beheld it. Some interpret these lines as the bridge dividing the reflections of the moon in the sky and in the water—the gentle breeze causing both celestial and aquatic orbs to shimmer together.

The second poem was written by Tian Benpei, styled Hanyuan, also known as Huashi. He was a native of Fuping (now Fuping County, Shaanxi Province) during the late Ming and early Qing periods, and was a successful candidate in the imperial examination in the late Ming Dynasty. In the seventh year of the Shunzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1650), he served as the magistrate of Mengcheng. Erudite and well-versed in ancient and modern knowledge, he was immensely talented. The county annals include dozens of his poems and essays.

The poem reads:

At dusk I stroll the western outskirts,

Where hills loom and waters flow.