Bridge Library

The Bridge Library

The Bridge Library is situated in Xiashi Village, Qiling Township, at the border between Fujian and Guangdong provinces. It is a public welfare architectural project designed by Tsinghua University faculty member Li Xiaodong and his students. The library houses a variety of books for visitors and local villagers to read in their spare time. Spanning 28 meters in length and 8.5 meters in width, the Bridge Library is primarily constructed from steel, covered with wooden planks, and elevated above a stream. It connects two ancient earthen buildings from the Qinglong era on either side of the creek — the “Dao Feng Building” and the “Zhong Qing Building.” This collision of modern art and ancient civilization has created a completely new spark. Since its completion and opening, the Bridge Library has received numerous international awards, including the Aga Khan Award for Architecture and first prize in the 2009 World Emerging Architecture Awards hosted by the UK’s "Architectural Review." In 2012, it was selected as one of the world's top eight eco-friendly buildings.

As an architectural marvel, the Bridge Library not only addresses the village’s transportation, education, and entertainment needs but also injects new vitality into the ancient earthen buildings, bringing the fragrance of books into the rural households of these historic structures.

Source: Pinghe County Culture, Radio, Television and Sports Bureau

Xiashi Village: The village administers 11 villager groups, with 343 households and a population of 1,479. It has 4,329 mu of mountainous land and 547.2 mu of arable land. In 2009, the per capita annual income of farmers was only 2,100 yuan. The village currently has six members in its two committees, including three party branch members and three village committee members. There are 30 Party members in the village, among whom seven are female and one is a probationary member. There are 36 villager representatives. … More detailed information about Xiashi Village ++