Linchuan Wenchang Bridge

Linchuan Wenchang Bridge

Linchuan Wenchang Bridge is a cultural relic protection unit of Jiangxi Province.

Wenchang Bridge, located on Dada Road in Linchuan District, Fuzhou City, Jiangxi Province, spans the Fu River and was first built in the first year of the Qiandao era (1165) during the Southern Song Dynasty. It is the first bridge over the Fu River and boasts a history of over 800 years.

The bridge is 255.4 meters long, 11 meters wide, and about 13 meters high. It was once renamed “Xingyi Bridge” and “Liberation Bridge,” and suffered damage multiple times during wars and conflicts. Between the eighth year (1803) and the eighteenth year (1813) of the Jiaqing reign in the Qing Dynasty, the bridge was rebuilt, and a specialized record titled “The Record of Wenchang Bridge in Fuzhou Prefecture” was created. This record was used as a blueprint for bridge construction across various regions in the Qing Dynasty. After the establishment of the People’s Republic of China, the Fuzhou government carried out multiple renovations and expansions of Wenchang Bridge. In 2002, the government invested heavily to renovate the bridge again, carving the twelve Chinese zodiac animals on each pier and reinforcing the structure.

The main historical remains of Wenchang Bridge include the piers and bridge body rebuilt between the eighth year (1803) and the eighteenth year (1813) of the Jiaqing reign in the Qing Dynasty. The piers were constructed using red granite from Wushan Mountain in Zhongling.

In March 2018, Wenchang Bridge was designated as part of the sixth batch of Jiangxi Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Units by the Jiangxi Provincial People’s Government. In April of the same year, the Fuzhou Municipal Government launched the Green Space Renovation and Enhancement Project at the bridgehead. With the theme “A Bridge, A Corridor, A Calligraphy Pavilion, An Ancient Pavilion, Melodious Tones Around Changyuan,” the project integrates the bridge’s long historical and cultural background and tales of talented scholars and beauties. Designed in the style of a classical garden, a cultural corridor named “Shuyi Corridor” runs through the entire park, connecting the “Melodious Tones Pavilion,” “Wenchang Pavilion,” and “Dusk Pavilion,” creating three distinct cultural and leisure zones: Ancient Charm Over the Bridge, Literary Talent of Wenchang, and Golden Years of Reflection.

Further Reading:

· Sixth Batch of Jiangxi Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Units