Stele Commemorating the Drainage Dredging Project of Zhengyang Bridge

Stele Commemorating the Drainage Dredging Project of Zhengyang Bridge

The Stele Commemorating the Drainage Dredging Project of Zhengyang Bridge is a municipal-level cultural relic protected unit in Beijing.

A municipal-level cultural relic protection unit. Located on Hongmiao Street in Dongcheng District. Erected in the 56th year of the Qianlong reign during the Qing Dynasty (1791). In the early Qing period, water near Tianqiao flowed eastward through Yuzao Pond, Zhuangyuan Bridge, Hongqiao, and Yaokeng (now Longtan Lake) out of the city. At that time, the drainage channel south of Tianqiao often became blocked. Emperor Qianlong ordered the dredging of the channel, which proved highly successful, prompting him to personally inscribe the stele to commemorate the project. The stele is square-shaped, facing south, approximately 8 meters high, and about 1.45 meters wide on each side. The top features a four-cornered spire-style cover, with each of the four ridges carved with a coiling dragon. The dragons are depicted with heads raised and bodies curved in wave-like patterns, their tails converging at the finial. Below the main body is a Sumeru pedestal adorned with relief carvings showing lotus petals (both upward and downward-facing), clouds, dragons, and bodhi leaves. The top edge and surrounding borders of the stele are decorated with dragon motifs. All four sides of the stele are inscribed with text: the southern and western sides bear Chinese characters, while the northern and eastern sides are inscribed in Manchu. The heading, written in Chinese, reads “Stele Commemorating the Drainage Dredging Project of Zhengyang Bridge,” detailing the waterways of Beijing and the repair work done on the Tianqiao river channels at the time. Originally located inside the mountain gate of the Chihci Hung Temple (granted an imperial decree), the temple structure no longer exists. In 1987, it was designated as a protected area with defined boundaries and construction control zones, with the stele itself forming the core protected site.

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Municipal-Level Cultural Relic Protection Units in Beijing