Shunji Bridge

Shunji Bridge

Shunji Bridge is a cultural relic protection unit of Yiyang City.

Shunji Bridge was first built in the fourth year of the Jiading era during the Southern Song Dynasty (1211), stretching 500 meters in length and 4.6 meters in width. Commonly known as the "New Bridge," Shunji Bridge is located downstream of the Jin River at the southern gate of Licheng District, Quanzhou City. It earned the name "Shunji" (meaning "Smooth Passage") because it lies near the Shunji Palace (also known as the Tianfei Palace) to the north of the bridge, making it one of Fujian’s historically significant bridges.

The "Jinjiang County Annals" from the Daoguang era of the Qing Dynasty recorded: “Shunji Bridge, located outside Desi Gate, downstream of the Sunchong River, was originally crossed by boat. In the fourth year of the Jiading era of the Southern Song Dynasty (1211), Prefect Zou Yinglong constructed a stone bridge over 150 zhang (approximately 500 meters) in length, flanked by railings. Because it was close to the Shunji Palace (also known as the Heavenly Queen Palace), it was named Shunji. As it was built after the Shishun Bridge (Stone Bamboo Bridge), it was commonly called the New Bridge. Both Gu Po and He Qiaoyuan of the Ming Dynasty wrote accounts of this.”

The original structure featured a foundation of block stones and strip stones fully filled across the riverbed, with piers made of dry-laid strip stones, and the upper structure composed of stone beams. The bridge had a total length of 338 meters, with 31 piers and spans ranging from 154 meters to 76 meters.

Originally, there was a specially designed timber beam bridge on the northern side of the bridge that could be hoisted up in case of alert to defend against enemies. There were also bridgehead fortresses equipped with weapon gates, which were open during the day but closed at night during emergencies — none of these structures remain today. On the southern bridge fortress, the four large characters “雄镇天南” (“Majestically Guarding the South of Heaven”) are inscribed.

Shunji Bridge originally had 31 piers, all equipped with railings, and underwent repairs throughout various dynasties.

In 1932, local warlord Chen Guohui levied funds and labor to transform the stone beam bridge into a four-beam variable-section reinforced concrete continuous beam bridge. All original stone bridge slabs were demolished, completely altering the ancient bridge’s appearance.

During the Mid-Autumn Festival flood of 1956, a typhoon that made landfall in Xiamen triggered a massive flood in Quanzhou, breaking both Shunji Bridge and the pontoon bridge. This was a once-in-50-years extreme flood event. Experts noted that the flood level exceeded that of 1946 and approached the levels of 1935, making it the most severe flood since 1935. The water level in Yongchun exceeded the warning line by 3.94 meters, and in Anxi’s Hutou by 3.17 meters... Among them, the water level at the old Shunji Bridge exceeded the warning line by 2.98 meters, causing a breach in the flood defense wall, flooding Tuomen Street to a depth of 2 meters, and washing away both Shunji Bridge and the pontoon bridge.

In 1958, during another major tide on the 30th day of the fifth lunar month, again influenced by a typhoon that landed in Xiamen, the water level at the old Shunji Bridge in Quanzhou exceeded the warning line by 2.9 meters, resulting in two days and three nights of flooding.

In the 1960s, further repairs were carried out, converting nine damaged spans into simply supported composite beams by pouring reinforced concrete bridge decks on I-beam girders.

From September 1993 to March 1994, the ancient bridge underwent reinforcement, widening, and restoration. The current bridge is 500 meters long and 4.6 meters wide. The underwater parts of the piers still retain the foundation of the Song Dynasty’s stone boat-shaped piers, and the bridge deck largely preserves the appearance from the 1930s.

In 2000, Pier No. 15 of Shunji Bridge was damaged and lost its load-bearing capacity, leading to the closure of traffic.

In 2001, due to years of neglect, Piers No. 8 and No. 9 on the northern side, and Piers No. 5 to No. 8 on the southern side, all collapsed almost simultaneously.

On July 23, 2006, Typhoon Bilis struck, causing three piers of Shunji Bridge to collapse.

On the evening of August 10, 2006, Shunji Bridge collapsed again, leaving the structure completely unrecognizable.

In September 2010, Typhoon Fanapi caused Shunji Bridge to collapse once more.

In November 2010, after deliberation at the 83rd Quanzhou Mayor’s Office Meeting, it was proposed to convert the 800-year-old Shunji Bridge into a pedestrian bridge, allowing citizens to walk across and enjoy the river view.

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