Long Bridge Cluster in Lu County

Long Bridge Cluster in Lu County

The Long Bridge Cluster in Lu County is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The earliest verified construction date of the Long Bridges in Lu County dates back to the Zhiping era of the Northern Song Dynasty, with the Ming and Qing dynasties seeing the most prolific bridge-building activity. This tradition of constructing bridges adorned with dragon carvings continued into the Republican era and even to modern times. On major rivers crossed by official routes, the bridges were built with official oversight and public participation; while those funded by private donations were mostly constructed over essential streams on common rural roads. The Long Bridges in Lu County range from over 100 meters in length and about 10 meters in width, to as short as around 1 meter in length and approximately 40 centimeters in width. The upstream side of the bridge piers features carved dragons. The round sculptures of dragons are proportionate to the size of the bridges, creating a harmonious and unified aesthetic.

In Lu County, many stone beam bridges are adorned with carvings such as dragons. There are more than 140 such dragon bridges preserved within the current boundaries of Lu County. Among them, Longnao Bridge has already been designated as a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit. In June 2006, the People's Government of Sichuan Province announced the Long Bridge Cluster in Lu County as a Sichuan Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Long Bridges in Lu County are widely distributed across a relatively concentrated area, with a large number of bridges featuring exquisite carvings. The bridge structures and dragon sculptures form a harmonious artistic beauty. This regional cultural phenomenon has historical documentation tracing back nearly 1,000 years from the Song Dynasty to the present, making it a rare sight nationwide.

The construction of the Long Bridges in Lu County is related to ethnic integration, the unification of belief collisions, and the continuity of customs, serving as valuable physical evidence of a multi-element regional culture.

The Long Bridges in Lu County also fully reflect the uniqueness of the regional cultural phenomenon, representing a dazzling chapter in the history of Chinese civilization. The construction and renovation of these bridges reflect the economic, political, cultural, transportation, and social life of the era in which they were built, as well as the historical conditions of the local towns and villages.

The dragon carving techniques of the Long Bridges in Lu County have evolved through inheritance—skilled, brisk, and smooth, rugged yet delicate, realistic with elements of exaggeration. They are an important historical legacy in the artistic, aesthetic, and cultural heritage and development of Chinese stone carving, fine arts, and dragon culture.

Protected Area: The land boundaries of cultural heritage sites including Kuqiaozi Bridge, Jiubridge, Shiya Tan Wanshou Bridge, Shuikou Temple Bridge, Xianji Bridge, Jiang’an Bridge, Wuzidang Bridge, Lanwan Bridge, Sanyuan Bridge, Shidongzi Bridge, Liyuan Bridge, Jingga Bridge, Longdong Bridge, Shundui Bridge, Xiaolong Bridge, Yongji Bridge, Xinbridge, Tielutan Bridge, Jizhong Bridge, Gaoqiao Bridge, Gaoge Bridge, Wanshou Bridge, Yangwan Bridge, Baihe Bridge, Baihe Village Guanyin Bridge, Baishi Bridge, Baodao Bridge, Shuanglong Bridge, Zimu Bridge, Qiaodun Bridge, Yudai Bridge, Dunhe Bridge, Shizi Bridge, Muzhu Bridge, Fushui Bridge, Guanyin Bridge, Zhizhu Bridge, Longfeng Bridge, Guihua Dam Bridge, Baoshou Bridge, Ruci Bridge, Longyan New Bridge, Fengshui Bridge, Jinlong Bridge, Hongyan Bridge, and Longdeng Bridge are each extended 50 meters outward.

Construction Control Zone: An additional 100 meters outward from the protected area.

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of Municipal-Level Cultural Relics Protection Units in Luzhou City

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units