Qiling Ancient Bridge

Qiling Ancient Bridge

Qiling Ancient Bridge

Qiling Bridge is situated on the Longdi River in the northwest of the city. In the 10th year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty (1582 AD), Magistrate Yuan Liang constructed stone piers and installed wooden beams to form a makeshift crossing, and named it “Qiling Bridge.” In the 20th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1757 AD), Magistrate Shi Ting’ai proposed a fundraising effort to replace it with a stone arch bridge, which was completed after seven years. In the first year of the Tongzhi reign (1862 AD), floods destroyed three arches on the western bank, and in the fourth year of the Guangxu reign (1878 AD), Prefect Chen Zhuan and Scholar Xia Chunhua initiated another fundraising campaign to restore them.

The Qiling Bridge has 11 arches and a total length of 140 meters. At the center of the bridge deck stands a pavilion with a pyramidal roof, which appears to hover in the air like a flying dragon drinking from the water. To the south of the western bridgehead stands the Qilin Pavilion, and to the north is the Linjiang Tower. Beneath the tower along the riverbank, over ten steles commemorating merit and virtuous governance are erected. The bridge piers feature cutwaters to reduce the force of floodwaters. The arches at both ends rise over 7 meters, increasing incrementally in height toward the central arch, which reaches 10.5 meters, facilitating the discharge of the main current. A “Dragon-Slaying Sword” hangs from the apex of the central arch, symbolizing the subduing of evil dragons to prevent flooding. The entire bridge showcases high levels of engineering and artistic achievement, reflecting the wisdom of ancient laborers. Since the 1960s, the county government has reinforced the bridge’s piers and stone railings, eventually expanding the structure to 13 spans spanning a total of 169 meters.