Shuangcheng Bridge

Shuangcheng Bridge

Shuangcheng Bridge

Shuangcheng Bridge is the collective name for two bridges built during the Kangxi era of the Qing Dynasty — one to the east and one to the west of Dajiao Village. They are located along the official road between Xuanhua Prefecture and Datong Prefecture.

During the Ming Dynasty, this official road was a vital route used by Datong Prefecture and Xuanhua Prefecture — two of the Nine Border Garrisons tasked with defending against southern invasions from Mongol tribes — for transporting supplies and relaying messages. It was also one of the main channels for the Ming Dynasty to carry out border trade such as tea, horses, and textiles with northern nomadic tribes. In the Qing Dynasty, it became one of the routes connecting the capital to the north and even Russia, holding significant strategic importance. These two bridges, especially the western one, were frequently destroyed due to their location — the gully originates from the southern hills, is long in span, and prone to severe flooding. The bridges were often washed away, rebuilt, and then destroyed again. By the ninth year of the Daoguang reign (1829), the current Bianxing Bridge (Convenient Travel Bridge) and East Bridge were finally completed. The Bianxing Bridge is 17 meters long, 9.33 meters high, with a foundation thickness of 8.3 meters, a top width of 6 meters, and a span of 3 meters. The East Bridge is 6.67 meters long. The West Bridge is a single-span open-spandrel stone arch bridge. Its arch is built with stone voussoirs, the body is constructed with bricks, and the deck is paved with stones. The arch of the West Bridge bears the inscription “Bianxing Bridge.” The bridge deck is flanked by stone railings with 21 pairs of stone balusters, each topped with a carved stone lion, while the railing panels feature carved floral patterns. Currently, the Bianxing Bridge is only used within the village, while the East Bridge has become part of the Da (Datong)–Zhang (Zhangjiakou) highway bridge infrastructure.

The Bianxing Bridge and East Bridge were constructed starting in the sixth year of the Daoguang reign (1826). The funding was provided by Cao Bi from Shuitong Temple Village, a county-level scholar (known by the nickname “Cao the Millionaire”). Before the bridge was built, the gully was deep with steep slopes, often leading to serious accidents that caused numerous casualties among people and livestock. Cao’s mother, having made a vow for his recovery from illness, pledged to build a bridge as an act of faith and blessing. Thus, Cao devoted himself entirely to the bridge project. For over three years, he spent a fortune — “more than a whole basket of silver.” He began construction at the age of 42, which is why there are exactly 21 pairs of stone balusters. Each lion faces the central stone slab of the bridge deck. This central stone also has a legend behind it. After finalizing the stone-paved design for the bridge deck, Cao Bi measured a bluestone slab not far upstream near the gully. Despite negotiating with the landowner, the stone could not be bought at any price. That year, a flood destroyed a large section of the gully bank on the landowner’s property and swept the massive bluestone slab all the way to the mouth of the Bianxing Bridge, where it came to rest. When Cao Bi measured it, it turned out to be the exact same stone. People said, “When man won’t help, heaven will!” After the bridge was completed, Cao purchased 18 acres of farmland in Dajiao Village and built a simple earthen house compound specifically to guard the Shuangcheng Bridges. Building bridges and repairing roads are considered virtuous acts of charity, and both Cao Bi and his mother were honored by the local county. The 1890 edition of the Tianzhen County Annals records that among the seventeen individuals enshrined in the Zhongyi Xiaoti Temple (Temple of Loyalty, Righteousness, Filial Piety, and Fraternity) next to the county government office on the east street of the county town, Cao Bi was one of them. During seasonal festivals, he was publicly venerated by the people of the county.

Other ancient bridges in Tianzhen, such as Tonghui Bridge, Lishè Bridge, Yangdun Bridge, Shengou Bridge, and Shili Bridge, no longer exist.

Address: Official road between Xuanhua Prefecture and Datong Prefecture, Xuanhua County, Datong City, Shanxi Province