Luohu Bridge

Luohu Bridge

Luohu Bridge serves as a base for patriotic education.

At the eastern end of the Guangzhou–Shenzhen Railway, there lies a winding, world-renowned river along the foot of the mountain — the Shenzhen River, no more than 50 meters wide and less than 5 meters deep. Resting quietly over the river is a graceful and solemn steel bridge — Luohu Bridge. Owing to its unique geographical location, it connects Shenzhen Station and Kowloon Station in Hong Kong. The Guangzhou–Kowloon, Foshan–Kowloon, and Zhaoqing–Kowloon direct trains travel back and forth across this bridge every day, making it a vital link between mainland China and Hong Kong, as well as a bond for compatriots from Taiwan, overseas Chinese, and international friends traveling between the two sides.

In late 1890, during the 16th year of the Guangxu reign in the Qing Dynasty, Yi Xuehao, the acting prefect of Guangdong, submitted a proposal to Li Hanxiang, the Viceroy of Liangguang, suggesting the construction of a railway from Guangzhou to Kowloon in Hong Kong through the raising of commercial shares. However, since the Canton–Hankou Railway had not yet been built, the plan was not approved. In 1899, during the 25th year of the Guangxu reign, the Qing government negotiated with Britain to construct a railway from Guangzhou to Kowloon, then a British leasehold. Later, the project was put on hold due to the outbreak of the Second Boer War in South Africa by Britain.

In January 1907, during the 33rd year of the Guangxu reign, the “Guangzhou–Kowloon Railway Loan Contract” consisting of 20 articles was signed in Beijing. The design was completed in the first half of that year, and construction began in July on three sections simultaneously. Initially, the Guangzhou–Kowloon Railway spanned 178.55 kilometers from Dashatou to Kowloon. It was agreed between China and Britain that the boundary would be the second section of the central span of Luohu Bridge, dividing the line into a Chinese section and a British section — 142.77 kilometers and 35.78 kilometers long respectively, constructed in segments. The section from Luohu Bridge to Kowloon was built by the British. The three-span Luohu Bridge featured steel trough girders measuring 6.17 meters for the two end spans and a 32-meter steel girder for the central span. On October 8, 1911, the railway from Guangzhou to Shenzhen was opened to traffic. By the end of that year, the Chinese and British sections were connected at Luohu Bridge. In 1912, an operating agreement between the two sides was signed.

One end of Luohu Bridge led to mainland China, and the other to the British leasehold of Hong Kong. In the old China, plagued by suffering, Luohu Bridge became a passage for Western powers to invade our country. They transported looted goods and minerals overseas through this bridge. Countless impoverished people, cold and hungry, walked across the bridge in tears, leaving their hometowns to seek livelihoods abroad… Back then, Luohu Bridge was a bridge of humiliation and tears for the Chinese nation.

On October 14, 1949, Guangzhou was liberated. Thanks to the active protection by railway employees, the Guangzhou–Kowloon Railway (later renamed the Guangzhou–Shenzhen Railway on the mainland) was spared from destruction. At that time, Luohu Bridge not only had a narrow bridge deck that could only accommodate trains, but the bridge itself also lacked any roof or shelter, leaving it exposed to rain and sun. In 1959, the government rebuilt Luohu Bridge with reinforced concrete and more than doubled the width of the bridge deck. In 1962, an iron sheet canopy was added, iron railings were installed on both sides of the bridge, and a pedestrian walkway was paved. In the early 1970s, when I worked as a secretary at the Guangzhou Railway Bureau, I often strolled to the head of Luohu Bridge. A white line ran down the middle of the bridge, and sentries stood guard at the ends, giving it an air of great mystery. Near Luohu Bridge at that time was a fishermen’s village. Aside from the three-story Shenzhen Station and the customs inspection building, the surrounding area was desolate, overgrown with weeds. On a small hill a few hundred meters away stood a yellow-walled train crew apartment. In 1967, the entire Guangzhou–Shenzhen Railway underwent major repairs, and a second track was added in 1985. On December 22, 1994, the Guangzhou–Shenzhen Railway became the first railway in China with a speed of 160 kilometers per hour.

In 1997, Hong Kong was returned to the motherland. The facilities at Luohu Bridge continued to improve, and its appearance was completely renewed. Since the beginning of the reform and opening-up period, I worked as a journalist in Guangzhou for nearly 20 years and witnessed the tremendous changes on the mainland side of Luohu Bridge. Today, the small hill has been leveled, the barren beaches and grasslands have disappeared, and skyscrapers stand in great numbers. Next to Luohu Bridge, Shenzhen Station and the customs building stand side by side. The station square is shaded by trees, fragrant with flowers all year round, and bustling with crowds. The century-old Luohu Bridge has witnessed the historical changes along the Shenzhen River.

It is the oldest bridge in Shenzhen and the first bridge in China that could connect to the rest of the world.