Zhalantun Suspension Bridge Park

Zhalantun Suspension Bridge Park

A Century-Old Garden — Suspension Bridge Park. It is said that there are only two suspension bridges in the world that are over a hundred years old. One is located in Irkutsk, Russia, and the other is the one in our Suspension Bridge Park. Zhalantun Suspension Bridge Park is now a national 4A-level tourist attraction and one of the iconic landmarks of Zhalantun City.

Located amidst lush greenery in the northern part of the city, Suspension Bridge Park covers an area of 68 hectares and is a national AAAA-level (4A-level) tourist attraction. It was built shortly after the opening of the China Eastern Railway (formerly the Chinese Eastern Railway) in 1905. Several other structures were also constructed around the same time, including the China Eastern Railway Club (now the Zhalantun Museum, formerly the office building of the former Municipal Political Consultative Conference), the China Eastern Railway Qulin Company (now the Railway Club), the China Eastern Railway Zhalantun Railway School (now the Zhalantun Railway Primary School, which was disbanded in 2005), the China Eastern Railway Zhalantun Health Clinic (now the Zhalantun Railway Health Clinic, later repurposed as the office of the Zhalantun Cultural, Sports, Radio, Television and Tourism Bureau’s Cultural Relics Management Office), and the China Eastern Railway Zhalantun Railway Station (now the small office building of the Zhalantun Railway Station). Alongside the suspension bridge, several recreational facilities such as a sunbathing area and an open-air music hall were also built. While some of these other sites have either disappeared or been completely transformed, the Suspension Bridge Park has undergone continuous renovations and has become a popular destination for leisure and recreation.

Suspension Bridge Park combines the boldness of northern landscapes with the delicate charm of southern water towns. In addition to architectural features like the suspension bridge, the park also boasts a rich cultural atmosphere. It has been visited by leaders of the Party and the state, and has attracted numerous scholars and poets who have left behind passionate verses and calligraphy works.

When the park was first established, it only had a suspension bridge and a truss bridge. Between the two pillars at the entrance of the suspension bridge, there used to be an iron mesh sign inscribed with the words “Sunbathing Area.” To the north of the bridge was an open-air swimming area, and nearby stood a sundial over a meter tall with a radius of about 50 centimeters, which visitors could use to tell the time. This sundial no longer exists. After the liberation, with the approval of the People's Government of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the park was established with the suspension bridge as its main attraction. Over the years, the park has undergone continuous maintenance and, in recent years, has added several new features, including the One-Pillar Pavilion (formerly the Lake-Viewing Pavilion), Triangle Pavilion, Ringheart Lake, Moon-Shaped Arch Bridge, Zigzag Bridge, Animal Zone, Flower Zone, Children’s Playground, Aviary and Aquarium, Ken Stone Garden, and Morning Exercise Area. Today, the park is filled with towering ancient trees, swaying willows and poplars, scattered pavilions, lush green lawns, glistening river waters, and the majestic suspension bridge standing firmly in place. Like a radiant pearl, it is embedded in the northern frontier of the motherland, welcoming visitors with its renewed appearance and picturesque scenery.

Source: Hulunbuir Tourism Bureau