Jingzhong Bridge

　　   Era: Yuan Dynasty

　　   Address: On the Sha River, outside the Dongmen Gate, Dongguan, Chengqu District, Jincheng City, Shanxi Province

　　   Jingzhong Bridge, also known as Yongji Bridge, is commonly called Dongguan Bridge or East Great Bridge. As an ancient bridge in Jincheng’s old urban area, it has remained a vital transportation route heading east from Jincheng since the Zhenzhou Prefecture period during the Qing Dynasty. According to the "Zhenzhou Prefecture Annals" from the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty, the bridge was originally built during the Yuandynasty's Zhizheng era (1341–1368), initially constructed as a wooden bridge. During the Ming Dynasty’s Hongzhi era (1488–1505), it was rebuilt in stone, modeled after the large arch design of the Jingde Bridge at Dongguan in Jincheng. It was reconstructed in the third year of the Qianlong reign (1738) and underwent major repairs in the forty-eighth year (1783).

　　   Jingzhong Bridge is a single-span, bow-shaped stone arch bridge. It is 16.55 meters long and 5.7 meters wide, with a slightly arched deck. The bridge structure consists of a single arch span, 6.5 meters wide, made up of 99 stone rings laid using the side-by-side free-staggered method. Each arch stone is 0.62 meters thick, and no exposed iron tie rods are used at the upper and lower joints. A protective layer of stone is installed on the back of the arch, while the exterior surface of the arch ring is plain without carvings. The keystone at the top of the arch is carved with an animal face. A pair of long stone slabs are placed on either side of the bridge, with their outer ends carved in the shape of dragon heads. The bridge railing is low and simple, typical of bridges from the Qing Dynasty.