Wuyi Shuxi Covered Bridge

　　    The ancient Shuxi Bridge was first built in the third year of the Kaixi era during the Southern Song Dynasty (1207), featuring nine arches and ten piers. By the fourth year of the Wanli era in the Ming Dynasty (1576), a roofed structure was added, transforming it into a covered bridge. The bridge is 140 meters long and 4.8 meters wide, with 49 bridge chambers. Benches are placed at intervals along both sides for visitors to rest. These benches divide the bridge into three passageways: in ancient times, pedestrians walked on the sides while vehicles and horses used the middle; now, only pedestrian passage is allowed for sightseeing. The sides of the bridge are equipped with uniquely Jiangnan-style wooden railings that are both safe and aesthetically pleasing. Leaning on the railings, visitors can enjoy panoramic views of the small town’s scenery. “A hundred-foot rainbow locks the blue stream, reed marshes and sandy banks lie pure in the cold autumn… From afar I see boats passing beneath the bridge, as if people are gliding through a mirror.” These lines are from the ancient poet Xu Sizhao’s poem “Ode to the Shuxi Bridge.” Since the bridge’s completion, numerous scholars and literati have written poems and essays about it, including a long poem titled “Visiting the Shuxi Bridge” by the Republican-era poet He Baoren.

　　    Source: Official Website of the Jinhua Municipal Government, China