Luqiao

　　　　— A line from a Yuan Dynasty poem praising Luqiao Bridge over the Si River.

　　　　In the northern part of Luqiao Town, there is an ancient stone bridge. Its exact construction date is unknown. Legend has it that when the bridge was being built, an elderly man passed by. He first stood watching, then sat down to strike a stone before leaving it behind and walking away. When the bridge was nearly completed but couldn’t be properly joined, someone suggested trying the stone left behind by the old man. It fit perfectly—not too big, not too small. The bridge was thus completed. Only then did the stonemasons realize that the elderly man had been Lu Ban. To express their gratitude to Lu Ban, the townspeople named the stone bridge “Luqiao.” The town was subsequently named after the bridge, becoming Luqiao Town.

　　　　Luqiao Town is an ancient settlement at the northern end of Nansihu Lake. It currently falls under the administration of Weishan County. Historical records indicate that it had already become a significant town during the Tang Dynasty. During the Xiantong era (860–873 AD), when suppressing the rebellion led by Pang Xun, 4,000 soldiers were stationed here, reflecting the town’s considerable size at the time. After the Yuan Dynasty’s Grand Canal became navigable, a Canal Transport Office was established here. During the Ming Dynasty, an Inspection Office was set up. By the Qing Dynasty, Luqiao Town had grown not only into a bustling water transport hub but also into a picturesque, fragrant, and scenic destination, renowned for its numerous attractions. At this time, it was celebrated for its Eight Scenic Spots: the “Majestic Pavilion Spanning the River” on the east bank of the canal; the “Ancient Inkstone Pool” with its deep green waters; the “Long Bridge Lying on the Waves,” a three-arch wooden bridge; the resplendent “Ku Tower in Radiant Splendor”; the “Sandbar in Spring,” located at the end of the Si River; the gleaming “Zhongzi Ancient Temple”; the “Dongshan Floating Emerald,” where sunlight poured into caves and sacred springs flowed; and the “West Lake Along the Dike,” bordered by reeds and lotuses, with fishing boats coming and going.

　　　　The town was home to “One Hall” (the Guanyin Hall), “Two Pavilions” (the Fire God Pavilion and the Wenchang Pavilion), and “Six Temples” (including the Goddess Temple, the Xuan Emperor Temple, the Guan Yu Temple, the Buddha Temple, the Three Kings Temple, and the Dragon King Temple). Throughout the seasons, pilgrims gathered in great numbers, and nobles and officials came in an endless stream. The streets were lined with shops, filled with the clamor of vendors. However, by the end of the Qing Dynasty, with the advent of trains and the decline of canal transport, followed by nearly a century of war and natural disasters, Luqiao gradually faded. Most of its famed “Eight Scenic Spots” and ancient appearance vanished. The Qing-era constructions of “One Hall,” “Two Pavilions,” and “Six Temples” were not spared during the upheavals. The thousand-year-old town of ten li was reduced to just 0.3 square kilometers of dilapidated thatched cottages and fewer than 6,000 impoverished residents struggling in hardship. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the people of Luqiao, under the leadership of the Party and government, overcame three years of natural disasters.

　　　　They began a difficult but determined revival, focusing on agricultural and water conservancy infrastructure. They developed beneficial projects and eliminated harmful ones, excavating the Baima River and constructing a 11-arch, 333-meter reinforced concrete bridge. The bridge bustled with traffic above while the river roared below, truly reviving the scene of the “Long Bridge Lying on the Waves.”

　　　　The development of the small town accelerated rapidly. Investments were made by provincial, municipal, and county governments, and institutions were established to build factories, docks, and stations. Commercial streets were expanded, and town-village enterprises, hotels, and shops continued to grow. The town area expanded along the eastern embankment of the canal to the north and south, currently spanning over 1,500 meters, with an east-west span of over half a li. Transportation included road bus stations on land and tugboat fleets on the river. Whether heading into the mountains for stone quarrying or heading out onto the lake for production, access was extremely convenient.

　　Today, Luqiao has become a “ton-grain town.” Its lake-grown produce and asparagus products have gone global, earning excellent international recognition. Tens of thousands of acres of water surfaces yield fish and crabs, which are sold to more than twenty counties and cities across Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and China’s northeastern provinces. Tourism continues to thrive. The temple of Zhongzi, a distinguished disciple of Confucius, has been beautifully restored. The West Lake to the west of town has grown even more beautiful, attracting a constant flow of tourists and literati. The flourishing and prosperous landscape of modern-day Luqiao has begun to take shape. With the development of the Canal Economic Zone, the grandeur of this historic canal town is set to return before long.