Tiansheng Number Stone Arch Bridge

　　    Tiansheng Number Stone Arch Bridge, hailed as the "First Bridge Beyond the Pass." Located in Tiansheng Number Village, Sanjiazi Township, it spans an ancient riverbed and is a single-arch stone bridge with five pillars, four railings, and a single span. The bridge is 5 meters long, 4.7 meters wide, and 3.4 meters high, with an arch span of 2.9 meters. The bridge features both upper and lower arches — the upper arch is semi-circular, while the lower arch is semi-elliptical. The sides of the bridge are built with wing walls shaped like reversed "八" characters to divert water. The bridge deck is constructed from over 90 fan-shaped stone slabs, sealed with white lime mortar. The central band is secured with iron chains. Both faces of the arch are adorned with round-faced stones, each bearing a large relief lotus flower measuring 28 centimeters in diameter, with eight petals and five stamens, encircled by 30 smaller lotus petals in the center, highlighted by string patterns 5 centimeters thick at the top and bottom. Embedded in the middle of the arch is a stone plaque inscribed with the bridge’s construction record in regular script: “In the tenth year of the Dading era, in the cyclical year of Gengyin, on the day of Jihai following the new moon of Xinhai, Liu Baotong of Liugou Chuan, 50 li west of Longshan County, personally recorded this. This bridge was not built by Baotong alone but was jointly constructed by two Lius — Liu Wu and Liu Hai.” The bridge’s design incorporates a unique double-arch construction technique to enhance stability, integrating the upper and lower arches so that water flows through the central channel. Its innovative and elegant design makes it stand out.

　　    Research indicates that the tenth year of Dading refers to the reign title of Emperor Shizong Wanyan Yong of the Jin Dynasty, corresponding to the year 1170 AD. The Dog River, historically known as Gouhe during the Liao and Jin periods, has been called Shenjin River since the Yuan Dynasty to the present. Since the bridge is located east of Tiansheng Number Village, it is named the Tiansheng Number Jin Dynasty Stone Arch Bridge. As the oldest discovered stone arch bridge beyond the pass to date, the Tiansheng Number Jin Dynasty Stone Arch Bridge holds significant value for the study of China’s bridge-building history, the geomorphological changes of Chaoyang, and transportation in the frontier regions. It was included in the 1984 edition of the "China Scenic Spots Dictionary" and is a key cultural relic protection unit of Liaoning Province.