Shuanglin Three Bridges

　　Address: Northern part of Shuanglin Town, Nanxun District, Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province

　　The Wankui, Huacheng, and Wanyuan Bridges all span Shuanglin Pond and are three-arch, thin-pier, thin-arch, solid-spandrel stone arch bridges. On March 16, 2005, they were listed as Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units, and on May 2013, they were included in the seventh batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

　　Huacheng Bridge is the earliest of the three bridges. It was built by monks from Huacheng Temple and thus named after it, and also commonly called Tangqiao (Pond Bridge) because it spans the pond. Construction began during the Yuan Dynasty’s Yan reign period, initially as a wooden bridge, which was replaced by a brick bridge during the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty, then changed back to wood during the Yongle era, and finally encased in stone during the Jiajing era. It underwent multiple renovations afterwards, in the third year of the Chongzhen era of the Ming Dynasty (1630) and the fifty-eighth year of the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty (1793). The bridge today is 6.6 meters high, 46 meters long, and 3.4 meters wide. Each of the north and south slopes has steps. The sides of the bridge are fitted with plain railings, the tops of which are carved into Wuwangkao (a type of seating), with 16 balusters set between the railings.

　　Wanyuan Bridge is located 225 meters east of Huacheng Bridge. Its construction date is unknown. During the Kangxi era of the Qing Dynasty, a wooden beam structure was built and named Fucheng Bridge. In the eighth year of the Yongzheng era (1730), it was encased in stone and renamed Wanyuan Bridge. It was rebuilt in the fourteenth year of the Daoguang era (1834) and took seven years to complete. The bridge is 7 meters high, 51 meters long, and 3.5 meters wide, with 44 steps on each slope, making it the tallest of the Shuanglin Three Bridges. The sides have plain railings, and the bridge-top railings are carved into Wuwangkao, with 20 lion-shaped balusters between the railings. The stone pillars on both sides of the bridge are inscribed with four pairs of couplets.

　　Wankui Bridge is located 122 meters west of Huacheng Bridge. It was encased in stone in the first year of the Kangxi era (1662) and completed in the eighth year (1669). It was reconstructed in the fifty-fifth year of the Qianlong era (1790) and completed in the fifty-eighth year (1793) together with Huacheng Bridge. The bridge is 6.8 meters high, 51 meters long, and 3.2 meters wide, with 40 steps on each slope. The sides have plain railings, the bridge-top railings are carved into Wuwangkao, the ends of the railings are fitted with drum stones, and there are 24 balusters between the railings. A pair of stone pillars on the side of the bridge are inscribed with a couplet.