Three Ancient Stone Bridges

　　    The numerous bridges not only facilitated transportation between the townships and nearby towns, but also possess significant architectural and artistic value. There are eight ancient bridges currently under the municipal-level cultural relics protection of Huzhou City, including Tongjin Bridge, Hongji Bridge, Guanghui Bridge, WanKui Bridge, Wangu Bridge, Chuihong Bridge, and Wangyue Bridge. Among them, those still referred to as the Three Ancient Stone Bridges of Nanxun are: Guanghui Bridge, Tongjin Bridge, and Hongji Bridge. In March 1989, these three bridges were designated as municipal cultural relics protection units in Huzhou.

　　    Guanghui Bridge: Located in front of Guanghui Palace, it is a single-arch stone bridge. Its original construction date is unknown. It was renovated in the fifth year of the Jiaqing reign during the Qing Dynasty and rebuilt in the fifth year of the Tongzhi reign. The bridge is 18 meters long, 3.3 meters wide, with an arch rise height of 5.3 meters. There are 24 steps on both the upper and lower sides, and the arch ring stones are laid using the method of longitudinal jointing with separate sections arranged side by side.

　　    Tongjin Bridge: Situated at the center of the old Nanxun Town, it is located at the intersection of a cross-shaped water system. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the area around Tongjin Bridge became a bustling silk market. To the south of the bridge lies a small street called Sihangdai, which was historically known for its silk trade and once served as a distribution hub for “Jili Lake Silk.”

　　    Hongji Bridge: Located in the eastern section of Nanxun Town, it spans impressively over the canal and is commonly known as the New Bridge. The southern end of the bridge is on Xiatai East Street, while the northern end is on East Main Street. The Hongji Bridge is mentioned in the Huzhou Prefecture Records from the Ming Dynasty’s Wanli era, and it was rebuilt in the sixteenth year of the Jiaqing reign during the Qing Dynasty.