China - Xiaoshang Bridge

Xiaoshang Bridge at Linying.

Sent by David from China.

"Xiao Shang Bridge is a great miracle in Chinese bridge history. Xiao Shang Bridge is located on Xiao Shang River south of Xiao Shang Bridge (the old course of Yin River) in Huangdi Temple Village, Linyin County.

The bridge is a wide-shoulder, single-hole, and stone arched bridge. It is 20.87 meters long and 6.67 meters wide. The large arch ranges 11.6 meters, and the arrow height is 2.13 meters, in a proportion of 1/5. The arch is 0.65 meters thick, and the small arches range 2.13 meters, the arrow height 1.2 meters. The two small arches spacing are 20.2 meters apart. Both the large arch and the small arches are piled up by twenty arched stones side by side. The arched stones of the main arch are all joined together by iron links. The relievos have patterns like flying horse, lion, lotus and geometirc patterns.

On the arches are beasts stretching out of the body of the bridge. Four corners of the underpart of the pier have Buddha's warrior attendant's wrestler's portraits, whose both shoulders are shouldering the arches and both hands are pop-up, about 0.33 meters in size. The model is vivid, and the style is simple and unsophisticated. According to the local records, Xiao Shang Bridge was built in the fourth year during the governing of the first emperor of Sui Dynasty (584AD), but now the architectural style of the main structure of the bridge is in the style of Northern Song Dynasty (960AD-1127AD). There was renovation in successive dynasties of Yuan (1271AD-1368AD), Ming (1368AD-1644AD), and Qing (1644AD-1911AD) Dynasties. The biggest renovation happened during Dade Years of Yuan Dynasty (1297AD-1307AD).

Xiao Shang Bridge is a relatively old ancient stone bridge. It has a graceful model, a tightly knit structure, and exquisite craftsmanship, which is an important material for studying the history of architecture and transportation. Xiao Shang Bridge was announced as the provincial relic reservation unit in 1986. The State Bureau of Cultural Relics allocated special funds for its overhaul in 1994."