A ‘precious belt’ for festivals
Print Edition
BRIDGES are part of Suzhou’s charm. They crisscross the waterways that give the city a reputation as the “Venice of the East.”
Any stroll through the city will reveal bridges of all shapes and sizes, built from a variety of materials.
Of special interest is Baodai Bridge （宝带桥）, one of China’s 10 most famous spans.
Where does the name come from? Well, the answer comes when standing on the bridge.
It looks remarkable like a belt across the river. In Chinese, bao means “precious” and dai means “belt.” Legend has it that a local governor named Wang Zhongshu sold his precious belt in order to finance construction of the bridge in the ninth century.
The bridge has undergone several reconstructions. Its current form dates back to 1872. The architectural style of the entire bridge is both complex and attractive, leaving no one to wonder why it was designated a national cultural site and put under heritage protection in 2001.
I was told the bridge is the oldest arch stone bridge among all existing ancient bridges in China.
The residents of Suzhou hold deep feelings for Baodai Bridge. Some say the bridge improves traffic flow between the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal and Tantai Lake. Others are more esoteric, believing the bridge holds magical qualities when visited during the annual Mid-Autumn Festival.
It is said that during the full moon on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, a person standing on the bridge will be able to see the moon’s reflections in 53 arches.
Baodai Bridge has 53 arches along its 317-meter stone span. It was built without any cement. Local people say the bridge is very strong because of the support of the arches.
Counting from the north side, the 14th, 15th, and 16th arches are high enough to allow boat traffic to flow underneath.
Two pair of stone lions once stood guard on either end of the bridge, but those on the southern side have sunk into the sand of the river and are no longer visible.
The pair that remains has unfortunately drawn some graffiti – no doubt the work of tourists wanting to leave memento messages of their visit.
At the end of the bridge sits the Tantai Temple, built to honor one of the celebrated followers of Confucius. The temple serves as an ancestral hall for nearby villages.
There is a stone pagoda between the 27th and 28th arches of Baodai Bridge, sculpted with gods. Another stone pagoda sits 2 meters away from the entrance of Tantai Temple, and near the pagoda is a stele engraved with the legend of Baodai Bridge.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
