| Guanyin Bridge 观音桥 | |
|---|---|
 Guanyin Bridge in June 2018. | |
| Coordinates | 29°31′11″N 116°00′20″E / 29.51972°N 116.00556°E / 29.51972; 116.00556 |
| Crosses | Sanxia Stream (三峡涧) |
| Locale | Lushan, Jiangxi, China |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Arch Bridge |
| Material | Stone |
| Total length | 24.45 metres (80.2 ft) |
| Width | 4.94 metres (16.2 ft) |
| Height | 10.7 metres (35 ft) |
| Longest span | 10.33 metres (33.9 ft) |
| History | |
| Construction start | 1014 |
| Construction end | 1014 |
| Opened | 1014 |
| Location | |
The Guanyin Bridge (simplified Chinese: 观音桥; traditional Chinese: 觀音橋; pinyin: Guānyīn Qiáo) is a stone arch bridge located on the southern Mount Lu, in Lushan, Jiangxi, China. It was built in 1014 during the reign of Emperor Zhenzong of the Song dynasty (960–1279). It is one of the earliest existing stone arch bridges in China.
History
The bridge was built as "Qianxian Bridge" (栖贤桥) in 1014, during the Song dynasty (960–1279). In history, Su Shi, Su Zhe, Huang Tingjian, Yang Wanli, Wang Shipeng, Zhu Xi, Wen Tianxiang, Ouyang Xuan, and Tang Yin wrote poems and articles singing about the bridge. In the Qing dynasty (1644–1911), a Buddhist temple named "Cihang Temple" (慈航寺) was built in front of the bridge. "Cihang" means "Guanyin". Therefore, the bridge was called "Guanyin Bridge".
Guanyin Bridge was inscribed as a provincial cultural relics protection unit in 1959 and was listed among the "Major National Historical and Cultural Sites in Jiangxi" by the State Council of China.
Architecture
The bridge is 24.45-metre (80.2 ft) in length, 10.7-metre (35 ft) in height, 4.94-metre (16.2 ft) in width and 10.33-metre (33.9 ft) in span. It was made of 107 pieces of granite. The construction time of the bridge is engraved on the deck.
References
- ^ Fang Guoquan, Su Mao & Fang Chun (2004), p. 104–106.
- Mo Chunlin (2008), p. 31–33.
Bibliography
- Fang Guoquan; Su Mao; Fang Chun (2004). 《庐山旅游全书》 [Lushan Tourism Book] (in Chinese). Jiangxi: Jiangxi Fine Arts Publishing House. ISBN 7-80690-400-X.
- Mo Chunlin (2008). 《中国桥文化》 [Bridge Culture in China] (in Chinese). Jiangxi: Jiangxi University Press. ISBN 978-7-81132-324-5.
- Gao Ping (2006). 《浔阳踪迹》 [Traces of Xunyang] (in Chinese). Jiangxi: Jiangxi People's Publishing House. ISBN 9787210033448.