Guangji Bridge and Xiang Bridge spring swelling Guangji Bridge locates outside Chaozhou east gate, bestride two banks of immense Han River, praised as “The pioneer open-close type bridge on the world” by famous bridge expert Mao Yisheng.
Guangji Bridge, commonly named Xiangzi Bridge, procurator Zeng Jiang first build, first as Float Bridge, linked by eighty-six huge boat, former name is “Kangji Bridge”. In 1174 float bridge shatter by the flood, procurator Chang Wei repairs it, and establish outstanding pavilion at west bank, begin west bank pier construction. Until 1194, across fifty-four years, Zhu Jiang, Wang Zhenggong, Ding Yunyuan, Sun Quanjing building built successively, finish building of ten piers. Among as procurator Yunyuan build the largest scale; most outstanding achievements recall west bridge “Ding Gong Bridge”. In 194, procurator Shen Zongyu “Pan stone west bank” build “Cover beautiful booth”, and called east bridge “Jichuan Bridge”, in succession, procurator Chen Honggui, Lin Biao, Lin Hui add building successively, until 1206 last a period of twelve years, build pier thirteen. After east and west bridge established, middle also linked by float boat, forming basic pattern that girder bridge combined with Float Bridge. Late Song till early Yuan dynasty, Guangji Bridge again has lots of prospers and deposes, in 1435, Wang Yuan preside scale unprecedented “Repeat stone repair”, after finish “West bank is ten pier night hole, long forty-night Zhang and five Chi; east bank is thirteen pier twelve hole, long eighty-six Wen; middle hollow is twenty-seven Zhang seven Chi, build boat twenty and four is float boat”, and “Set booth and house hundred and sixteen”, recalled “Guangji Bridge”. In 1724, Zhang Ziqian repair Guangji Bridge, and casting two cow, set at the eighth and twelfth pier of West Bridge respectively, meaning “Calm Bridge and resist flood”. Flood in year 1842, east pier iron cow falls into the river. So has a balladry: “Chaozhou Xiang Bridge quite dissolute, eighteen shuttle boat twenty-four continent, twenty-four tower twenty-four shape, two iron cow one slip.” Pattern that girder and boat combined, make Guangji Bridge forming its own three characteristics: first, “eighteen shuttle boat twenty-four continent”. Bridge linked by twenty-four piers of east and west and eighteen shuttle boat of middle, float bridge can open and close, structure unique, at the same time, also combine girder bridge, arch bridge, float bridge as a whole, this is a exclusive example on our nation bridge history; second, “twenty-four tower twenty-four shape”, that is build twenty-four different booths on piers, indeed is layer pavilion, gather beauty; third, “One inner long bridge one inner city.”
Guangji Bridge locates at the middle reaches of Han River, is the only way through east part of Guangdong to Fujian, Jiangxi, Han River is artery of east Yue transportation, therefore, Guangji Bridge become important hinge of goods gather and transshipment, due to lots of shops on bridge, here is very busy, so has a much-told story “Reach Xiang bridge ask Xiang bridge.”
This supernatural bridge, each pier all has hundreds of history, from Song dynasty the first pier till forming “Eighteen shuttle boat, twenty-four continent patterns, total continue for 300 years. Under the condition that low productivity, build such huge bridge on the river, its difficulty is exceed people's image, so Chaozhou civilian come down lots of legend of “Fairy build bridge”. As the story goes, after Han Yu reach Chaozhou, often ascend east hill gate (that is penholder hill). But deeply feel bitter of across river, so invite his great-nephew Han Xiangzi and monk Guangji to build bridge together. Han Xiangzi builds a section of east side, invite Eight Immortals in the legend to help. Han Xiangzi go to Phoenix hill to get stone by himself, turn stone into black pig, drive all along, but at the end a group of pig just drive at south phoenix, seen through by a pregnant woman, shout :“How can the stone walk!” one sentence let out nature's mystery, stone never move, so a few frusta aren't built on east side charged by Han Xiangzi. Monk Guangji builds a section of southwest, also invite The eighteen arhat. He go to Shangpu hill to get stone by himself, turn stone into a group of black sheep, drive all along. But when the last group sheep drive at midway, come across a local tyrant landowner, want to bear away these sheep on purpose, and say :“This monk where get the sheep! Evidently is mine.” Monk Guangji is tangled weary, and say :“Since is yours, drive to your field!” landowner drive the sheep to his field, but become seats of black stone hill, push down the field of landowner. It is said it is the origin of floating ocean blank ocean hill. So, last group black pig, sheep can't reach in time, a middle section can't repair. What shall they do? And it nears dawn. He fairy only can cast lotus flower leaves to center of river, become eight shuttle boat; monk Guangji see it, throw Buddhist staff at once, become a big wine, tie down the eighteen shuttle boat, become float bridge. In this way, people in order to commemorate immortal and Buddha resultant force build the bridge's achievement, so called this bridge “Xiangzi Bridge”, also called “Guangji Bridge”.
“Xiang Bridge spring swelling” describe at late spring peach blossom water flood, Han River water swelling, river surface become wider, fluctuate of eighteen shuttle boat life with tidewater drift along, link a line with east bridge west frusta, like long dragon lie wave alive. View at the river surface, can see Han River upper reaches cockboat hell with wave, east bank of middle reaches pen-apex green, lower reaches phoenix peach blossom blooming, scenery charming. This scenery in “Eight scenery of Chaozhou” poetry, which is fame in and oversea by Zhen Lanzhi, describes ripping: Xiang River spring dawn water far away, eighteen shuttle lock painting bridge. Dash stone and snow fly on girder, crow continent rise cross wave, a band of long rainbow fine in March, float imitate into the sky.”
With historical vicissitude, Guangji Bridge built several times. Carry through reinforce maintain to the whole bridge in 1958, and dismantle eighteen shuttle boat, rebuild into three-hole steel joist frame and two high stake bear-platform type bridge. In 1976, another enlarges building into actuality. In March 1988, Guangji Bridge publicized as Nation Important Culture Relic Protection Unit.
Now, Chaozhou government is planning resume original style and features of Guangji Bridge, make great efforts to build Chaozhou into China excellent tour city! |
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