Ancient bridges, spanning rivers or valleys, provide people with passage over natural obstacles, which are usually difficult or impossible to cross otherwise. They have watched flowers bloom and fall, clouds assemble and dissipate. And in a flash, hundreds of years have passed.
Along Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, there are many famous historical towns, and Tangqi is one of them that should not be missed. It is a thousand-year-old town with typical water town features. Its old streets, narrow lanes, long bridges and piers form an integral part of the ancient Grand Canal. Although it ranks at the top of the 10 famous water towns in Jiangnan, it keeps a low profile, compared to Wuzhen, Zhouzhuang and Tongli which are more well-known.
However, you can still see its past glory when you take a walk along the tranquil canal as its history and culture can be traced back to a thousand years ago.
Among the many ancient bridges in Tangqi, Guangji Bridge, without a doubt, is the king. If you take a water bus from Wulinmen Pier, you will reach the town in a little over 1 hour. The moment you get off, you will see the bridge.
This seven-hole stone bridge, also known as Bitian Bridge or more commonly the Long Bridge, is 78.7 meters long and it takes about 3 minutes to walk from end to end. And there are more than 160 steps. So far, the bridge has been there for over 500 years and has witnessed many changes.
Spare a little time to have a good walk around the bridge.
The ancient Grand Canal meanders all the way from the north of China to the south. The more than 500 years old Guangji Bridge spans the canal like a magnificent rainbow. And the old town of Tangqi is right at the southern end of the canal. Its unique on-water streetscapes and profound history and culture make people there wonder whether they have traveled back to Jiangnan a thousand years ago.
To the west of the Jesus Church on Shuibei Street stands the biggest imperial stele in Jiangnan. It is the genuine work of Emperor Qianlong. It records the historical fact that the people of Zhejiang never owed a penny during catastrophic years and can be regarded as the highest commendation of the emperor to the people of Zhejiang for their hard work.
In Xishitang, to the south of Guangji Bridge, there is an ancient stone well. It is said that Guo Pu, a literary scholar of the Eastern Jin Dynasty and a master of yin and yang feng shui theory, once passed Tangqi during a severe drought. He used what he had learned to survey directions and dug the well to connect the underground water system, and the water out of the well was very clear and tasted a little bit sweet. Therefore the local people were very grateful to him.
Situated in the southwestern corner of the Imperial Stele Park, the museum is the only all-generation history museum in China that is dedicated to the theme of barns. Many elements of farming and storage culture are included inside the museum to illustrate the important position of barns in terms of human survival and cultural progress.