Approaching Ancient Bridges in Xiaoshan and Exploring Landscape Guardians

In this season of lush greenery and chirping birds, let us use our footsteps to explore ancient bridges and reminisce about the memories of the past.

01 Zhoukou Bridge

Located in Louta Town, Xiaoshan District, Zhoukou Bridge is a five-hole stone bridge and a municipal-level cultural relic protection unit.

It is said that during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, Qian Liu's army marched here intending to establish a prefecture. The place was at the entrance of a village, hence later generations named the mountain, stream, and bridge all after Zhoukou. Initially a wooden bridge, it was rebuilt with a stone structure during the Qing Dynasty's Tongzhi era, only to be destroyed later. It was reconstructed in 1920 and served as a key route connecting Zhuji and Fuyang.

02 Xinggong Bridge

Xinggong Bridge is located in the eastern part of Baiyan Natural Village, Xiamen Village, Heshang Town, Xiaoshan District, and is a municipal-level cultural relic protection unit.

Originally a wooden bridge, it was rebuilt as a stone bridge in the fifth year of Emperor Qianlong's reign of the Qing Dynasty (1740), only to collapse later. It was reconstructed in the 21st year of the Republic of China era (1932) as a seven-hole stone bridge. According to the records, "The new Xinggong Bridge stands between the mountains on both sides, with water flowing through a river, gathering the currents of Zhuji and Fuyang, and connecting the passages of Shaoxing and Hangzhou. The seven holes form a constellation pattern resembling the Big Dipper, hence the name Xinggong Bridge." There is a hexagonal eaved pavilion built on the western side of the bridge, with couplets, donation plaques, and murals inside.

03 Huilan Bridge

Huilan Bridge, located east of Huilan Road, Chengxiang Street, Xiaoshan District, is a municipal-level cultural relic protection unit.

Huilan Bridge is the steepest and highest stone arch bridge in the current urban area of Xiaoshan. There are railings, lookout pillars, and drum-holding stones on both the east and west sides of the bridge. The words "Huilan" are inscribed on the bridge, and there is a dragon head at the bridge's end. Below the dragon head, there are couplets, which are signed "Autumn in the 57th year of Qianlong," indicating that the bridge was built in the autumn of the 57th year of the Qianlong Emperor's reign (1792).