Guyue Bridge

The Guyue Bridge (simplified Chinese: 古月桥; traditional Chinese: 古月橋; pinyin: Gǔ Yuè Qiáo) is an ancient Chinese arch bridge located in Yiwu, Jinhua, Zhejiang province, People's Republic of China.

"Guyue Bridge" literally means the bridge of the ancient moon.

Introduction

The bridge is located in Chi'an Village (simplified Chinese: 赤岸镇; traditional Chinese: 赤岸鎮; pinyin: Chì'àn Zhèn), and it's about 100-meter western of the Yazhi Street (雅治街). It goes across the Dragon Creek (traditional Chinese: 龍溪, simplified Chinese: 龙溪, pinyin: Lóng Xī).

It is a single span arch bridge. The design is very special: more precisely, its structure feature is girder-arch, and the girders are arranged like ribs. Such design can be found in the famous painting Along the River During the Qingming Festival of Song dynasty by Zhang Zeduan.

The bridge was completed in 1213, the sixth year of the Jiading Era (Chinese: 嘉定; pinyin: Jiā Dìng), Southern Song dynasty. Since then it has never been rebuilt or repaired.

On the body of the bridge are engraved 12 Chinese characters: Huangsong Jiading Guiyou Jiqiu Runyue Jianzao (simplified Chinese: 皇宋嘉定癸酉季秋润月建造; traditional Chinese: 皇宋嘉定癸酉季秋閏月建造; pinyin: Huáng Sòng Jiā Dìng Guǐ Yǒu Jì Qiū Rùn Yuè Jiàn Zào), which literally means: Constructed in Autumn September Imperial Song Jiangding Era the Year of Guiyou ("Huang" means Imperial. "Song" reveals Song dynasty. "Jiading" is an era 1208-1224 of the Emperor Ningzong of Song. "Guiyou" is the year 1213, it's the Sexagenary cycle-way to record years in traditional Chinese calendar. "Jiqiu" means the late autumn period of a year.

See also

• Stone bridge
• Arch bridge
• Zhaozhou Bridge, a famous Chinese stone arch bridge completed in 605 AD.

External links

• Detailed descriptions on the Guyue Bridge (Chinese), including photos (from Hudong.com)
• Detailed descriptions on the Guyue Bridge (Chinese), including photos (from Baidu.com)
• A blog describing Guyue Bridge in spring (Chinese)