Zhaozhou Bridge

Background

Zhaozhou Bridge crosses the Xiao River just south of the town of Zhao County, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, about 52 km from downtown Shijiazhuang. Its construction was directed by the Sui dynasty craftsman Li Chun; work began in 595 and was completed in 605, so it has stood for more than 1,400 years. It is one of the "Four Treasures of Hebei" and a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level. The bridge is a single segmental stone arch with a main span of 37.37 metres, a rise of 7.3 metres and a width of about 9 metres. The main arch is built of 28 thin stone arch rings laid side by side and tied with iron cramps. At each end of the spandrels are two small arches, which lighten the bridge and, when floods overtop it, let water pass through to reduce the force on the structure. The flat segmental arch broke with the convention that an arch bridge needed a semicircular arch, and it influenced later bridges such as the Song dynasty Yongtong Bridge in Zhao County. About seventy years after the bridge was finished, Tang officials left an inscription on it praising Li Chun's masterly stonework and the four small arches that break the force of the floods; Ming writers likened its form to "a new moon emerging from the clouds, a long rainbow drinking from a stream". The bridge has been repaired many times over the centuries; its original carvings are long gone, and most of the balustrades and posts you see today were newly carved in imitation of Sui style during repairs in the 1950s. In 1991 the American Society of Civil Engineers named Zhaozhou Bridge an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.

Local customs

Walk up the gentle slope from the bridgehead onto the deck, bend down to look closely at the small arches at the ends of the spandrels and the carved balustrades, then view the full sweep of the single arch from the riverbank below. If you have time, visit the Bailin Chan Temple and the Song dynasty Yongtong Bridge in Zhao County and compare the two stone arch bridges.

Travel tips

• The bridge itself is not large, and about an hour is enough. The stone deck is a gentle slope and slippery in rain, so wear non-slip shoes. Check the official notices for opening and admission arrangements. Dining options nearby are limited, so consider eating in Zhao County town first.
• From downtown Shijiazhuang, a long-distance bus or a drive of about an hour brings you to Zhao County, where you can take a local bus or taxi to the bridge
• drivers can take the Qingdao-Yinchuan Expressway to the Zhao County exit. Spring and autumn are best, with willows along the river and fields all around. In summer, after rain, the Xiao River rises and you can see water flowing through the arch. Winter is quiet, good for studying the stone carvings at leisure.