Taiping Bridge

Taiping Bridge in Shaoxing is an ancient Ming Dynasty bridge located in Keqiao District, Shaoxing City, Zhejiang Province, China. Spanning the ancient East Zhejiang Canal, the 40-meter-long bridge features a unique arch-beam combined design: the southern section consists of a single-arch stone bridge (with a clear span of 8.4 meters and a rise of 5.1 meters), while the northern section connects to an eight-arch stone beam bridge with varying heights. The arch is constructed using the longitudinal joint and parallel section method, with a towpath built inside the arch abutments, forming an ancient "overpass system" where "pedestrians walk above while boats pass below." Originally built in 1620 (the 48th year of the Wanli era in the Ming Dynasty), the bridge was reconstructed in 1858 (the 8th year of the Xianfeng era in the Qing Dynasty). The bridge's top features squatting lion carvings on the baluster posts (a male lion stepping on a ball and a female lion nurturing its cub), with rail panels adorned with auspicious patterns such as lotus flowers and motifs representing the four arts (zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting), showcasing the carving techniques of the Ming and Qing dynasties. The arch bridge accommodates large boats, while the lower beam bridge diverts smaller vessels, meeting the needs of various types of boats in the river network area. The entire structure resembles a dragon raising its head, with varying heights that combine practicality and aesthetic appeal, earning it the reputation of a "model of water town bridges." Taiping Bridge is a core component of Shaoxing's ancient bridge cluster, and its towpath system, carving art, and multifunctional structure hold significant importance for studying the history of ancient Chinese bridge technology. It was listed as a cultural relic protection unit of Zhejiang Province in 1989 and upgraded to a national key cultural relic protection unit in 2013.