The Kangxi Emperor's Southern Inspection Tour (IX) / The Kangxi Emperor's Southern Inspection Tour (IX), 2

Shaoxing / 绍 兴市 /

The history of Shaoxing city is more than 2400 years old. There are over 4000 bridges here, unparalleled in all of China, about 1900 small rivers flow. It is considered the most famous water town in South China.

In Shaoxing, stone bridges connect streets, districts and surrounding villages. There are 604 bridges in Shaoxing, for this reason another name for the city is common - "Museum of Ancient Bridges". Almost all examples of bridge structures of ancient China are found here. Most of the bridges were built with folk funds. Usually, at the request of local residents, a meeting was held under the chairmanship of the elders of the clan and the nobility of the village and a committee for the construction of the bridge was established. For the construction of the bridge, fellow countrymen voluntarily donated money, poor villagers could offer free labor instead of money, sometimes local rich people on a joint basis provided all the necessary funds.
After the completion of the construction, a monument was erected, on which the date of the construction of this bridge, the names of the masters, the history of construction, the names of sponsors and the amount of their donations were carved. Often, the memorial recording was performed by a well-known master of words, and therefore such monuments have a high historical and literary value.
The beginning of construction should have been timed to coincide with a happy day, as well as arrange a rite of sacrifice to the god of the earth: make a rich sacrifice, bow at the feet, let firecrackers, beat gongs and drums. The ceremony was both solemn and cheerful.
Bridges in the waterways play an important role in transport links and over time they become major transport hubs. Boats often stop at the bridge, a pier appears, near which shops, hotels, theaters and other entertainment establishments open, thus forming markets and villages.
In Shaoxing, many areas are named bridges, such as Keqiao (Keqiao Bridge) and Xiafangqiao (Xiafangqiao Bridge). On a summer evening, locals relax in teahouses located near the bridges, there are always many passers-by and a lot of news. Various gazebos have been erected on the bridges, where residents can rest, take shelter from the rain, admire the poem on the walls and learn information. Here the rich do charity work: donate tea, medicine and food to the poor.
Bridges in Shaoxing are diverse: single-span, multi-span, bridges with gazebos, arched bridges, bridges with galleries, bridges with locks, bridges with through trusses. In addition, there are bridges on which temples, theaters or shops are built. The bridges in Shaoxing are not only beautiful and individual, but also very convenient for passers-by, boats, and the free flow of water in rivers. They are an important part of local history and culture.