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- a Tang Dynasty bridge
-
- in search for the "Precious
Belt Bridge" -
In 1793 an English group of
diplomats and their staff were on the way down the Grand Canal from Beijing
to Hangzhou. They had been sent out in an attempt to persuade the
Chinese Emperor to open up China for trade with the Western World - - -
As history showed, their mission
failed miserably, but they did indeed write some very interesting notes
on their observations during their visit to the "Heavenly Kingdom" - -
-
Now they were on their way
back again and on November 7th. 1793, they saw something very unusual and
very unique - - -
They wrote following notes
about the event:
"As the darkness came, we
passed very close to a stone bridge, that seemed to go on forever, with
more than 90 arches!
One of our servants, who was
still awake, started to count the arches, until he gave up and very exited
came rushing in yelling: For God's sake, Gentlemen, - please come out on
deck, and have a look at a bridge, the equal to which I have never seen
before. It never ends!"
Parallel to the Grand Canal,
these arches seemed to continue indefinitely, shrouded in the darkness.
They made it possible for junks to pass into a lake on the other side,-
under the road that ran parallel to the canal.
Little did the Englishmen
know, that this bridge had already been there for a thousand years before
they saw it!
Our Englishman continues: "In
spite of the darkness, we could distinguish about 45 arches after the middle
one!"
This account of the first Western
sighting of the "Precious Belt Bridge" really got me going again!
WoW!!! Maybe that bridge
still existed??? If it did,- I got a very strong urge to find it
and to get the same thrill that our English explorers got way back in 1793!
However,- it is now more than 200 years ago, and meanwhile a lot of turmoil,
wars, changes and development have taken place in China - - -
Eventually I did find the bridge
exactly where it should be,- a little outside Suzhou -, and exactly as
the Englishmen had described it for more than 200 years ago - - -
And it is stunning!
Just imagine,- a Tang Dynasty
bridge more than 1000 years old -, and still standing, solid and strong,
as it did when it was taken into use for so long time ago - - -
I am quite convinced, that
the bridges constructed in our time, will not even get close to that age
- - -
But here we have the old Tang
bridge,- and I will not be surprised if it is still around after another
1000 years - - - -
Please enjoy my pictures from
a truly unique construction.
And ,- by the way-, it is
NOT on the tourist trail,- so if you ever find it, you will have it for
yourself,- and you do not have to worry about buying tickets or being hassled
by souvenir sellers and noise!
Tang Dynasty bridge
The "Precious Belt Bridge"
, - apparently endless - -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
The south access to the "Precious
Belt Bridge" - -
The "Grand Canal" to the right,-
the longest man-made canal in the world - -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Old, weathered stone lions
guarding the bridge,- and Kit Yu - - -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
A closer look at the old Tang
Dynasty lions - -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
The middle section of the
"Precious Belt Bridge" - -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Over the bridge, -
Kit Yu halfway across - -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Almost across - -
In the background, - the Grand
Canal with ships - -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
At the northern end of the
bridge, - and the Grand Canal to the right - -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
Kit Yu, - and a very old pagoda
-, at the northern end of the bridge - -
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
A view to the "lake" opposite
to the Grand canal.
Junks still pass underneath
the bridge, - just like reported in by the English travellers in 1793.
(Photography by Karsten Petersen)
- and a final view of one of
the old lions.
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Updated: June 6th. 2003
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