Lugou Bridge is one of the oldest cultural relics in Beijing, and the oldest existing stone-built arch bridge. It is located on the Yongding River in Fengtai District, Beijing, China. It connects the north and south sides of Beijing and is one of the important transportation hubs of Beijing.
Lugou Bridge is famous for its exquisite stone carvings and historical background, attracting countless tourists to visit. With a history of 800 years, the Lugou Bridge is not only a masterpiece of art, but also a witness to the history of modern China.
Time allows us to enter the annual rings of Lugou Bridge, 800 years ago when northern China was occupied by the Jin people, and the rulers of the Jin Dynasty inherited the art form of Chinese civilization construction.
In May of the twenty-eighth year of Jin Dading (1188), Jin Shizong decided to build the Lugou Bridge, the construction of the Lugou Bridge lasted three years, on the eleventh day of March in the third year of Jin Mingchang (April 24, 1192), the Lugou Bridge was completed, and Jin Zhangzong named Guangli, because of crossing the Lugou River (that is, the Yongding River), it was renamed Lugou Bridge.
Lugou Bridge came into being, and with its unique architectural style and artistic value, it has become a model in the history of Chinese bridge construction.
Lugou Bridge is a stone arch bridge with a total length of 2665 meters, 7 meters wide5 meters, with a total of 11 arched bridge holes, each with a diameter of 95 meters. On both sides of the bridge, there are stone railings and pillars, and the column heads are carved with stone lions and stone beasts, which are different in shape and lifelike. These stone carvings not only have high artistic value, but also reflect the exquisite skills of ancient Chinese bridge construction and the wisdom of working people.
During the construction of the Lugou Bridge, the skilled craftsmen of the Jin Dynasty applied advanced construction techniques and design concepts. By skillfully using the natural topography and the course of the river, they divided the bridge into three sections, each connected by stone arches. This unique form of artistic construction, this design not only enhances the sturdiness of the bridge, but also increases the aesthetics of the bridge.
The completion of the Lugou Bridge not only facilitated transportation, but also became the political, economic and cultural center of the Jin Dynasty at that time. Every year during the Dragon Boat Festival of the lunar calendar, people will gather on the bridge for a dragon boat race to celebrate the harvest and pray for peace. This traditional Xi has continued to this day and has become one of the characteristic cultural activities in Beijing.
Time flies, time flies. Today, Lugou Bridge has become one of the famous monuments in China and one of the landmark buildings in Beijing. It attracts millions of tourists every year to visit and visit. People marvel at the magnificence and majesty of this ancient bridge, and even more marvel at the historical vicissitudes it has experienced and the historical changes it has witnessed.
Standing on the Lugou Bridge and looking into the distance, you can enjoy the beautiful scenery and unique cultural atmosphere of the surroundings. This ancient bridge seems to tell the story of the past and witness the development of the future. It is the pride and pride of the Chinese people and one of the treasures of the world cultural heritage. Let's walk into the long history of Lugou Bridge and feel the thick cultural and historical heritage.
In 1234, the rulers of the Jin Dynasty went into decline, and the Mongol army entered the capital of Jin and carried out a three-month-long campaign. In the cycle of history, the Jin Dynasty came to an end.
Time flies to the Ming Dynasty, and after 200 years of foreign occupation of northern China, it returned to the hands of Chinese civilization and established its capital here.
In order to protect this bridge with artistic value and practicality, the bridge was built 6 times from the 10th year of Yongle (1412) to the 34th year of Jiajing (1555) in the Ming Dynasty.
Minghui Yao": In July of the tenth year of Yongle, the Lugou River rose, the bridge and embankment were broken, and the Ministry of Engineering was ordered to build it.
In the ninth year of Ming orthodoxy (1444), the Lugou Bridge was rebuilt.
Ming Yi Tongzhi "Lugou Bridge Jin Mingchang was built at the beginning, and it was rebuilt in the ninth year of orthodoxy in this dynasty. ”
In the third year of the reign of Ming Hongzhi (1490), the Lugou Bridge was completed.
Ming Shilu "Hongzhi three years of May, the construction of the Lugou Bridge. Compared with the 40,000 military craftsmen who served in the first emperor's mountain mausoleum, this battle is less than one-third of the mountain mausoleum. ”
In the twentieth year of Jiajing of the Ming Dynasty (1541), the Lugou Bridge was repaired, but the construction was stopped before it was completed.
Ming Shilu": "Jiajing 24th year April Jiazi, edict to stop the Lugou bridge work.
In the thirty-fourth year of Jiajing of the Ming Dynasty (1555), the Lugou Bridge was repaired.
Ming Shilu": "In July of the 34th year of Jiajing, the construction of the Lugou Bridge was completed.
From the repair records of the Lugou Bridge, it can be seen how much attention the rulers of the Ming Dynasty attached to it.
The Qing rulers also participated in the construction and repair of the Lugou Bridge.
On the ninth day of October in the eighth year of Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty (1669), the Lugou Bridge was rebuilt.
In the thirty-seventh year of Kangxi in the Qing Dynasty (1698), the Lugou Bridge was rebuilt, and Kangxi ordered a monument to be erected at the west end of the bridge to describe the rebuilding of the Lugou Bridge.
In the sixteenth year of Qianlong in the Qing Dynasty (1751), the Lugou Bridge built a pavilion and carved a stele, and the Qianlong Emperor's handwritten "Lugou Xiaoyue" four-character carved stele was erected at the bridgehead.
In the 34th year of Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty (1908), after the death of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty, he was buried in Xiling, Yi County, Hebei Province, and he had to pass through this bridge. Due to the narrow bridge deck, the stone railings on both sides of the bridge had to be temporarily removed and wooden bridges were added on both sides to facilitate the smooth passage of the coffin. Afterwards, the stone fence was restored as it was.
Lugou Bridge has witnessed the four historical dynasties of Jin, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, although the dynasties are constantly changing along the annual cycle of history, but Lugou Bridge is still standing there, staring at one after another singing and crying stories.
On July 7, 1937, the Japanese army falsely claimed that a soldier left the team and disappeared during the Xi exercise, and asked to enter the squadron to search, but after being refused, the Japanese army launched an attack on the Chinese defenders at the Lugou Bridge in the southwestern suburbs of Beiping
The 77 Lugou Bridge Incident was the starting point of the full-scale outbreak of China's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the starting point of World War II in the East.
The 77 Lugou Bridge Incident was not only the starting point of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, but also a turning point in the awakening and rejuvenation of a nation. It awakened the national consciousness and patriotic feelings of the Chinese people, and inspired their determination and courage to resist Japan. At this historical moment, the Chinese have composed a magnificent epic of earth-shattering and weeping ghosts and gods with their flesh and blood.
After the incident, patriots from all over the country responded one after another, and they organized themselves to participate in the anti-Japanese salvation movement. Under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, the anti-Japanese national united front was established, and the people of the whole country united as one to jointly resist the Japanese invaders.
The squadron fought an arduous war of resistance both in the front and behind enemy lines. They used their flesh and blood to build the Great Wall of Steel and defend the great rivers and mountains of the motherland.
The ancient Lugou Bridge witnessed this humiliating moment in China's modern history and witnessed the heroic deeds of the Chinese people in resisting a strong enemy. When the iron hooves of the strong enemy stepped into the Lugou Bridge, the resistance and counterattack of the Chinese people also began. Countless heroic soldiers bravely resisted the enemy on the Lugou Bridge and defended the dignity of the country and the nation with their lives and blood.
The testimony of Lugou Bridge also tells us that the Chinese people have never given up resistance and struggle. Even in dark and difficult times, they have always maintained their perseverance and determination.
On today's Lugou Bridge, people can see the traces of history and the memory of history. On the stone monument on the bridge, the names and deeds of the soldiers who bravely resisted the enemy are engraved. These names and deeds are part of the history witnessed by Lugou Bridge, and they are also the historical memory of the heroic resistance of the Chinese people.
With the passage of time and the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, China's politics, economy and culture have undergone tremendous changes. Today, China has become a powerful country and plays an increasingly important role in the international arena.
In 1961, Lugou Bridge and the adjacent county town of Wanping were announced as the first batch of national key cultural relics protection units.
In 1967, the bridge deck of Lugou Bridge was widened by more than 400 meters, 59 concrete beams were built, 91 pillars were replaced, and the lions at the head of the columns were also re-carved.
In 1971, the new Lugou Bridge, built to protect the Lugou Bridge and reduce its traffic, was completed, but the Lugou Bridge continued to undertake transportation tasks.
In 1985, the Lugou Bridge was officially decommissioned.
In 1986, the Lugou Bridge Historical Relics Restoration Committee was established to restore the original appearance of the Lugou Bridge, and the project removed the asphalt laid after 1949 and the widened trail in 1967, restored the original appearance of the ancient bridge, and moved the traffic of motor vehicles to the adjacent Lugou New Bridge and the Jingshi Expressway built later.
On September 3, 1988, a thunderbolt damaged the 68th railing on the east side of the Lugou Bridge, and the stone lion on the pillar was also damaged.
In 1991, the Lugou Bridge was closed for management.
On July 17, 2017, the Lugou Bridge Shishi built a digital archive, presenting a panoramic view of the Lugou Bridge.
In March 2021, it was identified by the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Cultural Relics as the first batch of immovable revolutionary cultural relics in Beijing.
On December 1, 2022, the Lugou Bridge (Wanping City) cultural relics protection plan has formed preliminary results, and the Municipal Bureau of Cultural Relics is organizing expert demonstration, and guiding the preparation unit to revise and improve according to expert opinions, and at the same time complete the approval of the second batch of revolutionary cultural relics in Beijing.
In November 2023, it was included in the second batch of water conservancy heritage list in Beijing.
Today, with the rapid change of the world, Lugou Bridge has completed its historical mission, and it has witnessed the years of time travel like a historical monument.
Walking on the Lugou Bridge today, people can not only feel the weight and heaviness of history, but also see the traces of history and the memory of history. The history of Lugou Bridge tells us that the development and strength of a country needs to go through countless hardships and setbacks, and it requires the efforts and struggles of countless people. The history of Lugou Bridge also reminds us that the history and culture of a country are the foundation and soul of a country, which must be protected and inherited.