Jinze Town, located in the southwestern part of Qingpu District on the picturesque shore of Dianshan Lake, was announced as the sixth batch of Chinese Historical and Cultural Towns in 2014.
The ancient town has a long history, with its origins in the Song Dynasty and its prime in the Yuan Dynasty. Due to its concentration of ancient bridges from the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, Jinze has been praised as a “Museum of Ancient Bridges” and the “Bridge Town of Jiangnan.”
The famous calligrapher and seal engraver Qian Junao once inscribed the phrase “Jinze Ancient Bridges Top the World” for the town.
Origin: Born by the Water of Dianshan Lake
The ancient bridges were built because of the water, and the water town thrived because of the bridges. The ancient bridges of Jinze Town are treasures left by history and embody the charm of Jiangnan water town culture.
According to historical records, Jinze once had “forty-two rainbow bridges” in ancient times. “Stepping out the door, one crosses a bridge; every household rests by the river,” and “whitewashed walls and bamboo sway in the wind, water alleys and small bridges connect,” creating a beautiful scene of the bridge town.
The waterway of Jinze Pond, which runs through the ancient town, currently has seven ancient bridges spanning the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, with diverse styles.
The Song Dynasty Puji Bridge, built in the third year of Xianchun (1267), is a stone arch bridge made of purple Wukang stone, commonly known as the “Purple Stone Bridge.” The arch is curved, resulting in a gentle slope and low railings without decoration, giving it a simple and elegant appearance. The contemporary bridge expert Mr. Tang Huancheng stated, “When it comes to the oldest ancient bridge in Shanghai, Jinze’s Puji Bridge takes the lead.”
The Yuan Dynasty Yingxiang Bridge was initially built during the Zhiyuan period (1335-1340). It is a five-span continuous simply supported beam bridge with a mixed structure of green bricks, water-milled square bricks, camphor wood, and bluestone.
As a famous Yuan Dynasty bridge in Jiangnan, it not only has extremely high historical, artistic, and scientific value but is also regarded by contemporary bridge experts as the ancestor of “continuous simply supported” beam bridges.
The Ming Dynasty Tianwang Bridge (also known as Tianhuang Pavilion Bridge) is a three-arch stone bridge made of bluestone and granite. It was first built in the Ming Dynasty and rebuilt in the 37th year of the Kangxi reign (1698) during the Qing Dynasty.
The bridge arches are tall and crescent-shaped, giving it a lively and graceful appearance. The bridge features various decorations, including a central stone, couplets, stone lion pillars, and cloud-patterned drum stones. The bridge surface is adorned with hidden carvings of the Eight Immortals.
The Qing Dynasty bridges were mostly renovated and transformed from ancient bridges to extend their lifespan. All seven ancient bridges have historical records of being repaired or rebuilt during the Qing Dynasty. Among them, Ruyi Bridge, originally built in the Yuan Dynasty, was rebuilt in the 25th year of the Guangxu reign (1899).
The rebuilt Ruyi Bridge fully embodies the Qing Dynasty style, with a tall and imposing shape, using sturdy granite. The bridge surface features railings, pillars, drum stones, and couplets as decorations.
The beauty of the ancient bridges’ scenery, shape, carvings, and decorations is varied and combines with the beauty of engineering art, making them unique architectural art treasures.
Restoration: Yingxiang Night Moon, Beauty Reappears
Although the ancient bridges of Jinze are of great age, they are well-preserved due to timely maintenance and care. In 2015, the Yingxiang Bridge, a protected cultural relic of Shanghai, underwent restoration. To comprehensively and accurately understand the extent of the damage, modern detection technologies were used before the restoration.
The investigation revealed that the ancient bridge had decayed and split wooden beams, partially tilted, displaced, and fractured stone columns and beams, and irregular subsidence of the surface green bricks. The restoration project addressed these issues accordingly. The camphor wood beams were waterproofed and protected against decay after repair.
The decayed American pine beams and warped cypress beams were replaced with fir wood. The decayed wooden planks were replaced and treated with anti-corrosion and anti-insect measures. The fractured cap beams were repaired, and the green bricks were cleaned and re-laid.
The restoration project adhered to the principle of “restoring the old as it was,” fully protecting and utilizing the original components, preserving the original appearance and characteristics of the cultural relics to the greatest extent, and recreating the beautiful scene of “the moon reflecting on the flowing river, the water and sky merging into one” at “Yingxiang Night Moon.”
Folklore: Bridges with Temples, Temples with Bridges
The ancient bridges of Jinze are not only transportation facilities that eliminate river obstacles in the lives of residents but also the lifeline of social customs. Historically, in Jinze, “every bridge had a temple, and every temple had a bridge.”
Temples supported bridges, bridges supported temples, and temples were even built on bridges. The names of the bridges are also related to religious beliefs. This unique bridge-temple folklore is extremely rare nationwide.
Today, only the ruins of the Yuan Dynasty Yihao Temple and Zongguan Temple remain, but they have left countless mysterious legends and interesting anecdotes. Among them, the legend of “Bai Po Bridge” is particularly intriguing. During the Jingding period of the Song Dynasty (1260-1264), there was a simple bridge in the middle section of the market river, which was a key transportation point leading to Yihao Temple.
Pilgrims had to pay a toll to the bridge builders when passing through, which angered the old women in the town. More than a hundred elderly women who made a living by spinning and weaving gathered to discuss building a bridge. They all believed that building a bridge was an act of kindness and virtue.
After a year of effort, they pooled their resources and built a three-arch stone pier bridge on the main road of the market river, providing free access for the villagers. To commemorate their virtuous deeds, the bridge was named Bai Po Bridge. During the Qing Dynasty, “Bai Po Bright Moon” was even listed as one of the “Eight Scenes of Jinze.” Although Bai Po Bridge has been lost in history, the goodwill it conveyed has endured through time.
Opening Hours, Tickets, and Reservation Methods
Opening Information: Open all day, no tickets required.
Transportation Information:
(1) Metro Line 17 Dongfang Lvzhou Station – Qingjin Line Interval to Jin
(2) Shanghai-Shaanxi Expressway Special Line (Danshui Road Changle Road Station) – Jinze Bus Station
Must-Visit Spots in Jinze Ancient Town
1.Shanghai’s Oldest Bridges: Wan’an Bridge and Puji Bridge
Wan’an Bridge, located on Shangtang Street, and Puji Bridge on Xiatang Street, are both typical single-arch stone bridges from the Song Dynasty. Built during the Jingding period (1260-1264), these “sister bridges” spanning the Jinze Pond have been standing side by side for over a thousand years.
2.A Modern Retro Masterpiece: Puqing Bridge
Constructed in 1999, Puqing Bridge is a modern replica of the Bianshui Rainbow Bridge depicted in the famous painting “Along the River During the Qingming Festival.” The entire bridge is built without mortise and tenon joints or nails, relying solely on binding techniques. It is a masterpiece of modern retro bridge design and a tribute to the wisdom of our ancestors.
3.The Ancestor of Continuous Simply Supported Beam Bridges: Yingxiang Bridge
Located at the southern end of the ancient town, Yingxiang Bridge is known for its beautiful scenery, especially the “Yingxiang Night Moon,” one of the eight famous scenes of Jinze.
4.The Master of Bridge “Mashups”: Lin Lao
Bridge
Situated at the northern end of the ancient town, Lin Lao Bridge was originally built in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) and reconstructed in 1730 during the Qing Dynasty. This single-arch stone bridge features a gentle slope and low railings, preserving the style of Song Dynasty stone arch bridges. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the bridge underwent renovations, incorporating bluestone and granite, adding lookout pillars, and engraving hidden images of the Eight Immortals on the steps, making it a true “mashup” masterpiece.
5.”Bridge Picks Temple”: Tianwang Bridge
Tianwang Bridge, located on Xiatang Street, once had a Tianwang Temple on its northern end and a Jesus Church on its southern end. The bridge connected these religious establishments across the river, exemplifying the concept of “bridge picks temple.”
6.”Bridge and Temple Interdependence”: Jinze Fangsheng Bridge
Jinze Fangsheng Bridge, also known as Zongguan Bridge due to the Zongguan Temple on its northern end, is situated on Xiatang Street. Originally built in the Ming Dynasty, it was reconstructed in 1791 during the Qing Dynasty. The bridge features a couplet on its western side: “Water flows from the bay, connecting the beautiful scenery; the bridge, like a ruyi, leads to the prosperous road.”
7.Yihao Temple
Yihao Temple, located east of Puji Bridge, was first established in 1260 during the Song Dynasty. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the temple was even larger than the famous Lingyin Temple. Although the temple was destroyed in a bombing in 1938, remnants such as a 700-year-old ginkgo tree, the Yihao Temple stele from the Yuan Dynasty, stone column bases of the main hall, and the impressive Buduan Yun stone carving by the renowned Yuan Dynasty painter and calligrapher Zhao Mengfu can still be found.
Nearby Attractions
1.Qingxi Suburban Park
Located at 500 Zilian Road, Jinze Town, Qingpu District, Qingxi Suburban Park is centered around Dalian Lake, with nearly one-third of its area covered by water. It is the only suburban park in Shanghai featuring wetlands.
Ticket: Free, reservation required through Shanghai Tour Code.
Opening hours: 8:30-16:30, with the ecological conservation area closing at 16:00.
2.Lianhu Village
Lianhu Village is the only original village within the core area of Qingxi Suburban Park. With its crisscrossing rivers and lakes, idyllic countryside scenery, and quaint village houses, it offers a glimpse into the charming rural life.
Ticket: Free, no reservation required.
3.Shanghai Grand View Garden
Located at 701 Jinshang Road, Qingpu District, Shanghai Grand View Garden is China’s first theme park built based on the imagery described in the classic novel “Dream of the Red Chamber.”
Opening hours: 8:00-16:30.
Ticket: Starting from 27 yuan, reservation required through Shanghai Tour Code.
4.Oriental Land
Oriental Land, situated at 6888 Huqingping Road, Qingpu District, is Shanghai’s new suburban leisure and tourism destination and China’s largest research and study tourism center. It is a large-scale outdoor landscape park combining natural scenery and cultural landscapes.
Opening hours: 8:30-16:30.
Ticket: Starting from 45 yuan, reservation required through Shanghai Tour Code.
5.Yuandang Slow Traffic Bridge
The Slow Traffic Bridge, located at the heart of the Yangtze River Delta Ecological Green Integration Demonstration Zone, is approximately 585.7 meters long. The bridge connects the wetland landscape of Yuandang Lake with the surrounding greenway, as well as the Wujiang District of Suzhou and the Qingpu District of Shanghai, allowing visitors to walk or cycle between the two cities and experience different cultural and natural landscapes.
6.Caibang Village
Nestled on the shore of Dianshan Lake, Caibang Village is surrounded by water on three sides, with clear green waters and a beautiful environment. Visitors can enjoy a cup of the intangible cultural heritage “Apo Tea” and experience the slow-paced rural life.
Recommended Itineraries
Route 1:
Qingxi Suburban Park → Lianhu Village → Jinze Ancient Town → Oriental Land
Route 2:
Jinze Ancient Town → Yuandang Slow Traffic Bridge → Shanghai Grand View Garden → Caibang Village
