中国国情与文化概况英文版 (17).pdf

122Reader BChinese BridgesTraditional Chinese bridges,with their distinctive characteristics,varying buildingmaterials and different forms,are an essential legacy of the Nation.They also occupyan important position in the world history of bridge building.China has inheritedinnumerable bridges from her past.There are,it is said,4 million bridges if onecounts the stone arch bridges alone.In the southern regions of rivers and lakes,thelandscape is dotted with bridges of various sizes and descriptions.The Stone Arch BridgeThe first stone arch bridge named Lurenqiao(Wayfarers Bridge)was built in the yearof 282,near the ancient Luoyang Palace.However,Anji Bridge is the most famousstone arch bridge in China.It spans the Jiaohe River in Zhaoxian County,HebeiProvince,and is better known as Zhaozhou Bridge after the ancient name of thecounty.Built at the end of the sixth century,by the mason Li Chun,Zhaozhou Bridgeis still being used today,making it one of the bridges with the longest service life inthe world today.On wide rivers and lakes,multiple-arch bridges were erected in stone.One of them is Lugouqiao or Marco Polo Bridge.Built in the years from 1189 to 1192 in the southern vicinity of Beijing,it is 265 meters long and comprises 11 archeswith spans ranging from 16 to 20 meters.What makes the bridge famous is the stonelions engraved on the balustrades on both sides.The 485 stone lions are lively andexquisite with different expressions and postures.Stone arch bridges are strong andsturdy and are built in a great variety of shapes.Their material is often availablelocally and is highly resistant to weathering.They have long been used as landscapingstructures in China.A splendid example is Jade Belt Bridge in the Summer Palace inBeijing.A stone bridge of a single span,it has a high arched back rather like the humpof a camel flanked by finely carved white marble balustrades,it is a picturesquedecoration to the place.The Zigzag BridgeAs a landscaping structure,the zigzag bridge is found in some gardens or suburbanparks.It is intended to give an interesting scenic feature on lakes and ponds.Such abridge may have three,five or more zigzags.The Nine-Bend Bridge in YuyuanGarden of Shanghais old town is a typical example.Crossing 30 meters of the lake,the bridge winds more than 100 meters because of its nine twists and turns.The Pavilion BridgeA component part of the art of landscape gardening,the pavilion bridge is often builtover the surface of a quiet lake,forming a small scenic area and.providing sightseerswith a place of rest,shelter from the sun and rain.The Five-pavilion Bridge inYangzhou City,Jiangsu Province is a fine example of this style.Built in 1757,123resembling a belt worn on the narrow waist of Slender West Lake,it has fivepavilions.One pavilion is higher than the other four,two on each side in perfectsymmetry.The middle pavilion is the only double-eaved structure.All pavilions havetheir four comers upturned,with rows of tiles under a crown roof.The pavilions arejoined by short covered corridors,which have yellow-glazed roof tiles and greencurving ridge tiles,creating a striking color contrast.Inside,the ceilings are decoratedwith colorful sunken panels and the beams and columns are carved in beautifulpatterns.In contrast to the exquisite pavilions,the bridges supporting piers looksturdy and rugged.The combination of bridge and pavilion is a masterpiece ofstructural complexity.Another well-known pavilion bridge,built in 1916,isChengyang Bridge,also known as Wind-and-Rain Bridge,on the Linxi River in theDong Autonomous County of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.Its woodenbody,70 meters long by 1O meters wide,rests on piers built entirely of large stoneblocks.Standing above are five pagoda-like pavilions connected by a long coveredcorridor forming a covered bridge.The five-story pavilions have multiple up turned caves as if they are about to takeflight.The wall panels in the pavilions and corridors are carved with popular Dongmotifs,showing the characteristics of this ethnic group.There are a large number of bridges with pavilions and corridors in China,particularlyin the south.The buildings on some bridges are so large that they are used as meetinghalls or trading markets.