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Beijing Lugou Bridge

  • Spanning the Yongding River southwest of Beijing City, Lugou Bridge, internationally renowned as Marco Polo Bridge, stands as a powerful symbol of both ancient Chinese engineering brilliance and profound modern historical significance.

Profile

  • ID : 205
  • City : beijing
  • English name : Lugou bridge
  • Chinese name : 卢沟桥
  • Type :
  • Level : easy
  • Kids : possible
  • Elders: possible
  • Best season : All seasons
  • Visiting length : about 2 hours
  • Distance to city center : 20 km

Introduction

    • Lugou Bridge was described by poets as a place where people would send off their beloved ones, or friends. The best time to visit it is at dawn, when a Morning Moon is hanging over the sky. In ancient times the bridge was renowned for its spectacular views of the moon during the Mid-autumn Festival. In the Mingchang period (1190-1208) of the Jin dynasty, the bridge was listed into the "Eight Scenic Spots of Yanjing (Beijing)" under the title "Lugou Xiaoyue" (Morning Moon Over Lugou Bridge), which has remained throughout the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. A Stone Tablet with an inscription by the Qing Emperor, Qianlong, says "Morning Moon Over Lougou Bridge" still stands at one end of the Bridge.

Helper to visit Lugou bridge

  • Address in English : Across from the West Gate of Wanping City, Fengtai District, Beijing
  • Address in Chinese : 北京市丰台区宛平城西门马路对面
  • Tel : 86-10-83892521
  • Post code : 100072
  • Ticket time : 7:30-16:30(April to October), 8:00-17:00(November to March of next year)
  • Open time : 7:30-19:00(April to October), 8:00-17:30(November to March of next year)
  • Closing time :
  • Location : Lugou bridge is around 20 km to downtown beijing

    Transportation

    • Public bus: 983, 459, 339, 624, 310, 458, 896, 309
    • Subway: Take Subway Line 16 and get off at Wanping City Station.
  • Private car is the best method to visit Lugou bridge with local tour operator.

Admission

  • high season : 20 RMB/person.
  • shoulder season : 20 RMB/person.
  • low season : 20 RMB/person.

    Architecture

  • he marble bridge has eleven arches, and measures 266.5 meters long and 7.5 meters wide. Most fascinating is that every baluster is carved on top with a lion in different shape and expression. According to the survey in 1961 by the Beijing Cultural Relics Administration, there were 486 lions of various size in total: 281 bigger lions on top of the balusters plus 198 smaller lions on their bodies, apart from the two lions balancing on their heads the balustrades at the Bridge eastern end, 4 lions atop each of the four sculptured marble columns standing at the Bridge's heads, and one lion discovered later in the sand under the Bridge . However, another survey conducted in 1983 resulted in the total number being 498. For the exact number of lions, please try to count yourself.
    At the extremes of the bridge there are two stone steles, one recording the history of the renovation work carried out in the reign of Emperor Kangxi (1662-1722), and the other bearing the inscription "The Moon over the Lugou Bridge at Dawn" in the handwriting of Emperor Qianlong.

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      History

    • Originally it was built in 1193, during the Jin Dynasty, and was reconstructed several times in the following dynasties.
      It has its name because Marco Polo described it in his Travels. Logou Bridge is well-known not only for its long-standing, magnificence and sturdiness, but also due to its being a commemorate place in the Chinese people' war against Japanese aggression. It was right here on July 7th, 1937, the Japanese imperialists launched the war of aggression and were dealt with a head-on blow by Chinese patriotic army-men and people. The incident was the prelude to the Resistance War against Japanese Aggression. Up to now, the city walls of the nearby Wanpin County, riddled with bullets fired by the Japanese aggressors, still stand there, as a witness to the history.
      Historical records also inform us that the Lugou River was "violent and flowed extraordinarily rapidly." With the post-1949 construction of the Guanting Reservoir upstream from the bridge, a multitude of trees were planted on the river banks and the formerly disposition was also tamed, no longer presenting he constant danger of floods. The Lugou River was also known as the Wuding (Lacking Stability) River, and despite the fact that Emperor Kangxi had the auspicious name Yongding (Eternal Stability) bestowed upon it, it was only after the founding of the People's Republic that eh river truly became "eternally stable." After seven centuries, however, the river water remains as swift as ever. Owing, however, to the extraordinarily durable construction of the bridge's foundation; the endless battering of the torrential current has left no mark on it.
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