Luoyang Bridge

Luoyang Bridge
Coordinates24°57′16″N 118°40′34″E / 24.9545°N 118.6762°E / 24.9545; 118.6762
CarriesChina National Highway 324 (G324)
CrossesLuoyang River
LocaleQuanzhou, Fujian, China
Preceded bypedestrian bridge
Followed byChina National Highway 201
Characteristics
MaterialStone
Total length1.2 kilometres (0.75 mi)
Width40 metres (130 ft)
No. of spans46
Design life1000+ years
History
Construction start1058
LocationChina
Part ofQuanzhou: Emporium of the World in Song-Yuan China
CriteriaCultural: (iv)
Reference1561
Inscription2021 (44th Session)
Location
Map
Luoyang Bridge
Traditional Chinese洛陽橋
Simplified Chinese洛阳桥
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinLuòyáng qiáo
Southern Min
Hokkien POJLo̍h-iûⁿ-kiô
Alternative Chinese name
Traditional Chinese萬安橋
Simplified Chinese万安桥
Literal meaningAbsolutely safe bridge
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinWàn'ān qiáo

The Luoyang Bridge, also known as Wan'an Bridge, is located in Quanzhou, Fujian province, China. The stone bay bridge is situated at the mouth of Luoyang River. Being the first stone bay bridge in China, it enjoys the reputation of "one of the four ancient bridges of China".[1]

The project started from the fifth year (1053) of Huangyou's ruling period in the Northern Song dynasty. Cai Xiang, the chief of Quanzhou prefecture in the 3rd year (1058) of Jiayou's reign, took over the task of constructing the bridge, who had overcome several difficulties concerning bridge deck pavement and bridge pier by applying a raft foundation and raising oysters in the river to solid the base. In the fourth year (1059) of Jiayou's reign, the construction of Luoyang bridge was completed and Cai Xiang wrote "The Wan'an bridge" for it. The bridge had been reconstructed and repaired in the later dynasties. In the Southern Song dynasty, pagodas and fengshui pagodas were built outside the guardrail of the bridge.

The bridge is 1200 meters long, and has 46 piers in total. The north part of the bridge is in the territory of Hui'an County while the south is in Luojiang District. The middle part is located in a river island called Zhongzhou. Pagodas and tower joss can be found both on the bridge and Zhongzhou island.

Luoyang bridge was listed as a key cultural relics unit under the national protection in 1988. In 2021, the bridge was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List along with other Song and Yuan dynasty sites around Quanzhou because of its importance to medieval maritime trade in China and the exchange of cultures and ideas around the world.[2]

  1. ^ "人文景观:万古安澜洛阳桥 - 海峡之声网-" (in Chinese (China)). www.vos.com.cn. Retrieved 2017-03-31.
  2. ^ "Quanzhou: Emporium of the World in Song-Yuan China". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. Retrieved 22 Aug 2021.