Seventeen hole bridge
The Seventeen-Arch Bridge in the Summer Palace is located in the Summer Palace in the western suburbs of Beijing. It plays a crucial connecting role and is a long bridge that links the east bank of Kunming Lake and South Lake Island.
This bridge was built during the reign of Emperor Qianlong in the Qing Dynasty. It occupies a unique position among the many bridges in the Summer Palace and is the largest stone bridge in the park. The Seventeen-Arch Bridge has a unique structure. It is ingeniously composed of 17 arches. The bridge body is 150 meters long and magnificently spans between the East Embankment and South Lake Island. Seen from a distance, its shape is just like a long rainbow lying on the blue waves, magnificent and impressive, leaving a very deep impression on people.
In terms of its shape, the Seventeen-Arch Bridge combines the characteristics of the Lugou Bridge in Beijing and the Baodai Bridge in Suzhou, integrating the artistic essences of bridges in different styles from the north and the south, showing a different kind of charm. Moreover, the stone carving craftsmanship on the bridge is exquisitely beautiful, and every detail is handled properly. It is especially worth mentioning that on the balustrade posts of each bridge railing, lions with different expressions are carefully carved. These lions are either majestic and powerful, or naive and lovely, or lively and agile. There are a total of 544 lions of different sizes. They seem to be the guardians of the bridge, adding a sense of liveliness and majesty to it.
Furthermore, there are also stone-carved strange beasts standing at both ends of the bridge. They look vivid and the carving craftsmanship is exquisite, as if they were about to come to life in the next moment, making the whole bridge more artistically appealing. On the north side of the bridge plaque, the words "Spiritual Beasts Lying like a Crescent Moon" are inscribed, and on the south side, the words "Cultivation on Lingering Waves" are inscribed. These short but meaningful phrases contain profound cultural connotations, carrying the ancient people's good expectations and cultural sustenance for this bridge. They also enable people to deeply appreciate the historical and cultural connotations behind it while admiring the beauty of the bridge and immerse themselves in this rich cultural atmosphere.
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