Lili's Ancient Bridges: So Many Enchanting Tales!
If water is the texture of Lili Ancient Town, then the ancient bridges are its features. The many ancient bridges outline Lili's lovely scenery and whisper tales of time's passage. Not only do the bridge names vary, but many bridges have enchanting stories. Let's savor the charm of Lili's bridges together.
Lili Ancient Town: A Living, Serene Water Town. Originating from the Spring and Autumn period, Lili Ancient Town is still permeated with a lived-in charm. The town has 12 historic old bridges, eight of which are authentic Ming and Qing dynasty structures. A tranquil canal winds through the town, lined with whitewashed walls, black-tiled roofs, and green bamboo. Best of all, this beautiful ancient town doesn't attract overwhelming crowds. Elderly folk wash clothes at the quay, do embroidery, and chat leisurely, as if the hustle and bustle of the outside world has nothing to do with this place.
In the misty rain, the Jiangnan ancient town reveals expansive emerald waters and green trees; from afar, rain and mist drift ethereally; up close, raindrops fall without a sound. Lili Ancient Town boasts an elegant water-town landscape, touching cultural sights, and rich folk traditions. Traveling here is refreshing and delightful. There's no clamor, only a vibrant human touch.
Today, the 2.5-kilometer town river still retains bridges from the Southern Song dynasty, a Lingxing Gate from the Yuan dynasty, and embankments from the Ming and Qing dynasties, all built with local stone. The covered walkways in front of riverside houses are arranged in a pleasing rhythm. There's no artificial embellishment, no tourist noise, and no commercial hawking. Despite the changes of dynasties and time, it preserves the authentic rustic charm and lifestyle of a Jiangnan water town.
The ancient town also has multi-courtyard residences and lanes. The lanes are the most distinctive: there are covered lanes (dark lanes) and open lanes (bright lanes). The dark lanes are particularly unique, with double lanes, two dark lanes connected, as well as combined bright-and-dark double lanes, and lanes within lanes, revealing the distinct life and profound cultural heritage of the water town.
Walking on the flagstone paths, a feeling of tranquility, rusticity, natural freshness, and dignified elegance envelops you, making you feel utterly comfortable.
Black tiles and green walls, misty waterside homes—the Jiangnan household has never been fully captured in words.
Taiping Bridge (Peace Bridge) stands at the eastern entrance of Lili Town, running east–west across the Houdi River, a branch of the town river. It was also called Tudi Bridge (Earth Temple Bridge) because there used to be a Tudigong Temple on the north side of the west abutment. The bridge is located on a tributary at the eastern entrance of Lili Town. Its original name is Taiping Bridge. The initial construction date is unknown; it was rebuilt by Taoist priest Yang Haoran during the Jiajing reign, and again by locals during the Kangxi reign.
A bridge couplet reads: 'To the northwest, the Pearl Pool embraces a blessed land; to the southeast, the Precious Pavilion towers over Wenfeng.' Pearl Pool refers to the Jizhu Pond near Lili Town. Precious Pavilion refers to the original Zhongli Pavilion, located in the middle of the water at the eastern entrance, commonly known as the Octagonal Pavilion. Built in 1744 (the 9th year of Qianlong), repaired in 1772 (the 37th year), rebuilt in 1869 (the 8th year of Tongzhi), and renovated in 1887 (the 13th year of Guangxu). The pavilion was three stories high, connected to the shore by a stone bridge. It has since been destroyed.
Qinglong Bridge (Green Dragon Bridge), originally named Ji'en Bridge and commonly called Xiangjia Bridge, stands at the mouth of the Hengshi River at the eastern entrance. It is one of the eight preserved ancient bridges in Lili. First built in 1482 (the 18th year of Chenghua, Ming dynasty), it was rebuilt in 1753 (the 18th year of Qianlong) and 1849 (the 29th year of Daoguang). This small, exquisite arch bridge is constructed from three types of stone: the arch ring and bridge ears are Wukang stone, the body incorporates bluestone and granite. The bridge features guardrails and drum-shaped bearings, with four Ming-era surviving baluster columns topped with lotus petal carvings. The roadway is Jinshan stone with a wheel-of-life pattern.
Qinglong Bridge has many folk legends, and 'The Reincarnated Man' is the most touching. During the Southern Song dynasty, there was a woman called Auntie Jiang. Her husband died early, and her 16-year-old son developed boils on his back—healing one only to sprout another. Seeking divine protection, Auntie Jiang resolved to use all her family assets to build a bridge as a meritorious deed. She sold even her house to barely finish Ji'en Bridge. Sadly, after the eighth surgery, her son still could not be saved. Twenty years later, a young official sought out Auntie Jiang, claiming he was a reincarnation and the eight scars on his back were proof. To commemorate Auntie Jiang, everyone called this bridge Jiang's Bridge. Later, Ningbo residents who lived here confused the pronunciation of Jiang and Xiang, so it mistakenly became Xiangjia Bridge.
Two pairs of dragon-head bridge ears are well-preserved with exquisite carvings. In 1982, the film 'The Unfinished Chess Game' starring Sun Daolin shot street scenes here. Qinglong Bridge bears two couplets: 'A long rainbow hangs high over the moon at a thousand doors; a giant chain links ten thousand acres of cloud.' and 'A day when nature's treasures abound, a time when the land breeds outstanding people.'
Qinglong Bridge: The legend of 'The Reincarnated Man' has been passed down. In 1982, it was also a major filming location for 'The Unfinished Chess Game'!
Walking west along the old street.
The covered corridor along the river is built in a rustic style, all with one-color black tiles forming a continuous roof, providing shelter from sun and rain, and a place to pause and admire the scenery.
In Lili Ancient Town, you will see water-town residents washing clothes at the edge of the corridor. Stepping into the corridor street, the first thing that catches your eye is the rustic waterside homes on both banks. 'No sun in summer, no rain on rainy days'—the corridor provides the best comfort to Lili locals.
Zhang's Haitang Cake! Take a gentle bite, and the combination of caramel, sesame, and melon seeds releases a special aroma. Another bite, and the smooth, non-greasy red bean paste blends with the crispy, sweet caramel. A big bite of the white cake; you can't help but be captivated by its softness and delicacy. At first, the white cake has a subtle rice flour flavor, but as you chew, it gradually transforms into the taste of bean paste and crabapple.
The Lili Catholic Church is located at No. 15 Jiunan Street, in the Lili community. The worship hall is three bays wide, 12 meters in width, 20 meters deep, and 11.5 meters high. The hall is a Chinese-style temple building, tall and majestic. In front of the hall are three stone steps. On the roof ridge are carved the words 'All Glory to the Lord' and a cross pattern. Fourteen floor-to-ceiling lattice doors are lined up, and above the main entrance hangs a plaque reading 'Hall of St. Joseph'.
The Lili Catholic Church has a history of over a hundred years. In the 24th year of Guangxu (1898), Catholicism spread to Lili from Suzhou. In the 29th year of Guangxu (1903), the Bishop of Suzhou purchased an old garden site on present-day Jiunan Street (which contained a temple building) and converted it into a Catholic church (the pillars bear the inscription 'God incarnate, winter 1903'). Wujiang's Catholic community was under Suzhou and originally a deanery of the Shanghai diocese. The Lili church served as the main parish of Wujiang (St. Joseph's Parish). Until the eve of liberation, twelve priests had served here, with a congregation of over 300.
The narrowest lanes are Hengfengtai Lane and Fanjia Lane, only 0.7 meters wide. The widest is Miaoqiao Lane, reaching 2 meters.
Lili is a place of outstanding people and favorable natural conditions. The 2000-meter-long town river is like a dragon ready to soar, and strikingly, the dragon's body is covered with claws extending into the residential houses—the more than 100 lanes are like more than 100 claws of the dragon. These lanes truly continued into the 1980s. Today, 85 are well-preserved, a unique feature among Jiangnan ancient towns: 70 are dark lanes, 15 are bright lanes. Most are named after surnames, with the eight major Lili surnames—Zhou, Chen, Li, Kuai, Ru, Lu, Xu, Cai—most common.
The construction of these lanes is marvelously unique in Jiangnan: there are cross-building lanes running under multi-story buildings, lovebird-like twin lanes closely paired, ventilation lanes stretching straight into the outskirts, and mother-and-child lanes where one lane contains another. Most lanes exceed 60 meters, with five over 100 meters; the longest, Liting Lane, is 135.7 meters. The narrowest lanes, Hengfengtai Lane and Fanjia Lane, are only 0.7 meters wide. The widest, Miaoqiao Lane, reaches 2 meters. Most lanes take several turns, all at right angles.
The lanes always rise step by step. The first hall's side lane is the lowest, the second a bit higher, rising in succession. It's said to be auspicious symbolism and also a practical necessity. In the Jiangnan water country, rain is plentiful, especially during the plum rain or thunderstorms. With the lanes rising gradually, the drains beneath also slope upward, ensuring smooth drainage.
Yingxiang Bridge, also called Yuanqi Bridge, is a single-pierced beam bridge with three openings. Built in the 6th year of Zhengtong (1441), it spans Pinglou and Jiunan Street, and was rebuilt in the 8th year of Tongzhi (1869). If we speak of steepness, Yingxiang Bridge in Lili is certainly one. This three-opening beam bridge has pillars made of vertical stone slabs, giving a strikingly slender feel. A slim bridge naturally feels more precarious; after snowfall, crossing makes your legs tremble slightly, requiring careful steps. Yet its couplet exudes limitless spring: 'Sunlight shines upon ushering in a hundred blessings; the landscape converges gathering a thousand auspicious signs.'
Yingxiang Bridge is also called Ru Bridge, as 'Ru' sounds like 'milk.' According to local custom, if a child lacked breast milk, adults would carry the child across the bridge, so locals called it 'Want-Milk Ru Family Bridge.' In the 5th year of Zhengtong (1440), Ru Hao, the clan head of the Ru family, Lili's fifth-largest surname, gathered clan members living along the town river and decided to build a stone bridge. After toiling for half a year, Ru Hao fell ill and died, asking his younger brother and son on his deathbed to spare no effort to continue the construction. The bridge was completed the following year and named Yingxiang Bridge. The people of Lili never forgot the Ru family's merits, and called it Ru Family Bridge.
Features of Yingxiang Bridge: The north abutment has 16 stone steps, of which 6 are saw-toothed stone ramps; the south abutment has 17 steps, with 7 saw-toothed ramps. These ramps are carved from a single slab of stone into a zigzag slope.
Walking through Lili's old streets, you'll find several shops selling youdunzi (oil cakes). Ni's Youdunzi is right under Yingxiang Bridge.
There are two kinds of youdunzi: meat-filled and red-bean paste. Golden and eye-catching, shaped like a three-sectioned paper lantern, with a crispy outside and soft inside, deliciously fragrant and refreshing.
Daonan Bridge sits on the lower bank of the old street, crossing the Nangang River, a branch of the town river. It is an east–west single-arch stone bridge. The west abutment has double stepped ramps, the east a single ramp, and the entire bridge is of granite. Built by local Chen Yongnian in the 51st year of Kangxi (1712), and rebuilt by the town's gentry in the 23rd year of Guangxu (1897).
Daonan Bridge is commonly known as 'Fangsheng Bridge' (Life-Release Bridge). Its grandeur lies in its height and its uniqueness. The arch carvings are exquisite, and the central square stone carving features a traditional double 'xi' (happiness). The carved area is barely one square meter, while the bridge rises over ten meters. Near the water under the arch is a stone tablet reading 'Fangsheng Bridge,' flush with the water's surface—a rare sight.
Across the river from Daonan Bridge, on the old street at the entrance of Maojiachi Lane, stands the old sign of 'Lili Tiger Bean Teahouse.' Every Jiangnan ancient town has an iconic teahouse; Tiger Bean Teahouse is to Lili what Sanmao Teahouse is to Zhouzhuang, or Nanshe Teahouse is to Tongli—all epitomizing the slow-paced life of the ancient towns. Tiger beans are actually spiced beans, savory and sweet, perfect for slow chewing with a lingering aftertaste. A cup of tea or mung bean soup while snacking and taking in the scenery is simply the best.
Tiyun Bridge, also called Tang Bridge, is in the middle section of the town river, crossing Zhongxin Street and Jianxin Street. It is a single-opening beam stone bridge of granite, running north–south. Its original construction date is unknown. Its style, material, structure, and scale are almost identical to those of Jindeng Bridge, like twin brothers. The difference is that Tiyun Bridge has an approach bridge on the north but none on the south. On the west side of the north abutment stands an old stone archway. Tiyun Bridge was rebuilt in the 38th year of Qianlong (1773), again in the 20th year of Guangxu (1894) through donations by Zhang Mingzou and Ru Guangzu, and again in 1913.
Like Jindeng Bridge and Jiegui Bridge, Tiyun Bridge bears marks encouraging scholars to sit for imperial examinations. In the early Kangxi period, a water otter that had cultivated into a spirit lived under a drain hole; anyone who fell into the water there never survived. At the eastern end of town, in Xiaoguan Pond, lived a thousand-year-old soft-shell turtle. They met once a year to talk about their accomplishments. The old turtle helped fishermen by attracting fish, turtles, crabs, and shrimp—delighting the fishermen and the turtle. The otter bragged about capturing drowning victims, boosting its own powers. The turtle advised the otter not to harm people, but the otter wouldn't listen. The turtle appeared in a stonemason's dream, saying that rhinoceros horn is the otter's nemesis, and they could carve mooring stones into rhino horns to suppress the otter. Soon, two rhino-horn-shaped mooring stones were embedded in the embankment. The otter became frightened, behaved itself, catching only fish and shrimp, and never endangered human lives again.
The bridge is 17.4 meters long and 2.15 meters wide. The opening is wider at the top and narrows downwards, forming an inverted trapezoid: top width 3.9 meters, bottom width between piers 3.7 meters, height 3.8 meters. Each pier has a drain hole. The north abutment has a double stepped ramp: 5 steps down to a landing platform, then 11 steps east and west from the platform. The south abutment has a single ramp of 13 steps.
On the west side of the north bank by Tiyun Bridge, a three-gate stone archway stands tall beside the water bridge, named 'Ying'en Archway' (Welcoming Grace). It was erected to commemorate Wei Ruxian of the Southern Song dynasty. Originally located by Miaoqiao Bridge, it had disappeared by the Qing dynasty. To showcase Lili's culture, the ancient town management rebuilt it in front of the exhibition center.
Across the street from Tiyun Bridge and Ying'en Archway is the Lili Ancient Town Exhibition Center, with the plaque 'Lichuan Yuan' above the door. It is said to be the site of the former Lili Town cinema.
At the head of Tiyun Bridge, there's an introduction to Lili Ancient Town and a tourist guide map.
Tiyun Bridge lies in the heart of Lili Ancient Town. Nearby, winding old streets are lined with ancient buildings. Among them, 'Wang's Lane Residence' is a Suzhou municipal cultural relic protection site. Here stands the protection plaque and introduction board.
According to the 'Lili Town Chronicle,' Wang's Residence is located inside Wangjia Lane on Zhongxin Street. Facing south, it is a building complex from the late Qing Daoguang period. On the west side of the lane, it has three bays and five courtyards, with a current total area of 554.83 square meters; each hall has undergone alterations. The first hall is three bays wide; the second hall is dilapidated; the third is a three-bay two-story building; the fourth is a ruined three-bay, three-story structure; the fifth courtyard contains two single-story rooms that have been remodeled. The third hall's two-story section, once used as an office, is the best preserved. The beam frames and boat-shaped ceilings have carvings, including figures and chariot scenes of artistic value; the floor-to-ceiling lattice windows and ornamental screens are also carved and fitted with translucent shell windows. In 1903 (the 29th year of Guangxu), Wang Ni Shouzhi founded Lili's first private school, 'Qiuwo Mengshu,' in this residence. In 1994, Wang's Residence was listed as a Wujiang controlled cultural relic protection unit.
Jindeng Bridge, also known as Xiajia Bridge, is located in the middle section of the town river. Its piers are sturdy, straddling the water. To resist currents, a small square hole is carved between the piers. This design is both scientifically sound and aesthetically pleasing. The name 'Jindeng' (advance and ascend) carries auspicious meanings of hoping for scholarly success and official promotion. Standing on the bridge, you see the Ming and Qing buildings on both banks reflected in the river, with timeless charm rippling along the gentle flow—truly beautiful.
It is a single-opening beam stone bridge of cantilever type, built of granite. The original construction date is unknown; a wandering monk rebuilt it in the 7th year of Jiajing (1528), and it has been repaired many times since. Both ends have double stepped ramps. Square drain holes are set in the bridge base to save stone and reduce water impact on the piers during flood season. The beam ends are decorated with auspicious cloud patterns.
The most famous and popular is Feng's Youdunzi.
These deep-fried cakes are golden and aromatic. Legend has it that Emperor Qianlong toured Jiangnan, and his dragon boat arrived in Wujiang, spending a night in a temple by Tangjia Lake. The abbot served a nameless snack—golden, round, and fragrant—that delighted the emperor. By the Buddha lamp, he saw it resembled the prayer mats in the hall, so he named it 'Youdun' (oil mat). Thereafter, this snack spread among the people. Feng's Youdunzi follows the orthodox tradition, embracing old and new, carefully blended for pure flavor. The cakes are crispy outside, not hard, and glutinous inside, not stiff. The flat round ones are vegetarian, filled with smooth, sweet red bean paste; the oval ones are meat-filled, with tender, savory minced meat. It's a traditional specialty of the water town, perfect in color, aroma, and taste.
On Lili's old street, the owner of 'Zhang's Malt Sugar' is making sugar paintings: on a smooth marble slab, a little cooking oil is applied, then properly heated syrup is poured and guided back and forth to form vivid designs—seemingly casual, yet crafted with skill. Once the sugar cools, it's lifted and attached to a bamboo stick. Malt sugar is truly 'happy sugar' in children's eyes. In just the time it takes for a meal, livestock, blooming peonies, and dancing butterflies appear on the shop counter... Red strings on the walls carry auspicious phrases like 'Guotai Min'an' (peace and prosperity) and 'Jixiang Ruyi' (good fortune), filling the shop with festive joy.
The owner, Zhang Chuanhai, comes from a family that has been making sugar since his great-grandfather's time; the sugar painting art is now in its fourth generation. Due to limited conditions, earlier workshops produced only a few dozen catties at a time. Later, the malt sugar industry grew, and several food factories in Pinghu, Zhejiang, specialized in making malt sugar. Zhang's father worked in one such factory, and young Chuanhai often spent time in the workshop, witnessing the entire process from rice and wheat to malt sugar. He knew every step by heart from a very young age, laying a solid foundation for a lifetime in the sugar business.
Three steps cross two bridges to form the 'Dengying Lianmei' (Ascending Ying Together) vista, ranked first among the eight great sights of Lili.
Dingxin Bridge is a single-arch bridge. The south has 20 stone steps, the north 21; the high span is a key node in the heart of Lili Ancient Town. In the Song dynasty it was a wooden bridge called Tongji Bridge. In 1550 (the 29th year of Jiajing, Ming), it was converted to stone and named Dingxin Bridge (meaning 'innovation') because the Jiajing Emperor had a reformist attitude, and was simply called New Bridge. In 1843 (the 23rd year of Daoguang, Qing) it was rebuilt and named Dingfeng Bridge. A couplet was added: 'High reflects the splendor of the sun, fragrance meets the fructus lycii; divides the water's colors, elegance gathers pear blossoms.' 'A gathering of a thousand homes, together restoring the Ding enterprise; four seasons in the perch village, celebrating abundant harvests.' In 1970, it was moved 20 meters west and rebuilt as a concrete flat bridge, renamed Lixin Bridge. In the early 1970s (2017 is likely a typo for 'the early 1970s' in the original), the bridge was dismantled and moved 20 meters west to become a concrete flat bridge; at the same time, the adjacent Dengying Bridge—originally a beam stone slab bridge commonly called Hujing Bridge—was also dismantled. To present a complete ancient town landscape, Lili Ancient Town decided to reconstruct Dingxin Bridge and Dengying Bridge.
Viewing the iconic guide map of Lili Ancient Town from Dingxin Bridge.
Daling Bridge is the first stone bridge in Lili. Southeast of the bridge there was once an earthen hill called Daling, leveled during the Chunxi period of the Southern Song. When the stone bridge was built, it was named Daling Bridge in memory. South of the bridge stands a God of Wealth Temple, popularly called the Small Temple. One bridge carries two temples, hence its nickname Miaoqiao (Temple Bridge). Around 1970, it was changed into a single-opening flat beam bridge; in 2015, it was restored as a three-opening beam stone bridge. In Jiangnan ancient towns, it's always said, 'Every temple has a bridge, every bridge has a temple'; building a temple meant building a bridge, and a stone bridge was exactly the transition point between the divine and the mundane. Crossing a bridge, ordinary villagers seemed to step from the mortal world into paradise. Quanzhen Daoist Temple was large and busy with incense, thus called the 'Big Temple'; later, the God of Wealth Temple on the south bank, smaller in scale, was called the 'Small Temple.'
The south abutment of Daling Bridge has three sets of steps, with the one facing south aligned straight with Miaoqiao Lane, the most famous bright lane in Lili, over 2 meters wide and 83 meters long, entirely paved with stone slabs.
To the north of the bridge is Quanzhen Daoist Temple, commonly called the Big Temple (now the ancient stage). A stage originally stood to the east of the temple; it was rebuilt in 2015 to the north of the square.
Lili has long prospered in both Buddhism and Taoism, with Taoism flourishing most in the Song dynasties. In the 1st year of Xianchun, Southern Song (1265), a Taoist temple was built in the western half of Lili. It was governed by personnel appointed by the Quanzhen sect, hence the name Quanzhen Daoist Temple. After the Cultural Revolution, only a pair of Lingxing Gate stone pillars remained, standing in the middle of the square. Made of bluestone, they are 3.7 meters high and 0.44 meters square. The inner side of the eastern pillar bears the inscription: 'Auspicious day of the intercalary third month, the year of Guiyou, Zhishun,' and 'Sponsor Jiang Dasheng, erected by craftsman Han Wenxian.' The Lingxing Gate was built 68 years later than the temple.
The temple square connects the north and south banks, and Miaoqiao Lane became a bustling commercial street, increasing the temple's incense offerings.
Mingyue Bridge: its initial construction is unknown. It was rebuilt in stone in 1299 (the 3rd year of Dade, Yuan), and repaired in 1518 (the 13th year of Zhengde, Ming), 1740 (the 5th year of Qianlong, Qing), and 1798 (the 3rd year of Jiaqing).
In the 3rd year of Dade, Yuan, a northern youth named Yang Mingfeng and a local girl named Shi Yuezhen fell in love. The girl's father, Shi Shi, opposed the match, and the lovers died for their love. Overcome with remorse, Shi Shi followed Yang Mingfeng's last wish and built a beam stone bridge, taking one character from each of their names to form 'Mingyue' (Bright Moon)—also a homophone for 'people's delight,' so it was called Minyue Bridge, or Yangjia Bridge. Mingyue Bridge pioneered the practice of combining characters from two people related to the bridge's creation for its name, a custom later followed by many other stone bridges in Lili.
Qingfeng Bridge, also known as Puning Bridge or Xinfeng Bridge, is a three-opening beam bridge. Built in 1537 (the 16th year of Jiajing, Ming). The bridge is plain, quiet, indifferent, and steady, without the splendor of carved dragons and phoenixes, only solid stone slabs. On it, a couplet faintly reads: 'In the Gengwu year, rejoice anew in prosperity; built in mid-autumn, happiness and harvest complete' and 'Clear through the river, stars can be seen; the wind is high through eternity, the moon distinct.'
There are inscriptions on the stone slabs at the base of the bridge.
The most famous landmark near Xinfeng Bridge is the 'Shi Family Western-style House,' built in 1929. It consists of three main halls; the first and second are connected by wing corridors forming a running-horse verandah style, with a flat-roofed kitchen on the west that also served as a sundeck. Overall it is Western style, but the stone lions and running-horse building are Chinese, making it a blend of East and West.
The Shi Family Western-style House was listed as a Wujiang municipal cultural relic protection unit on December 22, 2008.
Wang'en Bridge originally had a pavilion on each side, hence its name Pavilion Bridge. It was built by Taoist Wang Guangshu in 1526 (the 5th year of Jiajing). Repaired in 1571 (the 5th year of Longqing) by locals Zhou Shan and Wu Bangxiang, and again by Chen Shihua in 1714 (the 53rd year of Kangxi). Rebuilt with public donations in 1852 (the 2nd year of Xianfeng). The bridge is 21.6 meters long, 2.55 meters wide in the middle, 2.7 meters at the east abutment, and 2.85 meters at the west abutment; the arch span is 7.4 meters with a rise of 4.1 meters. The center of the bridge bears a Buddhist wheel-of-life pattern. The east abutment has 23 steps, the west 21. The bridge is a mixture of Wukang stone, bluestone, and granite.
To the west of Wang'en Bridge, a later road bridge has been built. Although it affects the ancient bridge's scenery, it provides multiple angles for close-up observation. Wang'en Bridge is one of Lili's three stone arch bridges. While not very tall or prominent, many records and legends about it exist, making it an important carrier of Lili's cultural heritage.
Qiuxi Bridge, with a poetic name, is commonly called Jige Bridge (Squeaking Bridge) and connects to Zhaoling Temple. It looks plain but is wonderfully unique. A three-opening beam bridge, it was rebuilt by a Taoist priest surnamed Bu in 1735 (the 13th year of Yongzheng, Qing). Time is silent, but stones speak. When walkers step onto the bridge, the stone slabs emit a 'jige' squeak. On a pier, inscriptions like 'Donor Chen' and 'Contributed fifty taels of silver' remain. Qiuxi Bridge is the only passage connecting to the Chenghuang Temple on the island, blending perfectly with the scenery of the Xiehu Daoist Temple area. The bridge is 17.5 meters long and 2.1 meters wide, with the central opening 1.75 meters high. The east has 6 steps, the west 4. The bridge center has a wheel-of-life pattern. A total of 25 rectangular slabs are placed between the side beams—hence the squeak and the popular name Jige Bridge. Built of granite, it was repaired in 1998 during the restoration of Xiehu Daoist Temple.
Zhaoling Marquis Temple, commonly called City God Temple or Xiehu Daoist Temple, is located in the north gate of Lili's Heng Street. The entire temple complex is surrounded by water—Jinjing Lake to the south, Xiehu Lake to the north, and Qiuxi Bridge leading to Fuhu Dong to the west. It's a complete, elegant Taoist sanctuary built amid a lake in Jiangnan. On autumn nights, the moon is bright, the wind calm, the water mirror-like, with tree shadows slanting—a scene right out of a painting. Ancient literati loved its tranquility, often boating with friends or leaning on railings to admire the moon; 'Xiehu Autumn Moon' is one of the eight scenes of Lichuan.
The doorplate shows the place name 'Fuhu Dong' (Tiger Lair). The cultural protection plaques for 'Xiehu Daoist Temple' and 'Qiuxi Bridge' hang at the entrance, both listed as Wujiang municipal cultural relic protection units.
