[Explanation] China has been known as the "country of bridges" since ancient times. For thousands of years, a bridge culture with both historical heritage and local characteristics has been formed.
Beijing Lugou Bridge is one of the four ancient bridges in China. It has a history of 830 years. It is the most well-preserved eleven-hole combined-arch stone bridge in North China so far. .
This stone bridge has witnessed the development of Beijing city from small to large and the history of the Chinese nation's war of resistance.
Why did Lugou Bridge stand still after 830 years of wind and rain?
Li Wei, director of the Lugou Bridge Cultural Development Center, recently accepted an exclusive interview with China News Agency's "East and West Questions", explaining the amazing and delicate structure of this ancient bridge.
[Concurrent] Li Wei, Director of Lugouqiao Cultural Development Center
The bridge-building skills of Lugou Bridge are very superb.
Everyone saw that the Lugou Bridge is very strong. In fact, there are many large stone slabs connected to the underside of the bridge. Iron pillars are used to connect the large stone slabs.
The slates are linked to each other and hug each other tightly.
On the north side of the bridge, that is, on the upstream side, under the pier, there is a wedge-shaped tip with iron objects on it, which is the original of the Jin Dynasty.
Whenever the spring flowers bloom, the upper reaches of the Yongding River will be mixed with a large number of ice cubes and tree branches, rushing to the Lugou Bridge, passing through the water points, and flowing directly from the bridge hole.
[Explanation] Walking on the Lugou Bridge, the stone lions with different poses and naive looks are particularly eye-catching.
There is a saying in Beijing: "The lions of Lugou Bridge are countless." Li Wei introduced that this is because the stone lions have gone through six periods and are being repaired in every dynasty and generation, resulting in a variety of shapes and a large number of them. countless.
[Concurrent] Li Wei, Director of Lugouqiao Cultural Development Center
When we were watching on the bridge as tourists, we could only see the lions facing us, and there were some attached lions behind us. These lions could not be seen or not easily seen by our tourists, so it also caused the Lugou Bridge. Lions, counting may be different every time.
Our unit also released the final number of lions at Lugou Bridge, which is 501 in total.
[Explanation] The beauty of Lugou Bridge is not only in its building itself. As early as the reign of Jin Zhangzong, "Lugou Xiaoyue" was listed as one of the "Eight Views of Yanjing", attracting countless literati and writers to leave masterpieces of poetry.
From a transportation hub to a cultural bridge, this ancient bridge has gradually been endowed with unique and rich connotations.
[Concurrent] Li Wei, Director of Lugouqiao Cultural Development Center
Including Marco Polo, he wrote "Marco Polo's Travels" after he came here. He also wrote in it that this is an incomparably beautiful bridge, which is breathtaking, and he also introduced this bridge to foreign countries. It is called Marco Polo Bridge abroad. , very famous in Europe in the Western world.
In our country's foreign exchanges, the Marco Polo Bridge is a particularly good link and medium.
Because it is the birthplace of Marco Polo, guests from Croatia, including the staff of their embassy, have also come to Lugou Bridge with their family members.
[Explanation] On the wall of Wanping City where Lugou Bridge is located, the shell crater is still clearly visible.
More than 80 years ago, the "July 7 Incident" that shocked China and foreign countries broke out at Lugou Bridge.
In recent years, the Lugou Bridge area with Lugou Bridge and Wanping City as the core has been used as a patriotic education base, attracting countless international friends and Chinese people to visit.
[Concurrent] Li Wei, Director of Lugouqiao Cultural Development Center
On the one hand, we must protect our cultural relics, inherit the treasures left by our ancestors, repair them, study them well, and publicize them well.
In addition, we are working on cultural conservation planning, the overall planning of this area, including the improvement of people's residences, as well as the smoothness and improvement of surrounding roads, making this area a national monument.
[Explanation] "World Peace Memorial Site with World Cultural Heritage Value" is being built here.
Li Wei hopes that this area can become a "place for international peaceful exchanges" and "a place for the spirit of the Chinese nation", so that more people can remember history, cherish peace, and jointly create a better future.
Reporter Du Yan Wang Shibo Xu Jing reports from Beijing
Responsible editor: [Wang Kai]