Lidong·Maojiang Bridge

This time, I spent another year filming "Twenty-Four Solar Terms-Bridges", starting from the Winter Solstice in 2020 and the Cold Dew Solar Terms in 2021. It is the third series after the first two series "Flowers" and "Architecture". In this series, I selected a variety of bridges, including ancient bridges, dry bridges, highway bridges, community bridges, modern bridges, bridges in shopping malls... in order to introduce Shanghai's bridges in more directions.

Xiaoxue·Longteng Bridge

Daxue·Songpu Third Bridge

In everyone's impression, Shanghai is a metropolis in China, an urban forest composed of high-rise buildings and reinforced concrete. Compared with some cities in surrounding Zhejiang Province and Jiangsu Province, Shanghai lacks the soft Jiangnan flavor and has more of the prosperity of a modern city. However, Shanghai is located at the mouth of the Yangtze River, adjacent to the East China Sea, and has a rich water network. According to incomplete statistics, there are more than 40,000 rivers and more than 40 lakes in Shanghai. This means that there are also a large number of bridges in Shanghai.

Winter Solstice·Bridge under Construction

Xiaohan·Lianhua South Road Tunnel

Watching the bridge in Shanghai is also an interesting travel experience. If you observe carefully, you will find that Shanghai has these four types of bridges, which represent different stages of urban development and forms, and are very meaningful.

When it comes to Shanghai's most famous ancient bridge, many old Shanghainese will think of the Fangsheng Bridge located in Zhujiajiao Town, Qingpu District, Shanghai City. This bridge has a lot of origins. It is the largest five-hole stone arch bridge in the entire East China. It was built in 1571 in the fifth year of Longqing in the Ming Dynasty, and was later rebuilt during the Jiaqing period of the Qing Dynasty. But I photographed other ancient bridges.

Dahan·Bridge in Community

Lichun·Jiamin Viaduct

Yushui·Xinsong Road Bridge

For non-Shanghai indigenous people, the most famous bridge in Shanghai is this steel bridge that has appeared in many TV dramas. Many tourists mistakenly think that the steel structure bridge in Old Shanghai in the film and television drama is the Waibaidu Bridge, but in fact, after careful examination, they discover that it turned out to be Zhejiang Road and Bridge. These two bridges are very similar in length and both span the Suzhou River. Both have the style of old Shanghai.

Jingzhe·Yu Bridge Bridge

Vernal Equinox·Xupu Bridge

After the reform and opening up, the one that has the greatest impact on citizens 'lives is the "Pu Zi Dai" Bridge, which is a series of bridges connecting both sides of the Huangpu River, such as Huangpu Bridge, Yangpu Bridge, Lupu Bridge, Xupu Bridge, Minpu Bridge, Fengpu Bridge, etc. These bridges have improved transportation and promoted the development of Pudong. The situation of "preferring a bed in Puxi to a room in Pudong" is gone forever. I photographed the newly renovated bridge.

In the past, some of these three types of bridges represented ancient Shanghai, some represented modern times, and some were symbols of reform and opening up. Now there is another type of bridge that represents the current status of Shanghai's urban construction and development. There are 12 cloud bridges in the public space 22 kilometers on the east bank of Shanghai's Binjiang River. These bridges are not open to motor vehicles and are specially used for citizens to ride and walk. They connect the riverside coastline, and each bridge has its own shape. Walking here, you can feel the temperature of the city. But I took pictures of dry bridges and bridges in the community.

Qingming·Fulian Bridge

Guyu·Yunjian First Bridge

Also, there are many places in Shanghai named after bridges. Such as Tilan Bridge, Dongxin Bridge, Fenglin Bridge, etc. If friends are interested in going there, they will find that there is actually no bridge there. Where do these names come from? It turned out that nearly a hundred years ago, Shanghai was a "water city" with winding streams and flying rainbows and sparkling sky shadows. Today, the urban area is full of high-rise buildings and crisscross roads. At that time, there were crisscrossed rivers and rivers: wooden bridges, and stone bridges ran through the smooth waters. Clear water, but as the times progressed, the water city quietly disappeared, and the bridges lost their name. Today, when we stop at a place without bridges and trace the bridges, we carefully ponder and have a lot of fun.

Lixia·Puhuitang Bridge

Xiaoman·Chunshentang Bridge

Historically, Shanghai has benefited from water in becoming a "Southeast Capital". There are Zhaojiabang, Fangbang, Xuejiabang, etc. flowing slowly in the city. There is pidgin in the north, Zhoujing and Nicheng Bang in the west, and Lujiabang in the south. Today's Yan 'an East Road is the Pidgin River at that time. Eight bridges were once built on the river. Today, the East New Bridge at the intersection of Zhejiang Province was once named.

Tilan Bridge is an important traffic artery in eastern Shanghai. It was originally a small bridge in front of Tilan Guanyin Temple. It was a famous bridge in Shanghai more than 50 years ago. The inclined bridge was originally a small stone bridge across Lujiabang and connected with Zhaojiabang and Chenjiabang, forming an oblique angle, hence the name. At the same time, it also derived Fangxie Road, Xiexu Road, Xietu Road, etc.

Mangzhong·Lupu Bridge

Summer solstice·St. Baba Bridge

Zhaojiabang, formerly known as Shanghai's "Longxugou", has now become a tree-lined avenue with flower beds and crowded with traffic. Although the ridge has been filled and the bridge has been demolished, it still retains its name. If Fenglin Bridge is the center, there are Xiaomu Bridge, Damuqiu Bridge and Dapu Bridge to the east; and Dongmiao Bridge, Jinji Bridge and Tianyao Bridge to the west.

Xiaoshu·Chenshantang Bridge

Great Summer·High Iron Bridge

Liqiu·Songpu Bridge

Chushu·Jinshan Bridge

Bailu·G60 Landscape Bridge

Autumn Equinox·Yongxing Bridge

Hanlu·Oasis Iron Chain Bridge

Shuangjiang·Changxing East Road Overpass Bridge

In addition, there are Nanyang Bridge, Baxian Bridge, Hongqiao, Zhuangjia Bridge, etc. on Xizang South Road outside Ximen. There are still more bridges in Shanghai from that time, so I leave it to friends to find it for themselves!

Recent photo of the author (Photo by Wang Lin)

Mr. Chen Yingguo is a national senior photographer and artist. Graduated from college majoring in Chinese and photography. He once worked in Wen Wei Po.

Mr. Chen Yingguo is good at various types of photography such as news, people, architecture, and landscapes; he participated in the "World Photographers Look at Shanghai" activity in Shanghai and won awards; he also participated in aerial photography and shooting of many Shanghai City's "Major Projects in Shanghai" album; editing and shooting of "Shanghai Photography" magazine and other magazines and album books; his photographic works were published in various newspapers, magazines and websites across the country. He was taught as an "invited guest" in a photography lecture series on Shanghai Oriental TV. Teaching undergraduate and other photography topics at Donghua University... Special author of "Jinmen Net".