Zhongshan Bridge-----the First Bridge over the Yellow River

As the first iron bridge to span the Yellow River, Zhongshan Bridge lies at the foot of White Pagoda Hill and in front of the Jincheng Pass in Lanzhou city. Built during the late Qing Dynasty, all of the materials used in its construction were imported from Germany. After two years' construction, the bridge was fully operational. It got its current name in 1942, to commemorate the life and work of Dr. Sun Yat-sen Today it is a popular spot with locals and visitors alike. Locals say, "If you haven't been to Zhongshan Bridge, you haven't been to Lanzhou."       

Before Zhongshan Bridge was built there were many floating bridges over the Yellow River, but only one existed for a relatively long period. This bridge was called Zhen Yuan Floating Bridge and was made up of more than 20 ships, tied up by ropes and chains. It floated on the river in order to help people pass over, but it was neither solid nor safe enough. Almost every year floods destroyed the bridge or even killed people. Problem also arose in the winter, when ice would build up on the river, so the bridge would have to undergo the costly process of being disassembled and then re-built in the spring. Used for over 500 years, the Zhen Yuan Floating Bridges was finally retired in 1909, when an iron bridge was built. This new bridge is what we call the First Bridge over the Yellow River.

First Bridge over the Yellow River In the year 1907, under the proposal of local officers in Lanzhou and Gansu and the help of a Germany businessman, the Qing Government began to build this first iron bridge over the upper reaches of the Yellow River. All materials, even the rivets, were transported from Germany to China using ships, trains, carts and any other means possible. The bridge was completed in two years, and named 'Lanzhou Iron Bridge over the Yellow River'.

Zhongshan Bridge is 234 meters (768 feet) long and 7.5 meters (25 feet) wide with six piers and five bridge openings, on the top of which five arched steel-structured girders span. In order to hold “the First Chinese Silk Road Festival”, Lanzhou municipal government funded an 806-square-meter (8,676-square-feet) waterside square to be built on the north part of Zhongshan Bridge. On the south part of the bridge stands a monument of 5.5 meters (18 feet) tall and 1.5 meters (5 feet) wide, on whose body is carved with the inscription of “the First Bridge over the Yellow River”; on the reverse side of the monument is carved the inscription of “the Record of the First Bridge of the Yellow River”. The top of the monument is carved with the pattern of “the Two Dragons Playing with a Pearl”.

The service life of the Zhongshan Bridge expired in 1989, and so about 10 bridges have already been built nearby. Even more bridges are planned to replace the Zhongshan Bridge's work, but none can replace its great value in history or its great work over its 80 years. The Zhongshan Bridge will be remembered forever as a piece of history and a cultural relic. In addition, a number of places of interest are near Zhongshan Bridge, including the White Pagoda Mountain, Danxia Physiognomy, and the Statue of the Yellow River Mother and the Ancient Silk Road.

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