赵州桥翻译成英文

1 赵州桥简介 赵州桥又名安济桥，建于隋大业(公元605-618)年间，是著名匠师李春建造。桥长64.40米，跨径37.02米，是当今世界上跨径最大、建造最早的单孔敞肩型石拱桥。因桥两端肩部各有二个小孔，不是实的，故称敞肩型，这是世界造桥史的一个创造（没有小拱的称为满肩或实肩型）。 赵州桥距今已1400年，经历了10次水灾，8次战乱和多次地震，特别是1966年邢台发生的7.6级地震，邢台距这里有40多公里，这里也有四点几级地震，赵州桥都没有被破坏，著名桥梁专家茅以升说，先不管桥的内部结构，仅就它能够存在1300多年就说明了一切。1963年的水灾大水淹到桥拱的龙嘴处，据当地的老人说，站在桥上都能感觉桥身很大的晃动。据记载，赵州桥自建成至今共修缮8次。 在主拱券的上边两端又各加设了二个小拱，一是可节省材料，二是减少桥身自重（减少自重15%），而且能增加桥下河水的泄流量。 1979年5月，由中国科学院自然史组等四个单位组成联合调查组，对赵州桥的桥基进行了调查，自重为2800吨的赵州桥，而它的根基只是有五层石条砌成高1.55米的桥台，直接建在自然砂石上。 这么浅的桥基简直令人难以置信，梁思成先生1933年考察时还认为这只是防水流冲刷而用的金刚墙，而不是承纳桥券全部荷载的基础。他在报告中写道： “为要实测券基，我们在北面券脚下发掘，但在现在河床下约70-80厘米，即发现承在券下平置的石壁。石共五层，共高1.58米，每层较上—层稍出台，下面并无坚实的基础，分明只是防水流冲刷而用的金刚墙，而非承纳桥券全部荷载的基础。因再下30-40厘米便即见水，所以除非大规模的发掘，实无法进达我们据学理推测的大座桥基的位置。” 为了保护赵州桥，上世纪末在赵州桥东100米处新建的桥梁，其结构还是沿袭赵州桥，只是主拱上的小拱数量增加到一边5个。 ======================== 2 千古风流一名桥--广济桥 到广不到潮，枉费走一遭； 到潮不到桥，白白走一场。 （广东民谣） 这“潮”，指的是潮州；这“桥”，说的便是广济桥。 广济桥，俗称湘子桥，在潮州古城东门外，横跨韩江，居闽、粤交通要律，以“十八梭船廿四洲”的独特风格，与赵州桥、洛阳桥、卢沟桥等同居中国名桥之列，被著名桥梁专家茅以升誉为“世界上最早的开合式桥梁”，现为全国重点文物保护单位。 韩江古无桥。《潮州三阳志·桥道》栽：“由东以入广者，至潮有一江之阻。沙平水落，一苇可航；雨积江涨，则波急而岸远。老于操舟者且自恐，阅一日不能四五济，来往者两病之。”为渡江，人们往往“日夜野宿，以伺其便”。可见无桥之苦，摆渡之难。 宋乾道七年（1171），潮州太守曾汪“乃造舟为梁，八十有六，以接江之东西岸，且峙石于中，以绳其势、根其址，凡三越月而就，名曰康济桥”。这便是最早的广济桥。 康济桥经越3年，于淳熙元年（1174）夏，被无情的洪水冲毁。继任的太守常祎重修之，并将浮舟增至106只，使“舳舻编连，龙卧虹跨”，十分壮观。桥成尚有余资，“遂创杰阁于西岸，以镇江流，名曰仰韩”。其实，这个“杰阁”就是西岸的第一墩。它的创建，拉开了从两岸向江心筑墩架梁的旷日持久工程的帷幕。西岸桥墩从淳熙元年至绍定二年（1228），历54年间由朱江、王正功、丁允元、孙叔谨诸太守相继完成桥墩10座。又以丁允元筑墩最多，功绩最著，西桥因此而称“丁侯桥”。东桥以绍熙五年（1194太守沈宗禹“蟠石东岸”筑“盖秀亭”为始，经陈宏规、林山票、林会诸公筑建，至开禧元年（1205），共筑成桥墩13座，命桥名为“济川”。开庆元年（1259），太守林光世“造新舟二十四，铁缆七十丈，从旁翼而贯之”。至此，全桥格局始定。 此后，该桥亦兴亦废，时毁时修，风风雨雨又经理了二百多年，至明中叶才迎来了它最辉煌灿烂的时期。 明宣德十年（1435），桥又一次被洪水毁坏。知府王源“以修桥为己任，捐俸倡之，所部撩属及富家巨室，皆争先恐后。于是，购木石，募工佣，凡墩之颓毁者补之，石梁中断者易之”。完工后，“西岸为十墩九洞，计长四十九丈五尺；东岸为十三墩十二洞，计长八十六丈。中空二十七丈三尺，造舟二十有四为浮桥”，统一全桥名称曰：广济桥。桥成后，“立亭屋百二十六间”，又在桥墩上修筑“广济桥廿四楼”，使广济桥的华丽称甲一方，令邦人李龄发出了“吾潮胜状在于广济一桥”的赞叹！ 正德八年（1513），广济桥遭台风破坏，知府谭伦“继修如制”，复增一墩一楼，减去福州6只，遂成“十八梭船廿四洲”的格局。 此后，广济桥又屡有兴废，历经沧桑，但基本格局没大的变化。直到1958年，因国道交通的需要，将中断浮桥拆除，改为三孔钢桁架及两个高桩乘台式桥梁，并对所有石墩进行了加固补强。1988年，广济桥被列为全国重点文物保护单位。 广济桥结构奇特，形式殊异，华彩夺目，不愧为潮州名城的表征，不愧为 我国桥梁史上的特例，具有十分重大的历史价值、艺术价值和科学价值。其主要特点，概括起来有三个： 第一、“十八梭船廿四洲” 梁舟结合，刚柔相济，有动有静，有起伏有变化，是广济桥的一大特色。其东、西段是重瓴联阁、联芳济美的梁桥，中间是“舳舻编连，龙卧虹跨”的浮桥。这简直是一道妙不可言的风景线。清乾隆间有诗赞道：“湘江春晓水迢迢，十八梭船锁画桥。”“湘桥春涨”因而列“潮州八景”之首。从结构上说，梁舟结合，实开世界上启闭式桥梁之先河。启闭的作用主要在于通航、排洪，正如《粤襄》记载：“潮州东门外济川桥……晨夕来年感开，以通舟楫。”而每当韩江发洪水，又可解开浮桥，让汹涌澎湃的洪流倾泻。还有关卡的作用，“郡县以广济桥为盐船所必经，乃始榷取盐税”。后来，上级甚至派人与潮州府共管，方志有载：“清雍正三年（1725），由盐运同驻潮州与知府分管桥务，东岸属运同擎放引盐，西岸属潮州府稽查关税。” 第二、“廿四楼台廿四样” 广济桥草创阶段，便有筑亭、“覆华屋”于桥墩上的举措，并冠以“冰壶”、“玉鉴”、“盖秀”等美称。明宣德年间，知府王源除了在500多米长的桥上建造百二十六间亭屋之外，还在各个桥墩上修筑楼台，并分别以奇观、广济、凌霄、凳瀛、得月、朝仙、乘驷、飞跃、涉川、右通、左达、济川、云蘅、冰壶、小蓬莱、凤鳞州、摘星、凌波、飞虹、观滟、浥翠、澄鉴、升仙、仰韩为名。至此，桥楼之设，乃造其极。诚如明代李龄在《广济桥赋》中所云："方丈一楼、十丈一阁，华棁彤撩，雕榜金桷，曲栏横槛，丹漆黝垩，鳞瓦参差，檐牙高啄……"古代岭南风雨桥是常见的，但规模如此之大，形式如此之多，装饰如此之美，确实是世罕其匹。 第三、"一里长桥一里市" 广济桥是"全粤东境，闽、粤、豫、章，经深接壤"的枢纽所在，桥上又有众多的楼台，因此。很快便成为交通、贸易的中心，成为热闹非凡的桥市。天刚破晓，江雾尚未散尽，桥上已是"人语乱鱼床"了。待到晨曦初露，店铺竟先开启，茶亭酒肆，各色旗幡迎风招展，凳桥者抱布贸丝，问卦占卜，摩肩接踵，车水马龙，正如李龄《广济桥赋》所描写的："若夫殷雷动地，轮蹄轰也；怒风播浪，行人声也；浮云翳日，扬沙尘也；响遏行云，声振林木，游人歌而驿客吟也；凤啸高冈，龙吟瘴海，士女嬉而萧鼓鸣也；楼台动摇，云影散乱，冲风起而波浪惊也…… "活脱脱地就像一幅活动的《清明上河图》。无怪乎，游客会闹出了"到了湘桥问湘桥"的笑话。 广济桥的夜色又别有一番情趣："吹角城头新月白，卖鱼市上晚灯红。猜拳蛋艇犹呼酒，挂席盐船恰驶风。"明月初上的广济桥，酒肆中灯笼高悬，蛋艇里猜拳行令，妓蓬中丝竹细语，真是"万家连一溪横，深夜如闻鼙舸鼓鸣"，待到"遥指渔灯相照静"，以是"海氛远去正三更"。 经历八百多年风雨沧桑的广济桥，虽已失去昔日的华丽英姿，但至今风骨犹存。人们坚信，在政通人和、百废俱兴的今天，广济桥重著风华的时日将不会是太远的了。 =========================== 3 万安古渡洛阳桥 漫步在福建惠安的洛阳桥上，仿佛与历史进行一次对话。于是，巨大的石梁不再沉默，中亭与碑亭也平添几分生动，石塔上飞翘的莲花瓣和模糊的佛像浮雕也变得灵性盈盈，连筏形桥墩也活脱起来，用同一种古老的语言，讲述很久很久以前关于桥的故事与传说。 桥的诞生几乎都与交通有关，洛阳桥也不例外。洛阳江汇晋、惠两邑诸山众多溪流滔滔穿越洛阳镇南侧，夹裹着山野之气奔流入海。这里“水阔五里，深不可址”，南北两岸设有流口，以船摆渡成为唯一的交通方式，古称“万安渡”。但入海口水流湍息，“每于风潮交作，数日不可渡”，两岸只得望天兴叹。 然而，万安渡的区位又至关重要，北通惠安而至福州以远，南连泉州至漳、厦、潮、广、宋代中期泉州已成为繁华的港口，商贸经济具有相当的规模，对周边区域的辐射也成必然态势，但洛阳江却是其北上的天然障碍。 晋代造桥技艺已趋成熟，中原移民南下也将其带入闽中，与这里石雕工艺的成熟相得益彰，加之火药的发明和能熟练地利用火药，开采巨大岩石已非难事，天时地利、万安渡造侨已成大势。 洛阳古桥，始建于北宋皇佑五年(1053年)，嘉佑四年(1059年)竣工，历时六年零八个月，其规制独特，工程宏大，创梁式跨海大石桥历史之先，有“海内第一桥”之称，以至神宗朝，运使王子京以洛阳江万安桥图晋献皇上，也博得龙颜大悦，慷慨封赏。之后，泉州地区兴起造桥之热，在150年间，竟建桥200多座，总长度达50余里，故赢得“闽中桥梁甲天下”、“泉州桥梁甲闽中”之誉。 洛阳桥之所以与石拱型赵州桥、多孔石拱型芦沟桥、舟梁型潮洲广济桥，并称中国古代四大名桥，除其造势宏大，还因结构独特，技艺高超。 古桥为古构平梁，南北走向，桥长834米，宽7米，残存桥墩31座，桥面由长11米、宽与厚都近1米的花岗岩巨石铺架，造桥者的智慧表现在，根据潮大流急，创造了两头尖形的船筏式分开水势，即“筏型基础”；又运用潮汐落差，创造了“激浪以涨舟，悬机以弦 ”奠基法和桥板浮运法；蔡襄接任督造后，又创“种蛎于础以为固”。著名桥梁专家茅以升在《桥梁谈往》中对其这样评价：“这种基础，就是近代桥梁的‘筏型基础’，但在国外只有不到一百年的历史。所用桥梁的‘浮运法’，就是今日还很通行。”而养殖牡蛎把桥基与墩石脑合凝结成整体，恐怕也是现代生物科学的超前运用。 如今，在洛阳桥北端已竖立起一座相当高大的蔡襄石雕塑像，眉须之间仍透着那份沉稳谦和，不轻意也流露夫奈的孤独。 历史上一直把蔡襄与洛阳桥之间的故事编排得出神入化，以致让后人也认定洛阳桥系蔡襄所为。历史有点误差是可以原谅的，作为泉州知府的蔡襄，在任期间对督视桥役可说是尽职尽责，虽说只有23个月，仅占整个造桥时日的四分之一，但其哎心沥血却有口皆碑。况且蔡襄在其亲自撰写的《万安桥记》碑文中，并不自诩其功，只简记造侨之始末，而大书王实、义波等造桥之人的史实。可见蔡襄人品之高尚，为官之清廉。 “为官一任，造福一方”，蔡襄所为合情合理，并无特别之处，人们如此排编也反映老百姓对清官政治的一种呼唤。蔡襄塑像子然而立，守望着自己熟悉的洛阳桥，却再也见不到那壮烈的造桥场面，后人的敬意也给他带来几许孤独。如果当时在这里设计雕塑的是一组普通建设者移石架桥的群像，也许更好合历史的真实，也符合蔡襄的本意。 洛阳桥的另一个功能，就是它所产生的文化国徽。自桥建成之后，各种风格造型，与山水秀色融为一体的与桥有关的祠、庙、庵、堂等纷纷兴建，把当时的建筑文化与艺术表现得淋淳酣畅；连篇累牍和各领风骚以桥为题的历代记文和诗题吟咏，大大丰富了这声土地的文化底蕴；众多或遒劲或飘逸或排放或细腻的关于桥的碑记石刻、诗题碑刻和摩崖石刻，其传统的书法与雕刻艺术则营造了隽永的意境，而无数以桥为素材杜撰编排的传说故事和地方戏曲，更是充满古典浪漫主义的色彩，广为流传。一座古桥能引起如此大的文化轰动，这在建桥史上是罕见的。 洛阳桥交通功能的淡化，又是时代发展的一个标志。如今324国道上那座洛江桥闸，已车流如水，贯通南北。它与近在咫尺的古桥共同构成“洛江双虹”的新景，一道古代的，一道现代的，但它们折射出的都是我们民族创造与文明的太阳之光。 ========================= 4 卢沟桥简介 卢沟桥景区位于北京西南丰台区境内，景区内卢沟桥、宛平城既是著名的古迹，也是中国人民抗日战争的重要纪念地。1987年这里新建了抗日战争纪念馆。卢沟桥始建于金代，因跨卢沟河(今永定河)得名，是北京现存最古老的石造联拱桥。 卢沟桥的修建与北京城的兴起密切相关。金代建中都，北京逐渐兴起，成为全国的政治、文化中心。卢沟桥是连接北京小平原与华北大平原的重要通道。卢沟桥气势雄伟，它长266.5米、宽9.3米，有桥洞11孔，桥墩10个，桥墩的设计十分科学迎水的一面砌成分水尖，尖长4.5-5.2米，尖端垂直安装三角形铁包柱，以减缓水流冲击力和破碎初春解冻时流过的冰排，俗称“斩龙剑”。卢沟桥装饰华美。桥身的望柱饰有石狮、栏板饰有花纹。石狮子是卢沟桥一绝，俗称“卢沟桥的狮子数不清”，以形容其多。狮子的总数在500个左右。东、西桥头分别有一对石狮和一对石象。西桥头别有华表四座。桥两头的四座石碑分别是清康熙七年(1668)重修卢沟桥碑、乾隆五十年(1785)重修卢沟桥碑、乾隆御笔“卢沟晓月”碑和乾隆视察永定河诗碑。卢沟桥建桥至今逾800年，声名远扬。“卢沟晓月”是金章宗皇帝钦定的燕京八景之一。元朝时，意大利著名的旅行家马可·波罗来到这里，称卢沟桥“是世界上最好的、独一无二的桥”。近代，因“七七事变”爆发于此，这里成为全民族抗战争的重要纪念地。 =================== 另附:桥梁专家茅以升 著名桥梁专家、中国科学院学部委员、教授。生于1896年，江苏镇江人。1916年毕业于唐山工业专门学校。在美国留学获得了加里基理工学院第一个工学博士学位。1921年他饱学回国，以满腔的热情，希望在桥梁建筑上贡献自己的学识。可是那时的旧中国，要想在建设事业上为祖国做一番贡献是不可能的，整整十三年，茅以升教授也仅仅当过几次修理桥梁的顾问，如1929年修理济南黄河大桥。 1933年秋，任北洋大学教授时，他突然接到老朋友从浙江的来信，邀他去杭州商议建造钱塘江大桥的事。经过茅以升教授的精心组织和设计，在参与工作的同事们和工人们的努力下，用“射水法”、“沉箱法”和“浮运法”解决了技术上的重重难关，“仅仅用了两年半的时间，就让一座雄伟的大桥在钱塘江上建立起来了!”这是我们中国自己设计建造的第一座现代化的大桥，为我国桥梁史揭开崭新的一页，写下了光辉的篇章。 1955年起茅以升教授又担任了另一座更大规模的现代化桥梁武汉长江大桥修建的技术顾问委员会的主任委员。“天堑变通途”的功绩是与茅以升教授的技术指导分不开的。 茅以升从事教育、桥梁工程及科学界的领导工作六十年，不仅为祖国培养了大批的工程技术人才，引进并开创了中国现代化桥梁建设的新技术，几十年来，茅以升教授著述颇多，在中外报刊上发表文章约二百篇，有的被选进了教科书。代表性的著作有：《钱塘江大桥》(1950年出版)、《武汉长江大桥》(1958年出版)、《中国桥梁———古桥与今桥》(1973年日文版；1978年英文版)及《力学概念》、《科学体系》、《教育制度》等书；发明了供乘除运算用的简易计算器；还整理出了《桥话》十册，这是我国自古以来，文学书籍中少见的作品。 茅以升教授与天津有着很深的感情，他曾几次回到天津，在天津大学八十五年校庆时回校与师生同乐，天津大学九十年校庆时又发来贺信，表达了他与天津和天津大学的深厚感情。

承德避暑山庄 Chengde Summer Resort 钱塘江大潮Qiantang tide 赵州桥 Zhaozhou Bridge

The Zhaozhou Bridge is the world's oldest stone segmental arch bridge. Being located in Hebei Province, it is also the oldest standing bridge in China. (当今世界上跨径最大、建造最早的单孔敞肩型石拱桥。)The Zhaozhou Bridge is also known as the Safe Crossing Bridge (安济桥)and the Great Stone Bridge (大石桥). It crosses the Xiao River (洨河) in Zhao County (赵县) , which was formerly known as Zhaozhou (赵州). In total, the bridge is about 50 m long with a central span of about 37 m. It stands 7.3 m tall and has a width of 9 m. (桥在哪里, 多高多长,等等)The bridge has two small side arches on either side of the main arch. These side arches serve two important functions: First, they reduce the total weight of the bridge by about 15.3% or approximately 700 tons. Second, when the bridge is submerged during a flood, they allow water to pass through, thereby reducing the forces on the structure of the bridge. (拱桥在洪水时让水满过去而不会倒塌, 桥的奇特之处)The Zhaozhou Bridge was constructed in the years 595-605 during the Sui Dynasty. It is credited to a craftsman named Li Chun (李春). Since it was built, it has withstood 10 floods, eight battles, and many earthquakes including a 7.2 degree earthquake in 1966. Yet, the support structure remains intact and the bridge is still in use. (何人建造; 经过无数次的风雨和地震，至今仍安然无恙)二楼的是机器翻译的.

Zhaozhou Bridge The Zhaozhou Bridge (traditional Chinese: 赵州桥; simplified Chinese: 赵州桥; pinyin: Zhàozhōu Qiáo) is the world's oldest open-spandrel stone segmental arch bridge.[1] Credited to a craftsman named Li Chun, the bridge was constructed in the years 595-605 during the Sui Dynasty. Located in the southern part of Hebei Province, it is the oldest standing bridge in China, although the Chinese had built bridges over waterways since the ancient Zhou Dynasty. Name and location The Zhaozhou Bridge is also known as the Safe Crossing Bridge (traditional Chinese: 安济桥; simplified Chinese: 安济桥; pinyin: An Ji Qiáo, englished as the Anji Bridge) and the Great Stone Bridge (Chinese: 大石桥; pinyin: Dà Shí Qiáo). It crosses the Xiao River (traditional Chinese: ; simplified Chinese: 洨河; pinyin: Xiào Hé, Jiao He) in Zhao County, approximately 40 km southeast of the provincial capital Shijiazhuang. It is named for the nearby Zhao County (赵县), which was formerly known as Zhaozhou (赵州). Construction The Zhaozhou Bridge is about 50 m long with a central span of about 37 m. It stands 7.3 m tall and has a width of 9 m. The arch covers a circular segment less than a semicircle and has a rise-to-span ratio of approximately 1:5 (7.3 to 37 m). This is considerably smaller than the rise-to-span ratio of 1:2 of a semicircular arch bridge and subjects the abutments of the bridge to large forces. The central arch is made of 28 thin, curved limestone slabs which are joined with iron dovetails. This allows the arch to adjust to shifts in its supports, and prevents the bridge from collapsing even when a segment of the arch breaks. The bridge has two small side arches on either side of the main arch. These side arches serve two important functions: First, they reduce the total weight of the bridge by about 15.3% or approximately 700 tons, which is vital because of the low rise-to-span ratio and the large forces on the abutments it creates. Second, when the bridge is submerged during a flood, they allow water to pass through, thereby reducing the forces on the structure of the bridge. Li Chun's innovative spandrel-arch construction, while economising in materials, was also of considerable aesthetic merit. An inscription left on the bridge by Tang officials seventy years after its construction reads: “ This stone bridge over the Jiao River is the result of the work of the Sui engineer Li Chun. Its construction is indeed unusual, and no-one knows on what principle he made it. But let us observe his marvellous use of stone-work. Its convexity is so smooth, and the wedge-shaped stones fit together so perfectly... How lofty is the flying-arch! How large is the opening, yet without piers!.. Precise indeed are the cross-bondings and joints between the stones, masonry blocks delicately interlocking like mill wheels, or like the walls of wells; a hundred forms (organised into) one. And besides the mortar in the crevices there are slender-waisted iron cramps to bind the stones together. The four small arches inserted, on either side two, break the anger of the roaring floods, and protect the bridge mightily. Such a master-work could never have been achieved if this man had not applied his genius to the building of a work which would last for centuries to come.[2] ” Later history and reputation In the next 1400 years, the bridge survived at least eight wars, ten major floods and numerous earthquakes, the nearest of which being the 7.2 degree Xingtai Earthquake in 1966. Yet, the support structure remains intact and the bridge is still in use. Only the ornamental railings have been replaced every few hundred years. The intriguing design of the bridge has given rise to many legends. According to one legend, the bridge was built by a master architect named Lu Ban in a single night. In another story, the bridge was put to the test by two immortals who crossed it at the same time and Lu Ban saved it by wading into the water and supporting the structure. Although Ming Dynasty authors compared the bridge to "a new moon rising above the clouds" and "a long rainbow hanging on a mountain waterfall"[2], it later fell into obscurity. When Professor Liang Sicheng (梁思成) of Tsing Hua University rediscovered the bridge on a field exploration of ancient architecture in Hebei province, made detailed measurements, and published a report and drawing ("An Chi Ch'iao the Great Stone Bridge Chao Hsien, Hobei, Sui Dynasty AD 569-617, Li Chun Master Builder"), it became world famous. Zhaozhou Bridge was dedicated as an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers in 1991. The Chinese authorities nominated it for incription on the World Heritage List as having "a very important place in the world bridge building history".[2] ************************************ You can tell your friend to google it online--Zhaozhou Bridge.参考资料：

Zhaozhou Bridge The Zhaozhou Bridge (traditional Chinese: 赵州桥; simplified Chinese: 赵州桥; pinyin: Zhàozhōu Qiáo) is the world's oldest open-spandrel stone segmental arch bridge.[1] Credited to a craftsman named Li Chun, the bridge was constructed in the years 595-605 during the Sui Dynasty. Located in the southern part of Hebei Province, it is the oldest standing bridge in China, although the Chinese had built bridges over waterways since the ancient Zhou Dynasty.Name and locationThe Zhaozhou Bridge is also known as the Safe Crossing Bridge (traditional Chinese: 安济桥; simplified Chinese: 安济桥; pinyin: An Ji Qiáo, englished as the Anji Bridge) and the Great Stone Bridge (Chinese: 大石桥; pinyin: Dà Shí Qiáo). It crosses the Xiao River (traditional Chinese: ; simplified Chinese: 洨河; pinyin: Xiào Hé, Jiao He) in Zhao County, approximately 40 km southeast of the provincial capital Shijiazhuang. It is named for the nearby Zhao County (赵县), which was formerly known as Zhaozhou (赵州).ConstructionThe Zhaozhou Bridge is about 50 m long with a central span of about 37 m. It stands 7.3 m tall and has a width of 9 m. The arch covers a circular segment less than a semicircle and has a rise-to-span ratio of approximately 1:5 (7.3 to 37 m). This is considerably smaller than the rise-to-span ratio of 1:2 of a semicircular arch bridge and subjects the abutments of the bridge to large forces.The central arch is made of 28 thin, curved limestone slabs which are joined with iron dovetails. This allows the arch to adjust to shifts in its supports, and prevents the bridge from collapsing even when a segment of the arch breaks. The bridge has two small side arches on either side of the main arch. These side arches serve two important functions: First, they reduce the total weight of the bridge by about 15.3% or approximately 700 tons, which is vital because of the low rise-to-span ratio and the large forces on the abutments it creates. Second, when the bridge is submerged during a flood, they allow water to pass through, thereby reducing the forces on the structure of the bridge.Li Chun's innovative spandrel-arch construction, while economising in materials, was also of considerable aesthetic merit. An inscription left on the bridge by Tang officials seventy years after its construction reads:“ This stone bridge over the Jiao River is the result of the work of the Sui engineer Li Chun. Its construction is indeed unusual, and no-one knows on what principle he made it. But let us observe his marvellous use of stone-work. Its convexity is so smooth, and the wedge-shaped stones fit together so perfectly... How lofty is the flying-arch! How large is the opening, yet without piers!.. Precise indeed are the cross-bondings and joints between the stones, masonry blocks delicately interlocking like mill wheels, or like the walls of wells; a hundred forms (organised into) one. And besides the mortar in the crevices there are slender-waisted iron cramps to bind the stones together. The four small arches inserted, on either side two, break the anger of the roaring floods, and protect the bridge mightily. Such a master-work could never have been achieved if this man had not applied his genius to the building of a work which would last for centuries to come.[2] ” Later history and reputationIn the next 1400 years, the bridge survived at least eight wars, ten major floods and numerous earthquakes, the nearest of which being the 7.2 degree Xingtai Earthquake in 1966. Yet, the support structure remains intact and the bridge is still in use. Only the ornamental railings have been replaced every few hundred years.The intriguing design of the bridge has given rise to many legends. According to one legend, the bridge was built by a master architect named Lu Ban in a single night. In another story, the bridge was put to the test by two immortals who crossed it at the same time and Lu Ban saved it by wading into the water and supporting the structure.Although Ming Dynasty authors compared the bridge to "a new moon rising above the clouds" and "a long rainbow hanging on a mountain waterfall"[2], it later fell into obscurity. When Professor Liang Sicheng (梁思成) of Tsing Hua University rediscovered the bridge on a field exploration of ancient architecture in Hebei province, made detailed measurements, and published a report and drawing ("An Chi Ch'iao the Great Stone Bridge Chao Hsien, Hobei, Sui Dynasty AD 569-617, Li Chun Master Builder"), it became world famous.Zhaozhou Bridge was dedicated as an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers in 1991. The Chinese authorities nominated it for incription on the World Heritage List as having "a very important place in the world bridge building history".[2]************************************You can tell your friend to google it online--Zhaozhou Bridge.