Rende Bridge is the oldest and largest single arch large stone bridge in Kaijiang County (Meijia Town, Kaijiang County), with an inner diameter of 30m, a height of15m, a bridge width of 7.70m and 74 stone steps. It has been listed as a county-level cultural relics protection unit.
Rende Bridge in Kaijiang County was built in the second year of Daoguang (AD 1822). It is the largest single arch large stone bridge in the county. Located in the middle section of Meijia Street, 27 kilometers east of the county seat. Although it has been baptized for 200 years, it still stands intact on the banks of Shuicheng River.
In early winter, we stepped on the stone ladder and walked on the bridge deck step by step. The thick stone staircase has long lost its former edges and corners, and the smooth stone surface is glowing with white light. The bridge deck is wide and flat enough to accommodate hundreds of people. Standing by the guardrail, stroking the thick stones with their hands and looking at the pomegranate tree growing in the gap of the guardrail, according to the locals, pomegranate was planted when the bridge was built, and it has a history of nearly 200 years. No wonder it is old-fashioned. In the memory of local people, pomegranate seems to bear fruit year after year, but it never grows stout. It is said that the trees in the south were once cut down and then burned. However, a few months later, the stump sprouted again, but the man died inexplicably.
A white-haired old man wandering on the bridge told us that these two pomegranates are connected together and look like a soaring dragon. Pointing to the pomegranate in the south, he said, "Isn't the upturned trunk of that tree like the open jaw of a dragon? Unfortunately, the downward part was destroyed, that is, the chin of the dragon. " I looked at it in a daze, and the trunk really looked like a dragon's open upper jaw, and a few furry branches looked like arrogant tentacles on a faucet. The old man has stretched out his hand to the north, saying that pomegranate is the dragon tail. At this time, the breeze blew and the pomegranate branches were shaking. Suddenly, I only felt two pomegranates shaking with the slate connecting the bridge deck, as if the dragon was dancing on the Shuicheng River.
The old man told us that there is no bridge on Shuicheng River, and there are plum trees on both sides of the river. The dense plum trees lean against the river, and the river is covered tightly. With the arrival of summer, heavy rain, turbulent river blocked the people on both sides. Some people who had to cross the river because of emergency were worried and desperate when they saw the river rising. Some brave people began to climb the plum tree to cross the river. How thrilling the scene was, the surging waves roared and rolled, like a dragon with its jaws open, fiercely pouncing on the plum trees on both sides. Plum trees are like being bitten by a dragon. The branches are suddenly dragged to the muddy river, and then they are lifted up trembling and struggling to meet the next wave. The guy who climbs the tree is like a swing floating in the wind. Sometimes he falls down and sometimes he stands up. Their hands holding branches are like two iron tongs. Because of this, there are tragedies on both sides of the strait from time to time; Because of this, the local people dream of building a bridge over the Shuicheng River.
At this time, Roche, a noble family of Meijiaba who lives on the east bank of Shuicheng River, is inviting Feng Shui master to seek greater development for his family. Feng shui master is a master. He found a natural stone dragon in the middle of the upper reaches of Shuicheng River, and he was going to swim downstream. It is this stone dragon that guards the upper reaches of the river, and the talented grandson of the Roche family thrives and the financial resources are rolling in. If Shilong swims, the Roche family will soon decline. He told Roche's family the secret he discovered. Luo Diancheng, Luo Kuncheng and Luo Yucheng, three brothers of Roche, are squires who are enthusiastic about public welfare. They have long planned to build a bridge over the Shuicheng River. After listening to the words of the Feng Shui master, they immediately decided to build a stone arch bridge and a stone dragon in the town, which would make their home prosperous forever and bring convenience to the local people.
Roche's move to build the bridge won the welcome of the local people, and the skilled craftsmen around him spontaneously came to help. In order to really lock the stone dragon, after the completion of the bridge, a dragon-cutting sword was specially hung under the arch bridge. That sword is made of pig iron and has been weathered for a long time. However, when the river dries up, standing under the bridge and looking up, the stone cave with the dragon sword hanging in the heart of the bridge is faintly visible. In order to cultivate more talents, Roche specially built the arch bridge into a sedan chair, which indicates that more literati will walk out of Mei's home and go to the county seat in a big sedan chair. The old man said, snapping his fingers and counting the celebrities who have walked out of Mei's family since the bridge was built.
Listening to the old man's story, our eyes widened in surprise. Rende Bridge has such a legendary history of bridge construction? We once again looked at the polished slate on the bridge deck, looked at the brown-spotted stone lying across the guardrail, and then ran down the stone bridge and stood on the riverbank to watch. The arched stone arch is like a huge round door, firmly tied to the banks of Shuicheng River. Pieces of stone are stacked layer by layer, from top to bottom, from middle to both sides, not to mention the stone pier in the middle, which doesn't even have a mortise and tenon. Erosion of wind and rain, those stones have turned white and gray, and some places are rusty, as if they had been smoked. However, there is a close relationship between stone strips and stone strips. For 200 years, there has not been a crack.
Back on the bridge, we lamented the exquisiteness and firmness of the arch bridge and the superb wisdom and exquisite craftsmanship of the ancients. The old man walked over to me and told me that it was all thanks to the mysterious stone pig trough, and then talked endlessly.
It was in the final stage of arch bridge construction, and the last stone stuck in the middle of the vault stumped the craftsmen. Although they repeatedly gestured with a tape measure, the stone was either too big or too small, too wide or too narrow. Craftsmen gathered under the arch bridge to discuss countermeasures. After a few days, there was nothing they could do. At dusk, the craftsmen were about to call it a day when an old masons in rags came with a basket on his back. The old stonemason looked at the stone arch bridge and asked to leave a bridge. The leading craftsman saw his appearance, frowned and waved him away. The old stonemason climbed ashore with a sigh and walked in the direction of the county seat in disappointment. After walking for more than a mile, it was dark, and the old stonemason stood on the roadside at a loss. As it happens, an old woman came out of a single-family house on the roadside. When the old woman saw the poor stonemason, she immediately took him into the house and received him warmly. The stonemason was greatly moved and asked the old woman about raising pigs. The woman shook her head and complained that pigs were not long. The stonemason promised to give him a pig trough to ensure that her pigs could eat fast, stood up and walked out. The old woman was surprised and said that there was no stone outside the door, but just after saying this, the stonemason came in with a stone more than a foot long. By the dim pine light, the old masons are tinkling and fighting, and the pig trough has not been finished. Early the next morning, the old stonemason was leaving. He told the old woman that the pigsty could be used as a stone to repair the bridge. If someone comes to buy a pig trough, you can sell it for 20 taels of silver, no more or less. The old woman listened gratefully. When the news that the old woman had a stone pig trough stuck with stones reached the ears of craftsmen, they were still worried about sticking stones. Hearing this, they immediately ran to the old woman and bought a pig trough, and went back with a grain of salt. They carefully inserted the pig trough into the gap, only to hear a loud noise, and the pig trough was firmly stuck in the gap, seamless and natural.
We were fascinated by the old man's story. A small stone arch bridge has so many legends. This legend has placed many good wishes on the ancients; These legends add a lot of charm to the arch bridge. Rende Bridge is like a frozen rainbow, reflected on Shuicheng River. Like a heavy bow, leaning against the Shuicheng River. Rende Bridge stands like this. Let pedestrians step on its curved back; Let the wind and rain beat its smooth skin again and again; Let the years leave wrinkles on its vicissitudes day by day.
Protection scope: the east and west ends of the bridge extend 5 meters each, and the north-south direction extends 20 meters from the center line of the bridge.
Construction control zone: the protection scope extends 6 meters outward.