Fangsheng Bridge, Stone arch bridge in Zhujiajiao, Shanghai, China.
Fangsheng Bridge is a five-arch stone bridge over the Cao Port in Zhujiajiao, built of stone blocks with thin piers and arches of modest size variation, giving it a gentle slope across the water. It is 70.8 metres long and 5.8 metres wide, the largest stone bridge in Shanghai. Its stone carvings are detailed.
Monk Xingchao of Cimen Temple raised the funds for the first bridge in 1571, during the fifth year of the Longqing reign. In the Ming and Qing dynasties monks held a fish-release ceremony on the span. It was rebuilt in 1812, under the Jiaqing Emperor, and on 17 November 1987 Shanghai's municipal government listed it as a protected cultural relic.
The name Fangsheng means "release life": the monk Xingchao decreed that only fish and turtles could be set free beneath the bridge, and netting there was forbidden. Monks of the Ming and Qing dynasties held a release ceremony on the span. Today vendors still sell live fish by the bridge for visitors to set free.
The bridge carries a walkway over the Cao Port in central Zhujiajiao, so it is crossed on foot as part of the old town's streets. Its gentle slope and thin piers make the climb short, and the five arches are best seen from the banks below. Vendors on the bridge sell live fish for release.
This stone structure ranks among Shanghai's largest arch bridges and received official recognition as a municipal cultural monument in 1987. This designation protects the building for future generations and highlights its historical importance to the region.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 93,950 contributors worldwide.