The Ultimate Guide to Marco Polo Bridge: China's Hidden Gem

The Lugou Bridge or Marco Polo Bridge is a rock bridge situated 15 km southwest of Beijing‘s principal street in the Fengtai District. It bridges the Yongding River, an important secondary to the Hai River.

Situated at the east side end of the bridge is the Wanping Fortress, an important 17th-centennial stronghold, accompanying the Museum of the War of Chinese People’s Resistance Against Japanese Aggression inside. In the current age, the water of the Yongding River has happened deflected to various districts of Beijing, so skilled is frequently no things forgotten about.

Names of Marco Polo Bridge

The name “Marco Polo Bridge” arises from the presence, before allure rebuilding, in Marco Polo’s book of travels, a place he admired well. The names “Lugou” or “Lukou Bridge” and “Lugouqiao” or “Lukouchiao” arise from Lugou, a departed name of the Yongding. In traditional bilingual plates, the bridge was chosen as “Lu Kow Kiao.”

History of the Marco Polo Bridge

The creation of the original bridge on this ground was launched in 1189, the conclusive period of Emperor Shizong of Jin’s reign and was achieved under the welcome heir in 1192. Following damage from an inundation, the bridge was reconstructed below the Kangxi Emperor of the Qing regime in 1698.

Happening the Communist Energy of China in 1949, the bridge was decked in blacktop and transported engine vehicular traffic. To relieve traffic on the bridge, the New Marco Polo Bridge situated about 1 km from the cold was achieved in 1971.

Later, on account of the educational and ancient meaning of the traditional bridge, it was certain that the traditional bridge be maintained, and another new bridge search out be buxom to take the place of the vehicular traffic. The new bridge, which transfers the Jingshi Expressway, was buxom close to the New Marco Polo Bridge in 1985.

After the finishing of the Jingshi Large Bridge, vehicular traffic was switched to two together new bridges and the traditional Marco Polo Bridge was unable to be penetrated by engine boats. The blacktop external of the traditional bridge was detached while a renovation in 1986.

Background of Relations between China and Japan

Relations ‘tween China and Japan were cold, to voice the slightest, even superior to the Marco Polo Bridge Incident. The Empire of Japan had adjoined Korea, heretofore a Chinese secondary state, in 1910, and had infested and busy Manchuria following the Mukden Incident in 1931. Japan had gone the five-age chief until the Marco Polo Bridge Incident evenly grabbing the always-best divisions of northerly and east China, circumscribing Beijing. China’s reality management, the Kuomintang influenced by Chiang Kai-shek, was located further cold in Nanjing, but Beijing was still a strategically important city.

The Structure Marco Polo Bridge

The Marco Polo Platform is 266.5 meters (874 ft) in time and 9.3 m (30.5 ft) in breadth, backed on 10 piers and 11 segmental curves. Hundreds of lithely singular rock lions from various eras line two together parts of the bridge. The most interesting feature of these brutes is the evidence that skills are more lions concealing on the head, back or under the stomach or on fondles of every one of the great lions.

Reviews to decide the total number of mammals have existed completed activity on various occasions but the results have confirmed irregular, varying unspecified areas from 482 to 501. Still, the record has it that skilled was initially a total of 627 lions. The posture of every feline change, as do their ages.

Most date from the Ming (1368–1644) and Qing (1644–1911) empires, few are from the former Yuan empire (1271–1368), while an outnumbered group of lions wooing from as earlier as the Jin regime (1115–1234) are immediately completely exceptional.

Four decorative processions each 4.65 m extreme and a silvery alabaster pillar stand in the situation of the devastation of the bridge. One pillar, equipped in addition with a pebble reptile, records the rebuilding of the bridge for one Kangxi Emperor of the Qing regime in 1698. The additional pillar bears handwriting for one Qianlong Emperor, a grandson of the Kangxi Emperor. It reads “Morning hold in high regard Lugou”. For the 800 ages because of allure accomplishment, the bridge has existed as a beautiful spot in Beijing.

As well as being famous for its allure and beautiful appearance, Marco Polo Bridge is again deliberately expected as a structural jewel. It is buxom of muted silver in color, accompanying a big principal arch on the edge by ten tinier ones. Each of the ten piers is shielded by three-cornered iron mainstays that have existed equipped for fear that damage by flood and glaze.

Marco Polo Bridge Incident

The Marco Polo Platform Incident, as known or named at another time or place as the Lugou Bridge Incident or the July 7 Incident, was a battle all the while July 1937 in the department of Beijing middle from two points between China’s National Revolutionary Artillery and the Regal Japanese Army.

Because of the Japanese attack on Manchuria in 1931, skilled had happened many limited occurrences ahead of the train line joining Beijing accompanying the traffic of Tianjin, but all had decreased. On this occasion, a Japanese trooper was temporarily missing from the welcome part opposite Wanping, and the Japanese chief required the right to search the metropolis for him.

Though this was declined, parts on two together edges were warned and the Chinese Army discharged the Japanese Company, though the gone Japanese guerrilla had once restored to welcome lines. The Marco Polo Bridge Incident is mainly seen as the beginning of the Second Sino-Japanese War, and arguably World War II.