Shanren Bridge

Opening Hours: Open all day Ticket Price: Primary ticket: 8 yuan per person Location: 6 kilometers south of Xian County, Cangzhou, spanning the old course of the Hutuo River Best Visiting Time Cangzhou lies on the Bohai Bay in the southeastern part of Hebei Province. It features a typical warm temperate semi-humid continental monsoon climate with cold winters, hot summers and four distinct seasons. The annual average temperature is around 12°C, and autumn is the ideal time for a visit.

Complaint Hotline: 0317-2080122

Transportation Guide Drive along National Highway 106, head 1 kilometer east past Shanqiao, take the Shijiazhuang-Huanghua Expressway and exit at Chenzhuang. Then proceed north along National Highway 106 to reach Shanqiao.

Located 6 kilometers south of Xian County, Cangzhou, Shanqiao Bridge stretches across the old course of the Hutuo River. Locally known as Shanqiao, it is also called Shanren Bridge (Bridge of Benevolent People).

The entire bridge is built of bluestone. Records show it is 755.5 meters long and 9.5 meters wide. Its designers drew on the architectural merits of ancient stone arch bridges such as Zhaozhou Bridge and Lugou Bridge. Breaking the traditional symmetrical layout of ancient architecture in light of local terrain and practical demands, it has formed a unique architectural style.

The bridge features an asymmetrical arc from north to south. Both the deck and piers are higher on the south side and lower on the north, with a steeper southern slope and a gentler northern slope. It has nine arches, an auspicious number symbolizing supremacy — five large arches and four small ones arranged alternately in a well-proportioned pattern. This design reduces the bridge's overall weight, eases the impact of floodwater, and adapts to the large water volume and sharp river bend here, facilitating flood discharge and water transportation.

The stone carvings on the bridge are exquisitely crafted with superb artistry. Stone lions on balusters and mythical creatures on arch tops vary in size and pose, looking vivid and lifelike. Twenty-eight balustrade panels are carved with diverse historical tales and myths.

Designed and constructed by a group of master architects and artists, the stone bridge is scientifically structured, sturdy and practical, as well as elegant and refined. It boasts great scientific and aesthetic value.