Backgrounder: Lugou BridgeThe Lugou Bridge, the oldest multi-arch stone bridge in Beijing, is located some 15 kilometers southwest of Beijing.On July 7, 1937, Japanese military forces attacked the Chinese garrison near the Lugou Bridge. The Chinese troops answered the provocation with a counterblow, marking the beginning of the Chinese people's heroic war of resistance against Japanese aggression. The bridge was first built in 1189 and it was renovated and rebuilt in 1444 and 1698 respectively. The bridge was recorded in the travelogue of Marco Polo, an Italian professional traveler who went all the way to China during the Yuan Dynasty (1271--1368). The bridge, 266.5 meters in length and 7.5 meters in width, is also famous for 485 vivid stone lion statues on bridge rails. There is a pavilion on the eastern side of the bridge, in which stands a stele with epigraph on it by Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (1644--1911). "Viewing the moon at the bridge" was listed as one of the eight outstanding sceneries in Beijing in history. In July 1987, the Memorial Hall of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression was built near the Lugou Bridge. In May 1995, then Japanese Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama visited the hall. |
| People's Daily Online --- http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/ |