Water Bridge at No. 287 Beidajie (North Street)
In addition to bridges for public and official use, Zhujiajiao Ancient Town also features water bridges built specifically for shops and merchants. The most notable example is the Sauce Store Water Bridge at No. 287 Beidajie (North Street), adjacent to the century-old Handalong Sauce Store.
Founded in the 12th year of the Guangxu Reign of the Qing dynasty (1886), Handalong Sauce Store has stood at the same location for nearly 140 years. The street-facing portion served as the retail store, while the rear housed the production workshop.
The water bridge extends across Beidajie, nestled along the south bank of the city river. It was constructed to facilitate the loading and unloading of raw materials and goods for the sauce garden, serving as a dedicated commercial dock. Built concurrently with the shop’s founding, the bridge has endured for nearly 139 years—or perhaps even longer.
The bridge features a single-entry, double-exit design, forming a T-shape with an inward-curving inner section and an outer edge flush with the town’s historic embankment. Crafted from granite quarried in Jinshan near Suzhou (hence the name “Jinshan Stone”), it showcases exceptional craftsmanship and aesthetic appeal.
The single-entry section measures 1.2 meters long and 1.4 meters wide, with six steps leading down.
Each of the two outward-facing exits measures 1.7 meters wide and 3.6 meters long, with four steps each descending into the water.
This water bridge features an elegant design and exquisite craftsmanship, and it has been preserved to this day as a dedicated commercial dock.
