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{{Infobox bridge
| name                = Precious Belt Bridge
| native_name         = 宝带桥
| native_name_lang    = Chinese
| image               = Preciousbeltbridge.jpg
| image_upright       = 
| alt                 = 
| caption             = Precious Belt Bridge
| coordinates         = {{coord|31|15|32|N|120|38|58.3|E|region:CN_type:landmark|display=title,inline}}
| os_grid_reference   = 
| qid                 = 
| refs                = 
| carries             = 
| crosses             = [[Grand Canal of China|Grand Canal]] and [[Tantai Lake]]
| locale              = [[Suzhou]], [[Jiangsu]], [[China]]
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| preceded            = 
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| design              = 
| material            = Stone
| material1           = 
| material2           = 
| length              = {{convert|317|m|ft|abbr=on|sp=us}}
| width               = {{convert|4.1|m|ft|abbr=on|sp=us}}
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}}
{{chinese
|pic=
|picsize=
|piccap=
|s={{linktext|宝|带|桥}}
|t={{linktext|寶|帶|橋}}
|p=Bǎodài Qiáo
|w=Pao-tai Ch'iao
|l=Precious Belt Bridge
}}

The '''Precious Belt Bridge''', also known by [[#Names|other names]], is a stone [[arch bridge]] near [[Suzhou]] in [[Jiangsu]], [[China]]. It is located at the intersection of the [[Grand Canal of China|Grand Canal]] and [[Tantai Lake]] about {{convert|6|km|sp=us}} southeast of central Suzhou.

{{anchor|Etymology|Toponymy|Name}}
==Names==
The names Precious Belt Bridge and '''Bridge of the Bejeweled Belt'''{{sfnp|Chen & al.|2022|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=EoWIEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA389 389]}} are [[calque]]s of the bridge's [[Chinese language|Chinese]] name, written {{nowrap|{{lang|zh|{{linktext|寶|帶|橋}}}}}} in [[traditional characters]] and {{nowrap|{{lang|zh|{{linktext|宝|带|桥}}}}}} in [[simplified characters|simplified ones]]. It is also sometimes known as the '''Baodai Bridge''' from the [[pinyin]] [[romanization of Chinese|romanization]] of the [[Standard Mandarin|Mandarin]] pronunciation of the Chinese name. The name references the story that [[Wang Zhongshu]], the prefect of [[Suzhou Prefecture|Suzhou]], funded its construction with his own lavishly decorated belt rather than through [[corvee|forced labor]] or additional taxation.

In Chinese, it is also known as the "Small Long Bridge".{{sfnp|Chen & al.|2022|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=EoWIEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA389 389]}}

==History==
The Precious Belt Bridge was first built in AD 816 under the [[Tang dynasty|Tang]] [[list of Chinese dynasties|dynasty]].{{sfnp|Needham|1986|p=174}} It is located about {{convert|6|km|sp=us}} from the Fengmen Gate in [[Suzhou City Walls|Suzhou's old city walls]].{{sfnp|Chen & al.|2022|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=EoWIEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA389 389]}} The bridge was reconstructed several times, with the current bridge principally dating to the 1446 reconstruction{{sfnp|Needham|1986|p=174}} under the reign of the [[Zhengtong Emperor]] of the [[Ming dynasty|Ming]] as repaired in 1873 under the [[Tongzhi Emperor]] of the [[Qing dynasty|Qing]].{{sfnp|Chen & al.|2022|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=EoWIEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA389 389]}}

During the 1793 [[United Kingdom|British]] [[Macartney Embassy]], [[Sir John Barrow, 1st Baronet|John Barrow]] visited the Precious Belt Bridge, accurately describing its length and the manner in which its central arches are higher than the others.{{sfnp|Needham|1986|p=174}}

The bridge was inscribed as the 285th [[Major Cultural Heritage Site under National-Level Protection]] added during the 5th round of nominations in 2001.

==Structure==
The bridge is constructed entirely of stone.{{sfnp|Chen & al.|2022|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=EoWIEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA389 389]}} It has a span of {{convert|317|m|ft|abbr=on|sp=us}} with 53 [[arch]]es along its length.{{sfnp|Chen & al.|2022|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=EoWIEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA389 389]}} It is usually {{convert|4.1|m|ft|abbr=on|sp=us}} wide.{{sfnp|Chen & al.|2022|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=EoWIEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA389 389]}} The three central arches are enlarged to allow for the passage of{{mdash}}by historical standards{{mdash}}larger river vessels without [[mast (sailing)|masts]]. The average span of each arch is {{convert|4.6|m|ft|abbr=on|sp=us}}.

Although the bridge was originally protected by pairs of [[foo dogs]] at each end, today only a single stone lion remains at the north entrance.{{sfnp|Chen & al.|2022|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=EoWIEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA389 389]}} The stone tower and [[Chinese stele|stela]] [[Chinese pavilion|pavilion]] originally located at the north end of the bridge have similarly vanished.{{sfnp|Chen & al.|2022|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=EoWIEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA389 389]}}

==See also==
* [[Jade Belt Bridge]]
* [[List of bridges in China]]
* [[List of Major National Historical and Cultural Sites in Jiangsu]]

==References==
===Citations===
{{reflist|30em}}

===Bibliography===
{{refbegin}}
* {{citation |last=Chen |first=Shouxiang |author-mask=Chen Shouxiang |author2=Feng Yuan |author3=Huang Qiming |author4=Liang Jiang |author5=Yang Xiaoyan |author6=Zhao Quanli |display-authors=1 |ref={{harvid|Chen & al.|2022}} |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EoWIEAAAQBAJ |contribution-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EoWIEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA361 |title=A General History of Chinese Art |volume=VI |date=2022 |publisher=Walter de Gruyter |location=Berlin |contribution=Architecture of the Qing Dynasty |pages=[https://books.google.com/books?id=EoWIEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA361 361–397] |isbn=978-3-11-079093-1 |translator=Maya Lindenforest |display-translators=0 |editor2=Chen Shouxiang |editor3=Chen Yanlin |editor=Li Xifan |display-editors=0 }}.
* {{citation |last=Needham |first=Joseph |author-link=Joseph Needham |date=1986 |title=Science and Civilization in China |volume=4, part 3 |publisher= |location= }}.
{{refend}}

==External links==
* [http://www.china.org.cn/english/features/woeld_heritage/99267.htm China.org.cn]

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Deck arch bridges]]
[[Category:Bridges completed in the 15th century]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures completed in 1446]]
[[Category:Transport infrastructure completed in the 1440s]]
[[Category:Bridges in Suzhou]]
[[Category:Stone bridges in China]]
[[Category:Ming dynasty architecture]]
[[Category:Major National Historical and Cultural Sites in Jiangsu]]
[[Category:15th-century establishments in China]]
[[Category:1446 establishments in Asia]]
[[Category:1440s establishments in Asia]]


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