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Home > Travel China > China Attractions > Marco Polo Bridge
Marco Polo Bridge
China, an East Asian country is one of the world’s oldest civilizations. It has a vast cultural history of more than five thousand years and an outstanding natural beauty. On the other hand, this country has remained a comparatively isolated and secluded one, and being a land of mystery, this country is not known to the western half of the world. However, China is rapidly developing and has grown in the phase of modernization, with an immense speed and is also welcoming the outer world to interact and do business with them.
Lugouqiao, literally the Bridge over the Reed Ditch, has been made famous by at least three historic events, Marco Polo's description, Emperor Qianlong's inscription and the outbreak of the War against Japanese Aggressors. Officially the bridge was called the Lugou Stone Bridge, and it was built completely of white stone and looked majestic with a total of 485 stone lions lined on the balustrades both sides. Apart from minor maintenance repairs made during subsequent dynasties, history shows that it underwent a major restoration in 1689 after two arches had been washed away. On that occasion the river was renamed Yongding or Eternal Stability, but the name of the bridge remained Lugou.
Marco Polo, the great Italian traveller, saw it towards the end of the year 1276 during his tours under the Yuan Dynasty. As Polo gave a detailed description of it, it earned the bridge its name, Marco Polo, in the Western World. Marco Polo called the bridge Pulisangin. As the river itself may have been known at the time as Sanggan or Sangin. As for puli, it came from word, pul, which means bridge. Therefore, Pulisangin was an international coinage for the bridge Sanggan River, a name highly indicative of the amount of intercourse between China and the countries to her west.
Almost from its very inception, namely in the Mingchang period of the Jin Dynasty, the bridge was listed by travellers and men of letters as one of the Eight Scenic Spots of Yanjing, under the descriptive title Lugou Xiaoyue or Moon Over Lugou at Daybreak or The Morning Moon Lugou Bridge.
China is a popular travel destination for visitors and globe trotters from all over the world who appreciate its beautiful landscapes, rich culture, delicious local cuisine, hospitality and safety. Quality is China's top priority.
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