There are about 610 existing ancient bridges in Shanghai, of which 459 have been listed as cultural relics protection units at all levels, witnessing the development history of the city "xinggang because of water and xingshi because of commerce", and is also an important root of Jiangnan culture
From the hazy smoke and rain to the legend of the sea, from a corner of the land to the center of Jiangnan, the Jiangnan culture of "a river of smoke and rain" is one of the important cultural veins of Shanghai.
The small bridge flows with water, outlining the unique Charm of Jiangnan. There are about 610 existing ancient bridges in Shanghai, but under the influence of natural factors and human factors, some ancient bridges in the Ming and Qing dynasties have been damaged and demolished to varying degrees, and many have gradually faded from the public eye.
Because of the architecture, history can be remembered for a long time. In order to protect the historical buildings and cultural context, in Shanghai, a group of teachers and students of colleges and universities silently plunged into the "unpopular" field of ancient bridge protection. Cao Yongkang, director of the International Research Center for the Protection of Architectural Cultural Heritage of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, is one of them.
Engaged in the protection of architectural heritage for more than 20 years, Cao Yongkang led the team to investigate more than 300 Shanghai ancient bridges so far, repaired more than 60 of them, and completed and published a monograph "Research on the Protection of Shanghai Ancient Bridges".
"While preserving historical treasures, benefiting the local people is not only the mission of the vast number of ancient construction workers, but also the significance of restoring historical buildings." In a recent interview with this reporter, Cao Yongkang said that the repair of historical buildings not only protects Shanghai's unique urban imprint, but also preserves Shanghai's spiritual core and cultural soft power.
The ancient bridge is not only the best interpretation of the spirit of craftsmen, but also the historical heritage of "living"
The steady bridge and the flowing water, one just and one softly folded out of the Jiangnan culture. The water area of Shanghai is 697 square kilometers, equivalent to 11% of the total area of the city. The bridge has become the main mode of transportation across Tangpu and connecting the two banks of the river. Cao Yongkang's survey research over the years has shown that the number of ancient bridges in Shanghai reached its peak during the Ming and Qing dynasties, and there was a spectacular scene of "one mile and one bridge" or even "one hundred steps and one bridge". After the middle of the Ming Dynasty, the number of bridges with bridge names in the Shanghai area was as high as 5,000.
Whether it is the history of Qinglong Town and Qinglong Port from prosperity to decline, or the rise of Songjiang Province and the maturity of the Huangpu water system, it can be said that the construction of ancient bridges in Shanghai has witnessed the development history of Shanghai's "port because of water and city because of commerce".
However, with the modernization of the city, many ancient bridges have disappeared. "In today's field of historical architectural heritage protection, there is little voice on the protection of ancient bridges, and related research is snubbed." In Cao Yongkang's view, the study of the existing ancient bridges in the Shanghai area is of great significance to the inheritance of jiangnan ancient bridge culture and the preservation of the overall style of Jiangnan water towns.
Talking about the ancient bridges in Shanghai, Cao Yongkang is like a number of family treasures: the first bridge with written records is called Shanmen Bridge, located in Jiading, which was built in the Three Kingdoms period and no longer exists; the oldest existing bridge in Shanghai, the Songjiang Wangxian Bridge, was built during the Shaoxing period of the Southern Song Dynasty.
According to research, Shanghai ancient bridges mainly have two categories: beam bridges and arch bridges, which not only continue the construction characteristics of Wuyue bridges, have unique locality, but also have exquisite construction technology and high level of engineering technology. For example, The Puji Bridge, the oldest stone arch bridge in Shanghai, the Yingxiang Bridge, which is called the "ancestor of the continuous Simple Branch Bridge" by bridge experts, and the Zhujiajiao Fangsheng Bridge, the largest five-hole thin-pier joint arch stone bridge in Jiangnan, all typically present the wisdom of the working people and craftsmen in the Jiangnan region.
"From the ancient bridges in Shanghai, we have been able to trace the Wuyue folk culture, including the culture of temple bridges, trade culture, 'walking the three bridges', and taste the literature and art of the ancient bridges from the name of the bridge, the bridge association and the bridge stele." In Cao Yongkang's heart, the ancient bridge is not only the best interpretation of the craftsman spirit, but also a historical heritage with temperature and living.
Release bridge.
"The existing ancient bridges must be well protected, and the number cannot be reduced any longer!"
In fact, from studying ancient buildings to turning to studying ancient bridges, Cao Yongkang was also a "half-way monk" at the beginning. In 2003, by chance, Cao Yongkang undertook the design of the repair plan of Qingpu Tai'an Bridge. Since then, in the continuous field visits and research, a map of the ancient bridge in Shanghai has gradually spread in his mind.
Cao Yongkang found that about 25% of the ancient bridges in Shanghai are in a relatively good environment, mostly in ancient towns, parks or schools, which not only have beautiful scenery, but also have a strong historical and cultural atmosphere. For example, Zhujiajiao Town, Jinze Town, Liantang Town in Qingpu, Xinchang Town in Pudong New Area, etc., especially In Jinze Ancient Town, the ancient bridges of the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties have different postures, known as "the first bridge township in Jiangnan". However, the existing environment of most of the ancient bridges is relatively poor, or it is inconsistent with the surrounding environment and architectural style, and it is difficult to maintain the overall appearance; or it is relatively deserted and overgrown...
So, where should the abandoned ancient bridges outside these scenic spots go?
"The existing ancient bridges must be well protected, and the number cannot be reduced any longer!" Summarizing years of repair experience, Cao Yongkang believes that the protection of ancient bridges must adhere to the principle of minimum intervention, repair the old as old, protect its sense of history, especially to avoid "large-scale demolition and construction". For example, the ancient bridge should not be migrated and protected as much as possible, because without the "birthplace", the cultural context will be broken, and the ancient bridge will lose its fresh vitality; attention should be paid to protecting the surrounding environment of the existing ancient bridge, especially to retain the river channel, and not to let it become an "island". In addition, researchers should pay close attention to the detailed mapping and investigation of the existing ancient bridges, which is the premise of proper protection.
"The current situation of the existence of the ancient bridge is worrying, and it is not unrelated to backward technology." Over the years of practice, Cao Yongkang has found that the special research and development of new technologies and new materials in terms of specific protection, testing, reinforcement and other aspects lags behind other types of architectural heritage.
"Repairing the old does not mean that modern technology cannot enter this field." In his view, while meeting the safety, to complete the protection of the ancient bridge, to a certain extent, it is inseparable from new technologies and new materials.
In Cao Yongkang's team, methods such as laser scanning measurement, infrared detection, stress wave tomography, and material analysis used in architectural heritage protection were applied to the inspection of ancient bridges. At the same time, in order to reduce the damage of the ancient bridge, new materials such as built-in anchors and carbon fibers are also used. "The biggest significance of this is to allow many damaged stone components to be reused."
In order to carry out maintenance work systematically, in 2013, Shanghai Jiao Tong University established the International Research Center for the Protection of Architectural Cultural Heritage, with Cao Yongkang as the director of the center. The center not only carries out scientific research work such as disease detection, building protection and restoration technology, data management and analysis of architectural heritage, but also creates a "gene bank" and "case bank" for wooden architectural heritage, and is committed to building a big data system for cultural relics in Shanghai and the Yangtze River Delta region.
With the efforts of all ancient construction workers, in recent years, 459 ancient bridges in Shanghai have been included in the cultural relics protection units at all levels.
Okura Bridge.
Historical buildings should be repaired, and they must "live"
For those working on the conservation of historic buildings, the most difficult thing is not the technical level. There has always been a view in the industry that the value of many historic buildings is not fully known to the public, which also makes the protection of ancient buildings, including the ancient bridge, encounter various difficulties to a certain extent.
With the development of modern transportation industry, when the traffic role of ancient bridges gradually disappears and weakens, how to better show the historical value it contains and be accepted by the public - this is a problem.
"Historic buildings are not zombies, they must be seen and valued by more people, so as to better 'live' in our contemporary culture." Cao Yongkang quoted an old saying, the so-called "flowing water is not corrupt, the household center is not beetle", in his view, the repair of historical buildings, by no means more than the appearance of the restoration to do "specimen" protection. On the contrary, making full use of the function of the building for rational development and use is one of the correct ways to make the building "come alive".
"From a realistic point of view, there is traffic, in order to better let the historical building live!" Cao Yongkang also encouraged Generation Z college students not only to focus on restoration, but also to carry out characteristic format positioning and conceptual design of historical buildings through Internet thinking, so as to realize the dialogue between new and old, so that more peers can spontaneously enter historical buildings.
"Sensible use can extend the life cycle of a historic building." Cao Yongkang bluntly said that the repair and protection of historical buildings is not equivalent to "offering" them as a kind of museum exhibits, and by introducing new formats that are in line with their original temperament, the use function of historical buildings can be increased.
This summer, in the "Save Traditional Villages" work camp held at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, when a college student investigated the historical buildings of Lianghu Village in Gaoping City, Shanxi Province, he proposed to make noodle sculpture steamed buns and other products based on the local face sculpture culture and polytheistic worship. Young people also boldly suggested creating local cultural IP and promoting historical and cultural heritage through live broadcasting and other means.
Set up a two-dimensional code in the building to facilitate visitors to read the building, VR virtual visit, design related cultural and creative products... Whether in the classroom or in practice, the fantastic ideas from Generation Z really made Cao Yongkang's eyes shine. Today, he is encouraging students to further study the modern value of ancient bridges from the perspective of rural revitalization, save traditional villages, and promote the construction and development of Shanghai's ancient towns.
Puji Bridge.
Strengthen identity in touching bricks and trees, and guide more post-learners to sit on the "cold bench"
Why is there so much emphasis on "traffic" and youth? Because talent breakage has always been a major pain point hindering the protection of architectural heritage!
"There are two deficiencies in the repair and protection of historical buildings: one is the lack of craftsmen who understand traditional crafts, and the other is the lack of high-level talents engaged in repair and design." Cao Yongkang said bluntly that many of the craftsmen who work with him on the construction site are now over 60 years old.
"The person I have been most exposed to over the years is Mr. Huang Liangchu from Wenling, Zhejiang." Cao Yongkang introduced that Huang Liangchu was born in a family of stonemasons, and his father built an ancient bridge in Shanghai when he was young. The son inherits the father's business, and the old man has been doing this business for a lifetime. "I, a 'primary school student', have been studying with my husband for more than ten years, completing the transformation from 'ignorance' to 'knowing'." However, in the conversation, the teacher often expressed his concern, because there was no one to learn, and this traditional craft was afraid that it would be lost! The protection of the ancient bridge is not only "unpopular", but also the talent training cycle is long, and the starting salary after work is not high, which is easy to encounter talent loss.
In order to guide more students to sit on the "cold bench" and stimulate the sense of responsibility of the young generation, professors at Shanghai Jiao Tong University always take students to "go out" and protect the scene in depth. Even if fledgling college students can only participate in some basic surveying and mapping work, the process of touching bricks and wood is also a vivid classroom for seeing history and understanding history. By facing history and reading architecture with a humble attitude, students can dig out more memories, trace more cultural connotations, and strengthen their ideals and beliefs.
What is even more gratifying is that in recent years, with the broadcast of documentaries such as "I Repair Cultural Relics in the Forbidden City", more and more people have begun to pay attention to the cultural relics "doctor", and the recognition of the spirit of craftsmen has been significantly improved.
But social recognition is not the "master key" to solve the problem of talent disconnection. Speaking of the protection of the ancient bridge, Cao Yongkang repeatedly mentioned a suggestion: may wish to consider letting craftsmen with ingenuity and exquisite skills also become part of the teaching and research forces of colleges and universities, through classified evaluation, so that some craftsmen have the opportunity to evaluate titles, giving these high-skilled talents more space and platform, so that their skills can be inherited and a steady stream of talents can be cultivated.