Yan Chenyu knew that this bridge was built in the 22nd year of Emperor Qianlong's reign. It was built by Gao Heng, the Imperial Censor of Yangzhou, to welcome Emperor Qianlong's second southern tour. The bridge was built to imitate the Five Dragon Pavilion and Beihai Bridge in Beihai, Beijing.

When the Wuting Bridge was built, there was no open water in Beihai, so it was impossible to copy the design of Beihai Wulong Pavilion. However, the clever craftsmen found a new way to combine the pavilion and the bridge to form a pavilion bridge, which was divided into five pavilions, clustered on one bridge, and connected by short corridors to form a complete roof. "Five pavilions were built on the top, four wings were built on the bottom, and there were fifteen bridge holes on the front and sides."

The architectural style has both the beauty of the south and the majesty of the north. The Lotus Bridge is 55.5 meters long, and the bridge foundation is divided into 12 piers of different sizes. The most unique part is the bridge foundation, which is very delicate even though it is made of large pieces of bluestone. The bridge pavilion is of appropriate proportion and harmonious configuration.

The bridge builders built the foundation in a "艹" shape. The main bridge is a single-arch bridge with four wings on the side. Each wing has three semi-arch arches, plus two fan-shaped arches for the approach bridge, for a total of 15 arches.

The holes are connected, and when viewed from the front, together with the reflection, they form 5 holes of different sizes and shapes; when you go boating under the bridge, the holes are connected, just like a castle. The Five Pavilion Bridge, which looks like a lotus emerging from the water, has an ingenious structure, a unique shape, and a combination of bridge and pavilion, which is magnificent and unparalleled in the world.

The oldest bridge in China is the Zhaozhou Bridge, the most magnificent bridge is the Lugou Bridge, and the most elegant and artistic bridge is the Five Pavilion Bridge in Yangzhou, which is a model of the combination of transportation bridge and ornamental bridge in ancient Chinese cities."

The Lotus Bridge is recorded in Yangzhou Huafanglu: "Whenever the moon is full, each hole holds a moon. The golden color ripples, and the moons shine together in an indescribable way." Seeing this, we know that the Three Pools Mirroring the Moon in West Lake cannot be surpassed in beauty.

It can be seen that it is not only the month of March when fireworks should be displayed in Yangzhou, but one can also go to the Wuting Bridge at Yangzhou's Slender West Lake on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival to experience the wonderful scenery of "the clear waves reflect the moon's shadow, the empty spaces pass through the clouds, and the night is filled with the sound of jade-like women playing the flute".

Yan Chenyu and Koala stood on the Wuting Bridge and looked east. The scenery in the distance was "a small bridge over flowing water, a pavilion standing upright on the top of the mountain; a bright pavilion with stone railings, and a fishing island jutting straight into the water's edge". It was like an endless long scroll of Chinese landscape painting of the Jiangnan region, fully embodying the beauty of the South.

Standing on the Wuting Bridge, you can see pleasure boats passing by and the scenery is picturesque. To the south is the White Tower that reaches into the sky; to the east is the Xiaojinshan Fishing Platform hidden in the green lake; to the north is the lush and green Wanhua Garden.

Yan Chenyu and Koala looked westward, the lake was clear and blue, the trees were green, the pavilions were scattered, and the scenery was beautiful. Huang Xing'an of the Qing Dynasty wrote in "Looking at Jiangnan. Wuting Bridge": Yangzhou is beautiful, with a high-spanning Wuting Bridge, and the clear waves are like a mirror of the moon. The empty clouds are passing by, and I listen to the jade girl's flute at night.

The Wuting Bridge has a proper proportion of bridge pavilions and a harmonious configuration. The bridge foundation is made of large pieces of bluestone, which is very delicate. If the Slender West Lake is like a graceful lady, then the Wuting Bridge is like a belt composed of five lotus flowers tightly binding the waist of the thin beauty, showing her incomparably charming demeanor.

Matched with the slender white tower nearby. One horizontal and one vertical, one white and one colorful, the reflections in the water are ripples. It is unique. Looking down at the group of buildings surrounded by water on the east side of the bridge, it is called Fuzhuang, named because its shape resembles a wild duck floating on the lake. Its buildings are very short and the layout and shape are very decent, which not only sets off the majestic appearance of the Wuting Bridge, but also sets off the white tower on the south of the bridge.

The white pagoda facing south of Wuting Bridge is a famous building of Lianxing Temple. It is a symbol of Lamaism. There is a saying in Yangzhou that the pagoda was built in one night. Legend has it that when Emperor Qianlong took a boat to visit Slender West Lake for the sixth time, he suddenly said to the Yangzhou officials accompanying him, "This place is so similar to the spring shade of Beihai in Beijing, but it's a pity that there is no white pagoda."

The next morning, Qianlong opened the window and saw a white tower standing tall beside the Wuting Bridge. He thought it had fallen from the sky, and the eunuch beside him knelt down and said, "It was made overnight by a salt merchant to make up for the regret of Your Majesty visiting Slender West Lake."

It turns out that this white tower was built overnight by Jiang Chun, one of the eight great salt merchants, who bribed Emperor Qianlong with a million gold coins based on the design of the White Tower in Beijing, using salt bags as the base and paper as the surface. Although it can only be viewed from a distance and cannot be climbed, Emperor Qianlong said with emotion: "People say that Yangzhou salt merchants are the richest in the world, and it really lives up to their reputation."

Although this is only a legend, the White Pagoda was indeed built in imitation of the Pagoda in Beihai, and it existed as early as the reign of Emperor Kangxi. The current White Pagoda was rebuilt during the reign of Emperor Qianlong, and is made entirely of bricks. Although its shape is not as majestic as the Pagoda in Beihai, it is thin but not shabby, and instead graceful and elegant. The scenery of the capital has also added a bit of the elegance of the Slender West Lake in Yangzhou.

The whole scenery around Wuting Bridge and White Pagoda can be regarded as the best scenery of Slender West Lake.

Looking eastwards, "Deep Spring at Meiling Mountain" floats on the water, looking westwards, "Bright Moon on Spring Terrace" has red pillars and flying eaves, looking southwards, white pagodas stand opposite each other, and with the addition of the Lotus Bridge itself and its reflection in the water, this scene is not like a "Jade Palace", but better than a "Jade Palace".

Walking west along the north bank of Wuting Bridge and passing through Buyun Octagonal Gate, the scene in front of you is called "White Pagoda Clear Clouds", which is also one of the 24 scenes of Slender West Lake. This was originally a large-scale Yangzhou garden residence complex built by the water on the north bank of Slender West Lake. Because the White Pagoda and other scenes can be seen across Slender West Lake, it was named "White Pagoda Clear Clouds". The rebuilt "White Pagoda Clear Clouds" now has a much smaller area.

The Baita Qingyun Bank is extended outwards and is level with the shallow water. There are many huge rocks in the water, like crouching beasts. When the water level drops, the rocks are exposed, forming steps. There are strange peaks and cliffs on the top, and the four characters "Baita Qingyun" are engraved on the flat peaks and rocks.

There are three high-rise rooms in front of the steps, named Guiyu, and behind the island is the Hall of Flowers in the South and Water in the North. The Hall of Flowers in the South and Water in the North is now the Yangzhou Three Knives store. With the park ticket, you can get a picture of the magnolia for free. The plaque of the Hall of Flowers in the South and Water in the North was written by Mr. Lai Shaoqi. Lai Shaoqi is good at landscape painting and calligraphy. He learned calligraphy from Jin Nong and Deng Shiru, and his lacquer calligraphy is full of the spirit of gold and stone.

On an island surrounded by water to the south of Wuting Bridge is Lianxing Temple, formerly known as "Fahai Temple". It was first built in the late Sui Dynasty and early Tang Dynasty, and has a history of a thousand years. During the Yuan Dynasty, it was rebuilt by monks. In the 13th year of Hongwu of Emperor Taizu of the Ming Dynasty, monk Yuyong rebuilt it; in the first year of Zhengtong of Emperor Yingzong of the Ming Dynasty, monk Fuhong rebuilt it again, and in the Qing Dynasty, a salt merchant named Cheng rebuilt it.

In the 44th year of the reign of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty, Emperor Kangxi made his fifth southern tour to Yangzhou and named it "Lianxing Temple" and gave it a plaque with the inscription "Zhongxiang Qingfan". The monks of the temple carved a stone and built a pavilion for worship, but people still call it "Fahai Temple".

During the reign of Emperor Xianfeng of the Qing Dynasty, Lianxing Temple was destroyed by war and was rebuilt during the reign of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty. The rebuilt Lianxing Temple mainly includes: the Great Hall, the Heavenly King Hall, the Sutra Library, the Yunshan Pavilion, the White Pagoda and the monks' quarters.

The temple is surrounded by the lake on all sides, with the Wuting Bridge on the left, the Ouxiang Bridge on the right, and the White Pagoda behind. It is a famous temple on the Slender West Lake and also a scenic spot of the lake. Fahai Temple is located on the south bank of the lake, with the temple gate facing east. It is built on a high hill. In front of the mountain gate, there is a high step. There are pine and cypress trees on the steps on both sides of the mountain gate. There is a lovely stone sculpture of a little monk on each side of the steps.

There are also a group of stone sculptures of little monks playing in the shade of trees. There are little monks sweeping the floor, playing, reading, and meditating. The Buddha statues, instruments, and furniture in the temple have been destroyed, and the halls and pavilions have been in disrepair for many years. The former abbot of Jetavana Monastery, Monk Kuan Jing, vowed to rebuild Fahai Temple.

There are two-story platforms in front of the newly built mountain gate hall of Lianxing Temple. The lower level is used as a flower bed, and white stone railings are built on both sides of the edge of the upper platform. There are stone lions carved on each railing, eight on each side.

There are two old cypress trees on the platform, with a rectangular iron incense burner in the middle, on which the three characters "Fahai Temple" are cast. The two sides of the mountain gate hall are built with eight-character walls, and a stone tablet with the words "Fahai Temple" is embedded above the mountain gate, which was written by Master Mingshan of Jiaoshan, Zhenjiang. There is a pair of lotus door pillows next to the door, with yellow walls and red doors, and covered with green glazed tiles.

The three rooms in the middle are the Heavenly King Hall. On the rectangular Buddhist platform in the middle is a big-bellied Maitreya Buddha. Behind Maitreya Buddha is the guardian Skanda Bodhisattva. Above the lintel hangs a plaque with a yellow background and black characters reading Heavenly King Hall. On both sides of Maitreya Buddha are statues of the Four Heavenly Kings. These four Heavenly Kings are slightly different from those in other places, and the instruments they hold are even more different.

There is no pipa and umbrella, but a big axe. Behind the mountain gate hall, there is a ginkgo tree on each side, female in the north and male in the south. Behind it is the Buddha Hall and the guest hall. There are about 10 nuns in the temple, and the abbot is Kuan Jing. The new Daxiong Hall is magnificent. The wonderful appearance is dignified, magnificent, and the Buddha's land is revived. The plaque of "Daxiong Hall" was written by Zhao Puchu, a famous Buddhist scholar and former president of the Chinese Buddhist Association.

Couplets on the Main Hall: Morning bells and evening drums awaken those who seek fame and fortune, and the sound of sutras and chanting call back those who have lost their way in the sea of ​​suffering. Below the plaque "Buddha's Light Shines Everywhere" in the Main Hall are the Three Buddhas, with the magnificent Sakyamuni Buddha in the middle and the kind and benevolent Medicine Master and Amitabha Buddha sitting on lotus thrones on both sides.

Behind the Buddha is not the common large-scale group sculpture of Guanyin Bodhisattva on an island, but only Guanyin Bodhisattva, Shancai Tongzi and Xiaolongnu. On the left is Manjusri Bodhisattva riding a green lion. He is in charge of wisdom. On the right is Samantabhadra Bodhisattva riding a white elephant. He is in charge of reason. Amitabha gives a hand to all practitioners and all people go; when sentient beings start to act, one thought will bring a Buddha.

Buddha thinks of sentient beings, and sentient beings are in Buddha's heart; sentient beings think of Buddha, and Buddha is in the hearts of sentient beings. His life is immeasurable, his wishes are immeasurable, and his light is immeasurable; he pities sentient beings, awakens sentient beings, and guides sentient beings. In the hall, there is a large mural "Jingbian Tu" based on the content and story of the Guantianliangshou Sutra, all made of natural jade, which is very rare in temples across the country.

The morning bell and evening drum awaken the world's fame-seekers, and the sound of sutras and Buddha's chanting calls back those who have lost their way in the sea of ​​suffering. The compassionate Buddha of Paradise extends his Dharma hand to guide all living beings to Paradise; the leader of the Vajrasattva school uses his long tongue to teach the masses to leave Vajrasattva early. The stone inscription "Fahai" is inscribed on the north gate of the Buddhist temple, written by Chen Yanwei.

There is a stele of "Reconstruction of Fahai Temple" on the side. There is a five-bay Yunshan Pavilion to the north of the Buddhist Hall. A half-room stele pavilion facing northeast was built in the southwest of the temple, and inside it is an imperial stele with a poem by Emperor Qianlong: A flower palace brings about pure karma, surrounded by green water with rippling waves. The singing stage and the painted boats are noisy, just because the pavilion is not subject to dust. Written by Emperor Qianlong in the second month of the spring of Dingchou

The imperial poem describes the Fahai Temple next to the White Pagoda, which is not disturbed by the mundane world and is in a state of meditation by the beautiful Slender West Lake. Southeast of the Lianxing Temple is the "Ouxiang Bridge" leading to the "Ye Garden". The Ouxiang Bridge is a brick and stone arch bridge, originally named "Fahai Bridge". It was first built in the fourth year of Jiajing in the Ming Dynasty and was later rebuilt under the command of Yangzhou Wei.

There is no mistake in the poem, post, content, and read the book on 6, 9, and bar!

Before the opening of the Lianhua River in the Qing Dynasty, ships had to pass under the "Fahai Bridge" to reach Pingshan Hall.

The "Fahai Bridge" was renovated, the stone steps on the bridge were re-paved, the bridge railings were changed from stone to concrete, the column capitals were decorated with lotus, the lake under the bridge was planted with lotus, and the bridge name was changed to "Ouxiang Bridge". A new wooden beam bridge was built to the south of the "Lianxing Temple".

Today, the Fahai Temple not only adds a new attraction to Yangzhou's Slender West Lake, but also provides a good place for pilgrims and believers to enjoy peace, tranquility and practice.

It is said that the monks in Fahai Temple are very good at roasting pig heads. Luo Ping, one of the Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou in the Qing Dynasty, had a poem that goes, "The first sound of spring thunder strikes, and the bamboo shoots after the rain are dripping with juice. Buy something to roast with a pig head, don't ask the cook, ask the old monk." He was praising the old monk who was the first to be good at roasting pig heads in Yangzhou during the Qianlong period.

The monks roasting pig heads seems to be very traditional. In his "Summer in Yangzhou", Zhu Ziqing also remembered the roasted pig heads of the old monks in Fahai Temple in Yangzhou's Slender West Lake. The most famous white pagoda of Fahai Temple stands majestically in the north of the temple, towering into the clouds. It was rebuilt on the foundation of the old pagoda.

The tower is shaped like a cone. There is a canopy under the golden vase, surrounded by tassels. A bell hangs high in the tower, and the breeze makes a cool sound. Under the canopy is the "Thirteen Heavens", also known as the "Thirteen Layers", which is a Buddhist term. The tower is hollow, and there was originally a statue of the White-robed Bodhisattva inside the south-facing pot door. Now no one knows what is hidden inside, and the door is often closed.

The White Pagoda of Fahai Temple was built based on the White Pagoda in Beihai, Beijing, and has a history of nearly 200 years. The tower is made of brick and stone, with a white exterior and three floors. The upper floor is called the stupa, the middle floor is the niche, both of which are round, and the lower floor is the tower base, which is square.

The White Pagoda is a Lamaist pagoda, a pagoda in a Tibetan Buddhist Lamaist temple, and is only used as an embellishment in the Slender West Lake. The tower is 27.5 meters high, and its outline is thinner and longer than that of the White Pagoda in Beihai.

The whole body of the White Pagoda is white and is divided into three layers: the lower layer is the base, on which there are lotus pedestals and diamond rings supporting the body of the pagoda. The middle layer is a niche room, shaped like an ancient vase, with an eye-light gate on the south side, inside which is a statue of the White-robed Bodhisattva.

The upper layer is a conical pagoda with 13 layers of thin and long circular wheels, symbolizing the "Thirteen Heavens" of Buddhism. A hexagonal treasure cover is placed on the top of the pagoda, with wind chimes hanging from the corners and a copper gourd pagoda top supported on it.

In the center of the base of the White Pagoda is a brick-carved waisted Sumeru pedestal, with four octagonal sides and three niches on each side. The niches are carved with the images of the twelve zodiac animals, symbolizing the 12 months of the year and the 12 hours of the day. The bottom floor is a square platform with railings around it. The capitals are all carved with stone lions in various shapes.

There is a small platform in front, with stairs built on the top and both sides for people to climb up. When it was rebuilt during the reign of Emperor Guangxu, 53 stone steps were laid, symbolizing the "53 visits" of the boy Shancai to Guanyin.

It is exactly: there are symbols everywhere, hints at every moment, and the gardening techniques are very clever. Chen Congzhou, a famous garden expert, once compared the Beihai Tower with the Lianxing Temple Tower, saying: "The Beihai Tower has a beautiful proportion, stands tall and straight, and is like a clear cloud facing the water, which is different from the heavy and stable Beihai Tower."

The couplet on the pillar in front of the hall was written by Tang Yun, a Hangzhou native: The villa overlooks the green fields; the front pavilion leans against the river. To the right of the hall, with flowers to the south and water to the north, is Jicui Pavilion, which specializes in craft paper fans.

There is a couplet on the pillar in front of Jicuixuan: stacked stones flow through the stream; the pavilion is dark green. The signature is: On the Double Ninth Festival of Jiazi, the writing style of Qin stone drum is in seal script, Wang Gezhen of Yumen is eighty-eight years old.

In front of Jicuixuan, Banqing Pavilion was built, with a unique door in the shape of a four-petal plum blossom. On the pillars of the corridor, there is a couplet written by Cheng Shifa: The small courtyard corridor is quiet in spring; the green peach and red apricot water is gurgling. (To be continued..)