Zigzag Bridge

With a landscaping structure, the zigzag bridge is found in some gardens or suburban scenic spots. It is intended to give an interesting feature to the scene on lakes and ponds and enlarge the scope of the sightseers' stroll over the water surface.

Such a bridge may have three, five or more zigzags. Jiuqu Qiao (the Nine-bend Bridge) in Yuyuan Garden of Shanghai's old town is typical one. Going over a lake thirty meters across, the bridge winds more than a hundred meters because of its nine twists. Flanked by balustrades with square posts, it has also by its side a mid-lake pavilion in which visitors may have a cup of tea upstairs and enjoy the view all around.

Another well-known zigzag bridge lies at Gulangyu, a beautiful island just off the Fujian city of Xiamen (Amoy). Zigzagging along the islet's southern shore, the bridge lies nestled against a nice garden. Standing on it at intervals are graceful pavilions known under such names as 'Watching Anglers', 'A Thousand Waves' and 'Moon in Water'. Ramblers on the bridge draw pleasure from the feeling as if they were walking on the sea, especially when the tide is in.