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You indubitably need this, guys.
You will get 360-degree views of Canton from Guangzhou Pearl River Night Cruise
After all,Shakespeare said,"There are a thousand Hamlets in a thousand people's eyes".
Enjoy yourself
The old birds know the story of the oldest bridge in Canton.To keep the story of the oldest bridge in Canton,we try to tell his story to all of you.It is about the old Canton,the new China and the dream of Cantonese.More information about the story of the oldest bridge in Canton,plz come to us.
The renovation of Haizhu Bridge, which connects Haizhu and Yuexiu Districts across the Pearl River, began on Feb 28 followed by the removal of its middle steel truss on May 15. The 18-month project has awakened the public's memory of a bridge that has accompanied the people of the city throughout their lives. The bridge has borne witness to the city's rise and falls, its trials and tribulations and occupies a special place in the Guangzhou people's hearts.
The story of this iconic bridge begins in February 1933, when an American contractor successfully built the steel bridge over the river, ending the practice of people using sampans to cross the "sea" – so called by the Cantonese due to the long and arduous crossing of the river, especially in stormy conditions.
Older residents still remember the impact that this massive bridge had on the smaller, flatter city – majestically overcoming nature to span the mighty Pearl River. Jiang Pei, who is now over 80, first walked across the bridge in 1935 and was dumbfounded by the gigantic steel and concrete structure of the bridge. He remembers the crowds cheering as the bridge opened and the south and north of Guangzhou were finally connected.
In the first few years, the bridge was built with lifting mechanism allowing the bridge to open in the middle like London's Tower Bridge. Jiang remembers the excitement at 4pm every day when he heard the deafening sound of the bridge's mechanism and rushed to see the steamers pass through with his friends.
But the bridge has also been a silent witness to the city's sorrow. In 1938, during the Japanese invasion of the city, the bridge was bombed and parts of the mechanism was destroyed, making it unable to open again. Again, in Kuomintang's evacuation in 1949, its army bombed Haizhu Bridge along with the rest of the city into a near destruction.
Later, in March 1950, the newborn government began to rebuild the bridge. To save costs, the government imported second-hand steel from Britain, meaning parts of today's bridge are almost 100 years old. As quickly as six months later the project was accomplished, but the bridge opening mechanism couldn't be recovered.
In the years after 1949, Haizhu Bridge became the life and soul of Guangzhou. It was part of the city's old axis before the rise of Zhujiang New Town in 2010. It fostered the development of the south bank of the river. At its south end, Jiangnan Avenue (江南大道) was built, cultivating one of the biggest wedding dress streets of the country, and the city's commercial center Jiangnanxi (江南西).
In the last few years, Guangzhou has become used to seeing new construction everywhere as skyscrapers and shopping malls pop up over all over the city. Living in the south and working in the north become the common lifestyle of the people in Guangzhou. In the daytime people commuted using the bridge, while in the evening people wandered and relaxed there, taking in the cool air by the water and looking at the hives of activity on the river.
In this way Haizhu Bridge has become an important part of the living, breathing Guangzhou – representing the best and the worst that city has been through. Indeed, the bridge is one of the few historical constructions left in the modern city. After the renovation, the bridge is expected to serve the city for another 50 years. The mass of concrete and steel will keep Guangzhou's memories and heritage alive for generations to come.
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