Unearthed Bridge Reveals Splendor of Ancient Capital
州桥遗梦 一望千年 北宋州桥巨幅壁画重见天日
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New archaeological findings of the ruins of Zhouqiao Bridge were unveiled at a news conference by the National Cultural Heritage Administration on September 28, 2022. As a landmark work of architecture at the junction of Yujie Street — a major road on the central axis of the imperial city of Kaifeng, then called Dongjing — and the Bianhe River section of the Grand Canal, the bridge was built between 780 and 783 during the Tang Dynasty (618-907). It was finally buried in mud in 1642 during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). More than 60,000 cultural relics have been unearthed from the site, including pottery, porcelain, jade, bone, gold, silver and bronze wares, among which porcelain plays a major part, numbering over 56,000 pieces. The biggest discovery this time is the giant carvings on the walls of the embankments of the Bianhe River in the Song Dynasty (960-1279), to the east side of the bridge. The carvings are 3.3 meters high and altogether 30 meters long, showing patterns of mythical sea beasts, cranes and clouds, all considered auspicious in traditional Chinese culture. The carvings are the largest stone-made murals of the Northern Song (960-1127) ever found in China, representing the highest level of stone-carving techniques at that time, and witnessing achievements of culture and art during that period.
2022年9月28日，国家文物局发布北宋东京城州桥遗址重大考古遗址发现。州桥是北宋东京城御街与大运河汴河段交叉点上的标志性建筑，始建于唐代建中年间（780-783年）。明末崇祯十五年（1642年），黄河洪水灌城，州桥被泥沙淤埋，从此消失在人们的视野中。遗址共出土各类文物标本60000多件，质地包括陶、瓷、石、玉、骨、金、银、铜等，其中瓷器标本56000多件。河道南北两岸发现有宋代石壁，北岸石壁雕镌有海马、瑞兽、鹤禽、祥云浮雕纹饰，纹饰通高约3.3米，总长约30米。州桥石壁是目前国内发现的北宋时期体量最大的石刻壁画，从规模、题材、风格方面均代表了北宋时期石作制度的最高规格和雕刻技术的最高水平，见证了北宋时期国家文化艺术的发展高度。