Bridging the Waters: Zhengyang Bridge and the Qianmen Memory

"I’m now standing just 1 kilometer away from Tiananmen Square, and right ahead is the bustling Qianmen Street. Can you imagine that only a few years ago, cultural relics were unearthed right here? Today, they are preserved inside this “archaeological cube,” which can be seen as a miniature museum. Let’s go take a look!"

“我现在的位置离天安门广场只有一公里，前面就是热闹的前门大街……你能想象到就在几年前，这里挖出了新的文物吗？现在，它们就在这个‘考古方舱’里，可以看做是一个微型的博物馆。让我们一起去看看吧！"

In the Zhengyang Gate area, there was once a well-known saying: “Four Gates, Three Bridges, and Five Archways.” The “Four Gates” referred to the four gates of the barbican of Zhengyang Gate; the “Five Archways” were the grand archway, now reconstructed on the avenue, once a prominent symbol of the capital’s prosperity. As for the “Three Bridges,” something unfamiliar to many residents and visitors today, it referred precisely to the three-span, three-arch Zhengyang Bridge, built during the Zhengtong period of the Ming dynasty. On what is now the bustling Qianmen Street, the moat once flowed gently by.

前门地区曾有一句老话广为流传：“四门三桥五牌楼”。所谓“四门”，指的是正阳门瓮城的四个城门；“五牌楼”则是大街上如今复建的那座五牌楼，曾是古都繁华的重要象征。至于“三桥”，许多市民和游客并不熟悉，它指的正是明代正统年间建成的“三幅三拱”石拱桥，正阳桥。如今熙熙攘攘的前门大街上，曾有护城河水潺潺流过。

Today, at the southeast corner of Zhengyang Bridge stands this archaeological cube, where images and artifacts recreate the appearance of the ancient bridge across different historical periods. During the Republic of China era, in order to lay tram tracks, Zhengyang Bridge was modified—its body was lowered to be level with the ground, and its railings were dismantled. In the 1970s, the bridge was buried in place to make way for road construction.

In 2021, against the backdrop of Beijing’s Central Axis World Heritage nomination, archaeologists carried out two phases of excavation at the Zhengyang Bridge site, providing substantial evidence for the historical continuity of the southern section of the axis. In the first phase, they unearthed a water-suppressing beast at the southeast corner. This stone creature is about three meters long, with the head of a lion, the body of a tiger, and scales on its back. It is the largest water-suppressing beast ever discovered in Beijing. In Chinese mythology, this creature is known as Gongfu, the sixth son of the dragon, fond of water, tasked with quelling floods and guarding rivers and canals."

今天，正阳桥东南角建起了这座考古方舱，展出的图像和实物还原了古桥在不同历史时期的样貌。民国时期，为铺设有轨电车，正阳桥被改造，下沉桥身与地面齐平并拆除了栏杆；而20世纪70年代，为修筑道路，古桥被原地掩埋。

2021年，在北京中轴线申遗的背景下，考古人员对正阳桥遗址展开了两期考古发掘，为南中轴的历史连贯性提供了丰富实证。第一期发掘中出土了位于东南角的镇水兽。这尊镇水兽体长约3米，头似狮、身似虎、背负鳞甲，是目前北京城发现的最大镇水兽。镇水兽在中国神话传说中名为“蚣蝮”，为龙之第六子，性喜水，职能是镇压水患、守护河渠。

"The second phase of excavation not only uncovered the yan-chi style revetment beneath the body of the water-suppressing beast, but also revealed the actual structure of Zhengyang Bridge. Come on, let’s take a look at the archaeological pit over here…What we are seeing now is the central bridge arch. In the past, the moat flowed right beneath it—there was water under here. You can also see a water-draining beast carved on the arch… What kind of expression does this beast have on its face? We’ll have him take a look at the display board…"

"It looks really cute!"

“第二期的考古挖掘除了挖掘出了镇水兽身子下面的雁翅驳岸之外，还挖掘出了真正的正阳桥的桥体。……现在我们看到的就是中间的这个桥拱，以前这个下面就是护城河了，以前下面是有水的，还可以看到在这个桥拱上有一只吸水兽……这个吸水兽的这个面部神情是什么样的？”

“很可爱啊！”

"Here are the two cultural-creative designs we developed for the Water-Suppressing Beast and the Water-Draining Beast. Yes, since the Water-Suppressing Beast is meant to guard against disasters, we gave it the look and feel of a powerful, athletic mythical creature. The Water-Draining Beast, on the other hand, is made to appear more adorable, carrying the auspicious meaning of attracting wealth and blessings…In running this entire archaeological cube, we chose the theme of mythical beasts and named the site “Mythical Beast Cube.” Our hope is that through this project we can generate more cultural content inspired by the mythological system of the East and its divine creatures, organize a series of cultural activities, and create a range of derivative products."

“这个是我们镇水兽和吸水兽的两个文创形象。镇水兽它因为它要镇守灾患，我们给它赋予了一种力量感的一种运动系的神兽的感觉，吸水兽就更可爱一些，有这种吸金纳福的寓意。……在运营整个方舱的过程当中，我们以神兽为主题，给这个方舱起了个名字叫神兽 Cube，希望在这个过程中衍生出更多和咱们东方的神话体系，东方的神兽相关的文化内容，办一系列的文化活动，衍生一系列的产品。”

The historical memory of the southern section of the Central Axis is gradually coming back to life, as Zhengyang Bridge reemerges to vividly tell the story of Beijing’s enduring water culture. Today, a variety of creative cultural products are bringing the archaeological findings beyond the exhibition hall, transforming them into tangible cultural symbols that highlight the role of cultural institutions in safeguarding, interpreting, and innovating upon traditional culture.

中轴线南段的历史记忆逐渐复苏，正阳桥重见天日，生动诉说着北京悠久水文化的篇章。如今，多彩的文创产品又将考古成果带出展厅，化作可触摸的文化符号，彰显了文化机构在守护、诠释与创新传统文化中的价值。

Stepping out of the archaeological cube, you immediately enter the lively Qianmen Street. Since the Ming dynasty, this area has gradually grown into a bustling commercial district. 

走出方舱，就是热闹的前门大街。从明朝开始，这里逐渐形成了繁华的商业街区。

Today, the moat no longer flows beneath Zhengyang Bridge. Instead, the underground “iron dragon” of Beijing’s Subway Line 2 runs through Qianmen Station day and night, carrying tens of thousands of passengers every day—continuing, in another form, the ancient mission of Beijing’s waterways. The Zhengyang Bridge site stands as a witness to the intertwining of the capital’s water system and its urban prosperity, allowing us to look back on the waterway that once nourished Beijing. Inside the archaeological cube, fragments of history are carefully pieced together; outside, the bustling traffic of Qianmen Street unfolds. Here, the past and the present converge, reminding us to remain mindful of the city’s lifeblood of water, and to draw wisdom from history as we move forward in today’s fast-paced urban life.

如今，正阳桥下早已不再有护城河水潺潺流过，但地下的钢铁巨龙——北京地铁二号线，在前门站日夜穿行，每天迎来送往成千上万的客流，仿佛以另一种方式延续着昔日北京河脉的使命。正阳桥遗址是古都水系与城市繁华交织的见证，也让人得以回望那条曾哺育北京的水路。在考古方舱里，历史的碎片被细致拼合；走出方舱，便是车水马龙的前门大街。过去与当下在此交汇，提醒我们在今天的快节奏城市生活中依然心怀水脉、鉴往知来。

出品人：王晓辉

Executive Producer: Wang Xiaohui

总监制：薛立胜

Chief Supervisor: Xue Lisheng

总策划：蔚力

Chief Planner: Yu Li

制片：张芃芃

Producer: Zhang Pengpeng

策划：张芃芃 丁素云 曹川川 李颖

Creative Planning: Zhang Pengpeng, Ding Suyun, Cao Chuanchuan, Li Ying

导演：龚小磊

Director: Gong Xiaolei

撰稿：张芃芃

Screenwriter: Zhang Pengpeng

主持人：荣希玛 (Chaima El Moujradi) 劳拉 (Laura Ugalde) 德密柰 (Marina Dech)

Hosts: Chaima El Moujradi, Laura Ugalde, Marina Dech

摄像：李春浩 王恺琦

Cinematography: Li Chunhao, Wang Kaiqi

跟机：王俊胜

Camera Assistant: Wang Junsheng

剪辑：王恺琦 顾钧予 刘泽敖

Editing: Wang Kaiqi, Gu Junyu, Liu Zeao

调色：康凯

Color Grading: Kang Kai

混音：康凯

Sound Mixing: Kang Kai

推广：孟超 李昭 姜壹平 苏向东 丁素云 王雁青 葛蕾 秦金月 张静

Promotion: Meng Chao, Li Zhao, Jiang Yiping, Su Xiangdong, Ding Suyun, Wang Yanqing, Ge Lei, Qin Jinyue, Zhang Jing

节目承制：大音

Produced by: NEWSAYING (Shanghai) Consulting and Planning Co., Ltd.