The Precious Belt Bridge (or Baodai Bridge in Chinese) is located west of the age-old Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, northeast of Baodai Village in Wuzhong Economic Development Zone of Wuzhong District. In 2001 it was listed as a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level by the State Council of China.
The Precious Belt Bridge was built between the eleventh and fourteenth year of the Reign of Yuanhe Emperor in the Tang Dynasty (816-907). During that time, in order to promote the development of canal transportation and to transport the tributes of Wu Regions(mainly three counties named Wu County, Wuxing County and Danyang County) north to the capital in faster way, Wang Zhongshu, the Magistrate of Suzhou Prefecture donated his expensive belt to raise fund for building the bridge, hence the name. The bridge collapsed 400 years later and was rebuilt in the fifth year of the Rein of Shaoding Emperor (1232) in Southern Song Dynasty(1127-1279). In 1956, the People’s Government of Suzhou appropriated funds to maintain and repair the bridge. From 1981 to 1992, four renovations of the bridge were carried out. In 2002, the State Administration of Cultural Heritage allotted some funds to repair the bridge thoroughly.
The Precious Belt Bridge, parallel to the age-old Grand Canal, takes north-south direction and spans over the eastern exit of Zhantai Lake. The bridge is 316.08 meters long. The distance between the two piers at both ends of the bridge is 249.08 meters. The northern approach bridge is 23.20 meters, and southern 43.08 meters. The bridge surface is 4.10 meters wide. The bridge, composed of 53 continuous holes with thin piers, is long and narrow. The bridge is mainly built with granites inserted by bluestones and Wukang stones. Northern to the bridge is a granite tablet pavilion, single eaves and hip roof, stone structure but modeled after the wooden pavilions. It is a square pavilion, with side length 4.32 meters, and full height 6.13 meters. The pavilion, having stone railings on south and north sides, is in open style, and the boat tracker and passers-by can take a rest in it. In addition, on the northern end of the bridge and west to the rigid pier in the middle of the bridge stand two towers dating back to the Song Dynasty. The tower, 4 meters high, octangular and in five stories, is carved from a whole piece of blue stone. The patterns carved on the tower are waves and dragons. Niches are carved on each side of every tower story and small figures of Buddha are placed there.
The Precious Belt Bridge is the longest stone arched ancient bridge in China. It is called collectively with Anji Bridge in Zhaozhou, Lugou Bridge in Beijing and others China’s ten most famous ancient bridges.