The Anshun Bridge crosses the Jinjiang, the river that runs through the middle of Chengdu, a short distance south of the Hejiang Pavilion where the river splits around the old city. A bridge has stood at or near the site since the thirteenth century, and the present structure is a reconstruction completed in 2003: a three-arch span carrying a covered timber gallery, with a restaurant and function rooms inside it, so that the building reads as a piece of architecture rather than as infrastructure. It has become the most photographed structure in the city.
The bridge and the river
The bridge is built in a simplified traditional style, with red timber columns, tile roofs, lattice windows and a raised central section, and it is lit at night so that the arches and the gallery reflect in the water. Walking across it takes two minutes, and the views up and down the river are the point: the Jinjiang has been rehabilitated along both banks as a continuous promenade with planting, benches, low lighting and stepped access to the water, and the stretch through the centre is used all day by walkers, runners and people sitting on the embankment.
The surrounding quarter
The riverside immediately around the bridge has been developed as a dining and nightlife area, with restaurants and bars facing the water on both banks and a cluster of cafes on the terraces. A few hundred metres to the north is the Hejiang Pavilion, a Tang-era site rebuilt in the Qing and now a landmark with a park around it; to the south the river continues past a strip of hotels and markets. The whole area is easy to walk at night and is one of the few places in Chengdu where the evening is the main event rather than the day.
Practical notes
The bridge and the riverside promenades are free and open at all hours; the restaurant inside the bridge requires a reservation and is on the expensive side for Chengdu. The best light is in the hour after dusk, when the sky still has colour and the lights are already on. It is a short walk from several subway stations in the city centre and combines naturally with the shopping district and the nearby temple, both within fifteen minutes on foot. Weekday evenings are far calmer than weekends.
