Jinhua Bridge in Tianjin traces its origins back to the eighth year of the Guangxu Emperor’s reign, when it was a pontoon bridge situated in front of the governor’s office. At that time, Li Hongzhang, the Governor of Zhili, had plans to replace the bridge with a Western-style iron bridge. However, these plans were delayed due to concerns regarding the passage of grain transport ships beneath the bridge.
By the fourteenth year of the Guangxu Emperor’s reign, under Li Hongzhang’s leadership and after consultations with various stakeholders, a decision was made to construct a bascule iron bridge. This new bridge was designed to accommodate both water and land transportation needs. A British engineer was then hired to design the bridge.
The resulting structure, named ‘Jinhua Bridge’, became a cantilevered bascule iron floating bridge in Tianjin. This historic bridge is colloquially known as the ‘Old Iron Bridge’.
