Eight Mile Bridge

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Eight Mile Bridge (Chinese: 八里桥; Pinyin: baliqiao) is a historic bridge in Beijing, China. It is located in the Baliqiao suburb, which derives its name from the bridge.

[edit] The Bridge

The exact beginnings of the bridge are difficult to discern, and while current structure is of the late Ming dynasty, records show that there has been a bridge on the site since the Yan Dynasty.

The bridge (桥) is exactly eight (八) Chinese li (里) (often called a Chinese mile) from the Forbidden City, hence the name 八里桥, or Eight Mile Bridge. This bridge once marked the outer limit of the Imperial City of Beijing, beyond which was the Province of Hebei.

A small palace and temple complex once also stood here. It was here that the Emperor, on his travels, alighted from his sedan-chair and rested overnight, changing from his rich court robes into plainer travelling clothes before proceeding in a horse-drawn carriage. When the Emperor returned, he again stayed overnight at the complex, washing and changing into court robes, before entering the city on sedan-chair.

The canal over which the bridge stands is connected to the Summer Palace, and it was from the bridge that Emperor Qianlong started his six famous boat trips to the South.

[edit] The Battle of Baliqiao

During the Second Opium War in 1860, on the morning of 21 September, a combined Anglo-French force that had recently occupied Tianjin engaged a Chinese army numbering some 30,000-strong at Eight Mile Bridge. A fierce battle ensued, with the Anglo-French force inflicting massive losses on the Chinese army and invading Beijing threafter.. Historians estimate the losses on the Chinese side as about 25,000. The French, in contrast, lost only 1,000 soldiers.

It was here that the Qing court envoys agreed to all Western demands, including the payment of indemnities and the acceptance of foreign diplomats at the imperial court in Beijing.

[edit] Modern Baliqiao

Baliqiao currently stands at the juncture of the districts of Chaoyang and Tongzhou, and has a subway station served by the 8T Line of the Beijing Subway. The Jingtong Expressway runs through the suburb.

A pavillion built in Qing Dynasty style has been recently erected to protect the stelae with Emperor Qianlong's calligraphy from the elements.

Nothing presently remains of the small temple and palace complex, but its location has been identified, and archaeologists are applying for permission to investigate the hitherto undisturbed site.

At present, the Eight Mile Bridge is in a somewhat neglected state, with graffiti and assorted bills marring its marble construction. There are plans to build a new bridge in order to divert road traffic from the bridge, permitting restoration and conservation work to be carried out, and restricting access to to the bridge to all but pedestrian traffic. A museum for the bridge and site is also planned.