The nine-hole stone bridge in Chongchuan district, Nantong. [Photo/WeChat account: chongchuanonline]

Founded in 1905, Qixiu Bridge used to be a stone bridge connecting both sides of the Haohe River in Nantong, East China's Jiangsu province.

The bridge's establishment is connected with Tongzhou Normal School. Students and teachers at Tongzhou Normal School once had to be ferried to and from the school, causing great inconvenience. Therefore, Zhang Jian (1853-1926), a renowned industrial magnate, educator, and scholar in Nantong, donated the funds to build a bridge.

A bronze statue of Zou Taofen, a renowned educator and political commentator in China, sits to the southeast of Qixiu Bridge. [Photo/WeChat account: chongchuanonline]

From 1941 to 1976, Qixiu Bridge has been rebuilt three times from a three-hole wooden bridge into a single-hole stone arch bridge and then into a three-hole stone arch bridge.

The latest reconstruction was in the early 21st century when the Qixiu Bridge was rebuilt into a nine-hole stone bridge.

The kiosk near Qixiu Bridge. [Photo/WeChat account: chongchuanonline]

Both sides of the bridge feature pleasant scenery in all four seasons, making it popular among locals.

To the southeast of the bridge stands a bronze statue of Zou Taofen, a renowned educator and political commentator in China, while not far from the bridge is a kiosk surrounded by blooming lotus flowers in summer.