Longteng Broken Bridge, South Broken Bridge Introduction
The Longteng Bridge, located on the Longteng Creek about two kilometers south of Shengxing Station along the Mountain Line Railway, features several beautifully shaped standing columns that rise amidst the overgrown grass on the east side of the railway, exuding an ancient charm. These remnants are the traces of the devastating Central Taiwan Earthquake, which left a lasting impression on the older generation of local residents. The earthquake occurred on April 21, 1935, with its epicenter near Guandao Mountain, causing severe damage in the Sanyi area. The grand Longteng Creek Bridge on the Mountain Line Railway was completely destroyed. After the earthquake, a new bridge was built on the west side of the original bridge, leaving behind the arch-shaped bridge piers standing against the harsh sun and wind for future generations to pay their respects. This broken red brick arch bridge was built by the Japanese around 1905, with the craftsmen being sourced from Guangdong, China. The Japanese placed a high emphasis on quality management, and the entire bridge was constructed solely of red bricks and cement without any steel reinforcement, yet the structure remains very tight and strong. In those early years of hardship and limited transportation, local residents, witnessing the collapsed red brick bridge due to the earthquake, attempted to break off some bricks to use for building walls and houses. However, they often found that after a whole day of labor, only a few intact bricks could be salvaged, demonstrating the bridge's durability. This is one of the reasons why this broken bridge, despite enduring for over a century, still stands firmly.
