Dragon Bridge, Southern Broken Bridge Introduction
The Longteng Bridge, with its beautifully shaped remains, stands amid the weeds on the east side of the railway, about two kilometers south of Shengxing, after passing through Miaoli Station along the mountain railway. This site has a rich historical significance, marking the remnants of the devastating Central Taiwan Earthquake that left many local residents with lingering memories. The earthquake occurred on April 21, 1935, with its epicenter near Guandao Mountain, causing severe damage in the Sanyi area. The majestic Longteng Bridge over Longteng Creek was completely destroyed by the tremor. After the earthquake, a new bridge was built on the west side of the original one, leaving the arch-shaped bridge pillars standing under the scorching sun and frost, serving as a memorial for future generations. This broken red brick arch bridge was built by the Japanese around 1905. The craftsmen who constructed this bridge were all hired from Guangdong, China. The Japanese had strict quality management, and the entire bridge was made solely from red bricks and cement without any steel reinforcement, yet its structure remains remarkably tight and sturdy. In the early years, due to hardships in livelihoods and inconvenient transportation, local residents often sought to utilize the fallen bricks from the earthquake. Many wanted to chisel some bricks to take home for constructing walls and houses, but they often spent the whole day striking the bricks, only obtaining a few intact ones. This illustrates the bridge's exceptional strength, which is one of the reasons why it has stood for over a century.
