Researchers unearth bridge to central axis' past

With the gate tower in the north and the archery tower in the south, Zhengyangmen, a key marker on the Beijing Central Axis, is the largest among all the gates of the inner and outer cities of Beijing during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties.

Though the site witnessed the traditional way of urban management and played a crucial role in military defense and ceremonies during the imperial period, the area experienced major changes after the monarchy ended.

To identify its status quo as a reference for the studies of the Beijing Central Axis, archaeologists have excavated the Zhengyang Bridge site in two phases since 2021. To their joy, the bridge is still there, intact and well-sealed beneath the busy traffic of today.