惠濟(ji)橋(qiao)位于(yu)中國歷史文(wen)化名城(cheng)(cheng)平遙古城(cheng)(cheng)東北角(jiao)約一(yi)里的(de)(de)惠濟(ji)河上,是(shi)一(yi)座九墩聯孔(kong)的(de)(de)石(shi)拱橋(qiao)。盡管(guan)距離舉世聞名的(de)(de)平遙古城(cheng)(cheng)墻直線距離只有(you)(you)不(bu)到三百米,但是(shi)她似乎并沒(mei)有(you)(you)沾到這座“世界歷史文(wen)化名城(cheng)(cheng)”的(de)(de)什(shen)么(me)“光”:既(ji)沒(mei)什(shen)么(me)保(bao)護,也沒(mei)有(you)(you)什(shen)么(me)名聲(sheng)。既(ji)沒(mei)人(ren)知道(dao),也沒(mei)人(ren)去看,對于(yu)文(wen)物來(lai)說倒不(bu)是(shi)什(shen)么(me)壞事,關(guan)鍵問(wen)題是(shi),惠濟(ji)橋(qiao)仍在辛勤(qin)地“工作”著(zhu)。
橋(qiao)(qiao)身由石(shi)料砌筑,全長80米,呈弧形,橋(qiao)(qiao)面7.4米。欄板(ban)、望柱上(shang)雕刻有細(xi)膩的動物花卉圖案(an)。橋(qiao)(qiao)面由條石(shi)鋪砌而成的,加(jia)工精細(xi),粘合(he)牢固規整,造(zao)(zao)型古樸大方。惠(hui)濟橋(qiao)(qiao)建(jian)造(zao)(zao)獨特,是研究我國古代橋(qiao)(qiao)梁建(jian)造(zao)(zao)技術(shu)的珍貴實物資料。
惠(hui)濟橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)始(shi)建(jian)(jian)于清康熙十(shi)(shi)(公元1671)年春(chun),歷時(shi)十(shi)(shi)年,是(shi)當時(shi)“官(guan)民(min)合作”的(de)一(yi)項大型“民(min)生(sheng)工程”,起初(chu)是(shi)本地人(ren)劉澤民(min)、薛進(jin)忠、閆賀(he)泰、劉孚幫(bang)、安爾幫(bang)、劉澤長等人(ren)發起倡議,并(bing)集資捐(juan)款建(jian)(jian)造,但是(shi)這次只(zhi)修建(jian)(jian)了(le)五孔,后(hou)(hou)來由于河(he)水(shui)沖擊,橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)略有毀損,這個(ge)時(shi)候(hou)平遙的(de)前后(hou)(hou)兩任知縣接力與(yu)民(min)為善,拔錢拔糧,并(bing)發動紳士再捐(juan)款,重新(xin)修橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao),始(shi)成(cheng)今天的(de)惠(hui)濟橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)。橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)最后(hou)(hou)建(jian)(jian)成(cheng)后(hou)(hou),還用余款在(zai)橋(qiao)(qiao)(qiao)東北修建(jian)(jian)了(le)一(yi)座庵(an)堂,并(bing)請傅(fu)山先生(sheng)題(ti)寫(xie)了(le)碑碣,國朝初(chu)始(shi),庵(an)毀碑失,幸(xing)有碑文傳(chuan)世。
惠濟(ji)橋(qiao)(qiao)由本(ben)地產(chan)的砂石(shi)砌(qi)造而成,南(nan)北向跨(kua)越(yue)惠濟(ji)河。現橋(qiao)(qiao)全長約(yue)80米(mi)(mi),橋(qiao)(qiao)寬(kuan)約(yue)7米(mi)(mi),橋(qiao)(qiao)身(shen)呈弧(hu)形,中(zhong)間一孔最(zui)高(gao),弧(hu)矢距河床表面高(gao)約(yue)6米(mi)(mi)。橋(qiao)(qiao)身(shen)兩側各立高(gao)約(yue)1米(mi)(mi)的石(shi)質望(wang)柱40根,望(wang)柱間裝(zhuang)砌(qi)單鉤闌石(shi)質欄板,都是(shi)國朝更(geng)換的,這些原裝(zhuang)構(gou)件大部分已經(jing)腐朽不(bu)能(neng)用,有一截較(jiao)好(hao)的原裝(zhuang)勾闌保(bao)存(cun)在(zai)平遙(yao)縣博(bo)物(wu)館(清(qing)虛觀(guan))中(zhong)。
惠濟橋(qiao)(qiao)的(de)(de)(de)九聯孔(kong)拱(gong)券水窗(chuang)形(xing)(xing)(xing)制基本(ben)相同:除橋(qiao)(qiao)基外(wai),在河(he)床表面用方形(xing)(xing)(xing)、矩形(xing)(xing)(xing)等(deng)條石(shi)(shi)(shi)砌(qi)(qi)出橋(qiao)(qiao)墩十層,高約2米,厚約2米余。橋(qiao)(qiao)墩之上(shang)(shang)(shang)是由(you)數量不等(deng)(大約30道)的(de)(de)(de)砂石(shi)(shi)(shi)組合橫拱(gong)砌(qi)(qi)券而成,拱(gong)券外(wai)側裝(zhuang)(zhuang)砌(qi)(qi)弧形(xing)(xing)(xing)石(shi)(shi)(shi)數量不等(deng)(約12-15塊(kuai)),弧形(xing)(xing)(xing)石(shi)(shi)(shi)上(shang)(shang)(shang)下兩端大部(bu)分(fen)標識有施工記。在中(zhong)間五(wu)孔(kong)的(de)(de)(de)橋(qiao)(qiao)拱(gong)頂部(bu)正中(zhong)裝(zhuang)(zhuang)有石(shi)(shi)(shi)雕跁廈(傳說中(zhong)“龍生九子”之一),首東尾西(xi)而形(xing)(xing)(xing)態各異。拱(gong)矢(shi)上(shang)(shang)(shang)均(jun)不繳(jiao)背,直接(jie)安裝(zhuang)(zhuang)橋(qiao)(qiao)面石(shi)(shi)(shi)板和兩側的(de)(de)(de)螭子石(shi)(shi)(shi),螭子石(shi)(shi)(shi)稍微突出橋(qiao)(qiao)身(shen)些許。整個石(shi)(shi)(shi)拱(gong)橋(qiao)(qiao)上(shang)(shang)(shang)的(de)(de)(de)大小券石(shi)(shi)(shi)均(jun)雕琢精細,裝(zhuang)(zhuang)砌(qi)(qi)整齊,外(wai)觀(guan)悅(yue)目。