The Waibaidu Bridge, which straddles the intersection of Suzhou River and Huangpu River, is one of Shanghai's landmark buildings and was built in 1907. In order to allow this magnificent century-old bridge to continue to serve the people of Shanghai, the municipal construction department started from April 2008 to move the upper structure of the Waibaidu Bridge to the Gongping Road Wharf for a comprehensive overhaul, and the bridge body was re-reinforced. After nearly a year of careful work During the construction, the Waibaidu Bridge, which has experienced vicissitudes and witnessed Shanghai's hundred-year history of development, is rejuvenated, lying on the shining Suzhou River on the opposite bank of Lujiazui.

　　 Speaking of the construction history of Waibaidu Bridge, today's young people may not know that it was contracted by the famous builder Zhou Ruiting in Gaoqiao Town, Pudong.

　　 Zhou Ruiting, whose name is Ying, was born in Zhoujiabang, Gaoqiao, Pudong. Born in 1869, he was born in poverty. At the age of 11, he went to Shanghai to study woodworking. At the age of 19, he had become a woodworking "handsman" (contracting foreman). He successively contracted projects under the famous builders Yang Sisheng and Gu Lanzhou in Pudong. He was very proficient in construction technology and knew English, which created conditions for contracting famous buildings in Shanghai at that time. In 1895, Zhou Ruiting opened the "Zhou Ruiji Construction Factory" on Weihaiwei Road in Puxi. It has good management and good reputation. He has successively constructed the Bund Yangzi Insurance Company Building, Zhenru International Radio Station, Shanghai Telephone Company, Russian Consulate in Shanghai, and Yangshupu Development Famous buildings such as power plants were all large-scale and demanding projects at the time. They were built on schedule with quality and quantity, thus winning the trust of customers and enjoying a high reputation among the construction industry. In 1908, Shanghai Water Wood Industry Corporation was established. At that time, Zhou Ruiting was elected as a director.

　　 There is an unusual story about Zhou Ruiting’s contract to build the Waibaidu Bridge in 1907...

　　 Before the opening of Shanghai, there were no bridges on the Suzhou River, and the ferry was called "outside ferry". In 1856, the British businessman Wells "Suzhou River Bridge Construction Company" built a wooden bridge here, called the "Wells" Bridge, and stipulated that Chinese people must pay "bridge fees" for crossing the bridge, which aroused the outrage and strongness of the Shanghai people Resist. The Ministry of Industry of the Concession had to build a new wooden bridge called the "Park Bridge" on the east side of the Wells Bridge in 1873. Because no money was collected for crossing the bridge, everyone called it the "Waibaidu Bridge." Was demolished. In 1907, the Ministry of Industry and Technology decided to transform this wooden bridge into a steel truss bridge. At first, the Ministry of Industry and Engineering was still preparing to hand over the construction of the bridge to a foreign contractor, but encountered a problem when dismantling the log bridge: the upper structure of the wooden bridge was easily removed, but the lower part was driven into a dozen wooden bridges deep in the river bottom The pile cannot be pulled out, and the use of various Western techniques by foreign construction engineers has failed. In the end, the Bureau of the Ministry of Industry had to bid extensively throughout Shanghai: “Who can pull out these bridge piles, who will contract the construction of the bridge.” Zhou Ruiting went to the scene to observe, study and think, with a clear mind, and proposed to the Bureau of the Ministry of Industry to accept the bid. In desperation, he agreed to Zhou Ruiting's first "pull pile" test.

　　 On the day when the bridge piles were pulled out, the banks of the Suzhou River were full of Chinese and foreign people who came to watch. I saw Zhou Ruiting command the workers to get two big boats. The cabins were filled with river water. When the Huangpu River ebbs, they leaned against the two sides of the bridge piles, clamped the bridge piles, and placed two thick and long boats across the two boats. The hardwood side, and then use ropes to tightly tie the bridge piles to the wooden side. With the rising tide of the river, the water level gradually rises, and the huge buoyancy of the wooden boat lifts the bridge piles "easily"; then the water in the cabin is pumped into the river , The hull became even higher, and the bridge piles buried deep at the bottom of the river were pulled out by Zhou Ruiting and the others "with no effort". The two sides of the strait were full of joy, and everyone praised them. Those foreigners who came to see the jokes also had to be impressed by the wisdom of the Chinese and Zhou Ruiting's "earthly methods". The Ministry of Industry and Engineering admired Zhou Ruiting's talents and decided that Zhou Ruiting would undertake the construction of the bridge. Under Zhou Ruiting's careful command and supervision, the Waibaidu Bridge was successfully completed, winning a sigh of relief for the Chinese.

Note: Zhou Ruiting cleverly used the "earth method" to pull out bridge piles and undertook the construction of the Waibaidu Bridge. The story was told by my father (who used to be the English editor of the Commercial Press in the 1920s). The "Gaoqiao History and Culture Series" and related works are not included. See records.

(From "Pudong history" 2009 the third period, Author: Linan Jun)