Across the Xindian River, the Zhongzheng Bridge was built during the Japanese colonial period. It now connects Taipei City and the Yonghe District of New Taipei City. Being built for many years, the historic Zhongzheng Bridge has undergone several widening and improvement projects. However, some of the original structure from the Japanese colonial period remains under the bridge deck.
Bridges are one of the themes Lee Ming-tiao often photographed, with well-known works such as the Guangfu Bridge and Taipei Bridge. His balanced and simple composition creates the beauty of the bridge’s geometry and crafts. This work was shot from the side of the bridge from a lower point of view. The horizon penetrates the frame in half while the structure of the bridge and piers are visible, extending from the right to the vanishing point in the distance. Some pedestrians stands on the bridge to watch the river, while a small boat slowly approaches the bottom of the bridge, causing ripples in the water. During the Japanese colonial period, small boats were also one of the important means of transportation to and from the Xindian River, which were constantly trafficked on important occasions. The bright sky creates a contrast to the dark side of the bridge. The structure of the bridge is reflected on the water while the light outlines the shape of the piers, shaping the impression of space and beauty of the bridge.
Liu Yi-hui, “2021 Compilation and Research Project of Metadata in Photography.”