Description of the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge
The Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge, commonly known as the bridge of Nanjing, is a double-decked suspension bridge that crosses the Yangtze River in China’s Jiangsu province. It is one of the longest bridges in the world and has become a symbol of the region. The main span of the bridge is 5,132 meters (or 16,846 feet) long and is supported by four sets of cables that stretch out to five support towers, each measuring over 130 meters (or 400 feet) tall. The bridge’s two sections, one across the South and one over the North Bank of the Yangtze River, connect the cities of Nanjing and Pukou. The Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge is the first two-way, six-lane highway bridge in China and is one of the most frequently crossed bridges in the country.
History of the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge
The construction of the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge began in June 1964 as part of an overall plan to build a highway bridge across the Yangtze River. The bridge was originally planned to be a single-deck highway, but following a Ministry of Railways decision in 1968, the project was redirected to become a double-decker railway and highway bridge. The construction of the bridge was completed in May 1968 and it subsequently opened to traffic on October 1, 1968. The Banqiao Dam Disaster in China in 1975, which caused the death of over 170,000 people, prompted the Chinese Government to order the construction of several large-span bridges over the Yangtze River to improve the safety of transportation. The Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge was one of the bridges that was reconstructed in order to meet modern engineering standards. In 1984, a refurbishment of the bridge was completed, replacing the beam deck with a box girder type and adding a second road deck.
Suicidology of the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge
It is widely reported that the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge has become a frequent site of attempted suicide. The bridge’s notoriety for suicides has been attributed to the amount of traffic it attracts, the bridge’s design, the surrounding environment, the elevated elevation of the bridge, the status of the bridge in Chinese culture, and the surrounding Nanjing area’s suicide rate. Suicides have been reported to occur on the bridge as often as once or twice a week.
A report by researchers from the Shanghai Mental Health Center has noted that most of the individuals who attempted suicide on the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge were middle-aged to elderly people who felt overwhelmed by financial issues and loneliness. The same report also noted a decline in suicides on the bridge over the last decade, with a total of 41 reported for the year 2008, compared to 105 reported for the year 1998. However, experts on the subject of suicide prevention are quick to note that the decline in suicides on the bridge does not necessarily reflect a decreased level of suicidal feelings, but may merely be attributed to the lack of accessible direct routes to the bridge.
The issue of suicide on the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge has been addressed by local authorities and organizations, who have put in place various measures in order to reduce the number of suicides taking place on the bridge. These measures have included erecting barricades, providing 24-hour surveillance of the bridge, and instituting an education and awareness programme.
The issue of suicide on the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge is an illustration of a larger problem faced by many of the world’s cities. With a lack of focus on mental health support in a lot of areas, it’s not uncommon for people to feel helpless and alone, particularly in areas where economic hardship is prevalent. The fact that individuals are turning to the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge in order to take their own lives serves as a testament to the magnitude of this problem.
International Perspectives on the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge
The high number of suicides on the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge has sparked a lively debate amongst international experts on the subject of suicide prevention. Some, such as Professor Alan Berman, the past president of the American Association of Suicidology, believe that the bridge is an easy target for individuals looking to commit suicide, due to its high visibility, ready access and the fact that it is a symbol of hope and possibility in the eyes of many locals.
Others, however, such as psychiatric professor Yeh Kuang-hua, believe that it is wrong to blame the bridge alone for the large number of suicides taking place in the area. Professor Yeh has argued that many of the suicides take place as a result of larger societal issues, such as financial difficulties and not having a meaningful purpose in life. He is of the opinion that placing barricades around the bridge or increasing police surveillance is not enough by itself to tackle the problem.
Experts agree that in order to reduce the number of suicides taking place on the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge, more needs to be done to improve the living conditions of local people, by providing more economic and social opportunities for individuals.
Philosophical Connections between Suicidology and the Bridge
The Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge has become a symbol of suicide in China’s culture. Scholars of Chinese literature have noted the prevalence of the bridge in stories and narratives related to suicide, as well as parallels between the stories and the philosophical connections between suicidology and the bridge itself.
In Chinese writing, the bridge is often used as a metaphor to convey a sense of hopelessness, pain and despair. Chinese psychologists have observed that the idea of crossing the bridge is associated with meaninglessness, a lack of personal and social networks, and a feeling of having no hope left. This is seen in stories such as ‘Buying Medicine on the Bridge’ and ‘The Bridge of Endless Hopes’, in which characters are seen as overwhelmed by their situations and resort to suicide.
Chinese literary scholars have also observed that the difficult and tragic journeys of characters crossing the bridge reflect the idea that life and death are both essential aspects of the human experience. Therefore, taking the plunge from the bridge can be seen as a metaphor for a person who is searching for a meaningful end to their life story. This idea is also present in other Chinese literary sources such as the poems of Li Bai and Su Shi, who were two of the most influential poets in the Tang dynasty.
Conclusion
The Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge has long been linked with tragedy, as a symbol of hopelessness and despair. The issue of suicide on the bridge has become a cause of concern amongst both Chinese and international experts, and various measures have been put in place to reduce the number of suicides taking place there. However, the fact remains that it is a complex issue and will require a multi-faceted approach to tackle it. Furthermore, philosophical connections between the bridge and suicidology offer deeper insight into the reasons behind the high rates of suicide taking place on the bridge.
