The Emperor and His Ministers Conversed on the Jinshui Bridge

The Jinshui Bridge is named after the Jinshui River that meanders under the bridge. According to the "History of the Yuan Dynasty: Records of Rivers and Canals", "The Jinshui River originates from Yuquan Mountain in Wanping County, west of Beijing, and flows to the South Water Gate of Yihe Gate into the capital, hence the name of Jinshui." According to the ancient theory of the five elements, the west belongs to gold, and gold gives birth to water, so it is called the Jinshui River. According to the geographical location, it is named the Inner and Outer Jinshui Rivers. In fact, the history of the Jinshui Bridge can be traced back to the time when Zhu Yuanzhang established the capital in Nanjing in the early Ming Dynasty. According to the "Ming Huiyao", on November 11, the 25th year of Hongwu (1392), "the reconstruction of the Jinshui Bridge in the Imperial Palace was completed." There is also a story recorded in "Seven Revisions of Classified Drafts" by Lang Yan of the Ming Dynasty: Kaiji, the Minister of Justice in the early Ming Dynasty, was intelligent and eloquent. Once he accompanied Zhu Yuanzhang to visit the Jinshui Bridge. When the monarch and his minister walked to the middle of the bridge, Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly sighed, shed tears, and asked Kaiji, "Why am I like this?" Kaiji replied, "Crossing the golden bridge, leaning on the golden railing, watching the goldfish, remembering the golden concubine, and following the golden tears." Zhu Yuanzhang was greatly impressed and wanted to play a trick on him, so he stepped forward and grabbed Kaiji's hand, saying, "Hold your hands when crossing the golden bridge, and I will not forgive you if you have something to do!" Kaiji was not in a hurry, and replied calmly, "I have nothing guilty in my heart, and I am not afraid of the emperor's knife." This conversation between the monarch and his minister can be regarded as a good story in the history of Jinshui Bridge.