Dragon and Phoenix Twin Bridges

Dragon and Phoenix Twin Bridges

The ancestors of Yueshan designed Yueshan Village as a celestial paradise, envisioning a scene of harmony where dragons soared and phoenixes danced. Thus, they meticulously planned the “Dragon and Phoenix Twin Bridges” in the village layout. Since then, the Ryulong Bridge and the Laifeng Bridge have become distinctive highlights among the Eight Scenic Spots of Ju Stream.

The Ryulong Bridge is a wooden arched covered bridge and is a site protected under the fifth batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level. Spanning the Ju Stream from north to south, the bridge appears to connect visually with the ancient pine forest on the ridge behind it. Its downward-curving form resembles the head of a dragon, hence its name. Originally built in the fifth year of the Tianqi era of the Ming Dynasty (1625), the bridge's structure consists of several thick round logs arranged vertically and horizontally, riveted together to form an arched framework that supports the covered walkway. The bridge is 28.20 meters long, with an arch span of 14.10 meters, a width of 5.09 meters, and an arch height of 6.80 meters. It features an 11-bay covered corridor roofed with wooden planks, with wooden benches provided at the second bays for pedestrians to rest. At the northern end stands a bell tower, while the southern end has a bridge pavilion. The central bay houses a shrine, which in ancient times was dedicated to the worship of Da Yu (the legendary flood-control hero). Both ends are equipped with 0s (possibly decorative or structural elements), and the center of the bridge displays a plaque inscribed with the name “Ryulong Bridge.” The three characters “Ryulong Bridge” are boldly written and are said to have been penned by a seven-year-old child. The central span’s ridge beam bears a 25-character ink inscription reading: “Reconstructed in the fifth year of the Tianqi era of the Ming Dynasty, in the cyclical year of Yichou, on the auspicious day of Yichou in the fourth month and twelfth month, by the Wu family from Suzhou.” The Ryulong Bridge boasts a complex structure, exquisite craftsmanship, comprehensive functionality, and architectural elements reminiscent of the Song Dynasty. It is a rare and exemplary surviving specimen of wooden arched covered bridges in China, now quite scarce domestically, and holds significant historical, artistic, and scientific value.

The Laifeng Bridge is located over the Ju Stream at the head of Yueshan Village and is a county-level cultural heritage site. Legend has it that it originally shared the same structure as the Ryulong Bridge but was later destroyed by fire. The current structure was rebuilt in the 18th year of the Daoguang era of the Qing Dynasty (1838). According to Wu Maoxiu’s "Records of Ju Stream": “Looking upstream from downstream, you see another bridge, flying and dancing as if it were the Ryulong Bridge’s equal—this is the newly built Laifeng Bridge. Since it came from the prefecture and counties, it was named Laifeng.” The bridge stretches from the southeast to the northwest, with a total length of 30 meters and a width of 5.5 meters. It is a stone arch corridor bridge consisting of eleven bays, with a Buddhist shrine set in the middle and a plaque hanging above the lintel inscribed with “Laifeng Bridge.” The secondary bays are furnished with wooden benches for pedestrians to rest. The bridge rises more than ten meters above the ground (locally also known as the “Upper Bridge”). Its semi-circular stone arch, when reflected in the stream, forms a perfect circle resembling the moon, with water gently flowing from the arch. A couplet on the bridge reads: “Water flows from the embrace of jade, / People walk on petals of lotus,” vividly depicting this scene. On summer evenings after dinner, or whenever inspiration strikes, people climb the hill to the bridge to enjoy the cool breeze, chat about farming and daily life, discuss history, and unwind in leisure.

According to folk tales from Qingyuan, the Ryulong Bridge and the Laifeng Bridge are also associated with a beautiful and touching love story. Legend has it that the Wu and Chen families lived on opposite sides of the Ju Stream. “I live at the head of the stream, you at the tail; I think of you every day, and yet we meet every day, drinking from the same stream, living in harmony.” However, in one year of severe drought, the two families fought bitterly over the water rights for irrigating their fields, thus sowing a deep grudge. In another dreadful drought year, the dispute over the stream grew even more intense, with both sides confronting each other with knives and sticks on either bank, seemingly on the verge of another violent clash. Then, someone proposed a martial contest to decide the water rights. In the end, Wu Rulong and Chen Laifeng each won one match, leading to an equal division of the water and temporarily resolving the conflict.

The young man and woman who had developed feelings during the contest decided to dig a canal from Yinping Mountain to divert water. Working together, the two families succeeded in bringing mountain spring water, saving their harvests and resolving their old enmity. On the 15th day of the eighth lunar month the following year, the Ju Stream banks echoed with the sounds of celebration, and the Wu and Chen families rejoiced. Amid the blessings of their fellow villagers, Wu Rulong and Chen Laifeng became a happily married couple. To commemorate this joyous occasion, the two families decided to build the Ryulong Bridge and the Laifeng Bridge, so that future generations could live in harmony and love. From then on, the Chen and Wu families lived together in peace, helping one another, and their lives grew ever more prosperous and sweet.

Three hundred and eighty years later today, this beautiful story has gradually faded like morning mist in the mountains, leaving only the Ryulong Bridge standing as a steadfast sentinel of its ancient promise...