Wenxi Covered Bridge

Wenxi Covered Bridge

Wenxi Covered Bridge

Wenxi Covered Bridge is located at the entrance of Wenxi Village, Peifeng Town, Yongding County, at the confluence where the boundary stream meets between Peifeng Town and Kan Market Town.

The Wenxi Covered Bridge features a single-arch masonry structure, higher in the middle and lower at both ends, topped with a roofed structure that spans the Wenxi River from north to south.

The bridge body is entirely constructed from long stone slabs, with cobblestones paving a massive single arch, resembling a beautiful rainbow resting at the mouth of the gorge. The bridge is about 5 meters wide and approximately 60 meters long from the northern entrance to the southern exit. The brick-and-cement corridor house, inlaid with light red glazed tiles, features three tiers of eaves stacked upon each other — the middle one being the highest, flanked by one lower tier on each side. The pavilions at both ends of the bridge are the lowest and arranged symmetrically. The eastern side has open windows, while the western side is solidly walled. The outer edges of the bridge are fitted with eaves that act as awnings. The surrounding eaves harmonize with the surrounding peaks, featuring upturned corners.

Inside the roofed structure, there are two parallel shrines enshrining two deities: the left one is Marshal Zhao Gongming, the folk god of wealth; the right one is the Dark Heavenly Emperor, a deity often worshipped by scholars seeking academic or official success. A couplet on the sides reads: “Channeling wealth from all over the world, bestowing blessings upon the people,” reflecting the local people’s strong desire for prosperity and success. Inside, stairs are placed on both sides for pedestrians, while a ramp in the center facilitates the passage of motorcycles.

At the entrance of the covered bridge is inscribed: “Peifeng Wenxi Covered Bridge.” On either side is a couplet: “From Hongyuan Spring, waters flow into the long Wenxi, eternal in Yongding; from Chiling and Dongshan, the road leads to peaceful Kan Market.” Dongshan and the spring belong to Wenxi Village, Hongyuan, Wenxi, and Changliu belong to Peifeng Town, the main road belongs to Kan Market Town, and Chiling belongs to Kongfu Village. Meanwhile, Wenxi, Hongyuan, Changliu, the main road, and Kan Market were all part of Taiping Li during the Ming and Qing dynasties, which in turn belonged to Yongding County. This couplet ingeniously incorporates the names of places in Peifeng and its vicinity, aptly illustrating the characteristics of the bridge.

According to folklore, the Wenxi Covered Bridge existed before Yongding County was established but later fell into disrepair. In the 14th year of the Chenghua era of the Ming Dynasty (1478), after Yongding County was established, the scholar Qiu Yan took the lead in organizing donations to rebuild the bridge into a stone arch bridge, stacking stones into a semi-circular single arch. According to the Daoguang edition of the “Yongding County Annals”: “Scholar Qiu Yan, styled Gongwang, ranked 12th in the imperial examination on the Book of Changes in the 6th year of the Zhengtong era, and later served as an instructor in Guihua County.” Originally named Yindi Bridge, the bridge had no roofed structure. The ancient covered bridge harmonizes with morning light, pine winds, evening glow, and moonlight over water, coexisting peacefully. Despite more than 500 years of weathering and flooding, the Wenxi Stone Arch Bridge still stands firm. In 2003, it was renovated through donations led by the local notable Qiu Jiasen.

Address: Entrance of Wenxi Village, Peifeng Town, Yongding County

Inquiry Phone: 0597—5836222