Longtan Bridge

Longtan Bridge

Longtan Bridge is a cultural relics protection unit of Fujian Province.

Longtan Bridge is a provincial-level key cultural relics protection unit. Located in the Cuixi Gorge of Longtan Natural Village, Louxia Village, Yangyuan Township, it is just 2 kilometers away from the Bishuiyang Scenic Area, a national scenic spot. The bridge was constructed in late 1962 and completed in 1965, taking over three years to build. It used more than 800 fir logs over a hundred years old, some of which were donated by local villagers as construction timber for their houses. Longtan Bridge is the first wooden arched covered bridge built in Zhenghe County after the liberation. It is 31 meters long, 5 meters wide, with a clear span of 23 meters. The bridge deck features a 4.2-meter-high covered walkway with 12 bays, supported by 64 pillars. It has a post-and-lintel and mortise-and-tenon structure, with a gable roof covered in green tiles. The sides of the bridge are protected by fir storm boards. The master carpenter behind the bridge was the young craftsman Yang Xianhua from Yegan Village, Chengyuan Township, while the stonework was done by master Dong Jinbo from Taishun, Zhejiang. Built during the politically turbulent 1960s, the bridge still bears many slogans and couplets reflecting the social and political sentiments of the time—such as “Often recall past hardships, and today’s sweetness feels greater,” “The General Line guides the future, ride the waves,” and “Cut through three rivers to build a heavenly bridge, level five ridges to pave the great road”—all of which highlight the era’s characteristics and give the bridge special historical, cultural, and sociological significance.

Source: Local Chronicles of Zhenghe County

Yangyuan Township: A township under the jurisdiction of Zhenghe County. Established as Yangyuan Township in 1954, reorganized as a commune in 1961, and reinstated as a township in 1984. It is located in the southeastern part of the county, along the upper reaches of the Dangxi River, 29 kilometers from the county seat. Covering an area of 242 square kilometers with a population of 18,000, it is traversed by the Ansong Highway. The township administers 13 village committees: Yangyuan, Daxi, Lingtou, Chalin, Fuban, Taoyang, Wangdacuo, Cuixi, Shangzhuang, Bantou, Xiyang, Donggong, and Louxia. Local enterprises include brick and tile factories, timber processing, tea production, ceramics, and electric control device manufacturers. Agriculture mainly produces rice and off-season vegetables, along with tea, oil tea, and apples. Donggong Mountain scenery... Detailed information on Yangyuan Township++

Further Reading:

· Eighth Batch of Fujian Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units