Ganzhou Dongjin Bridge

Ganzhou Dongjin Bridge

Ganzhou Dongjin Bridge is a cultural relic protection unit of Jiangxi Province.

The ancient floating bridge in Ganzhou, officially named Dongjin Bridge, is 400 meters long and consists of 100 wooden boats linked together by iron chains, with wooden planks laid on top to form the bridge surface. It is the second floating bridge built in Ganzhou and was constructed over four years under the supervision of Hong Mai, the then military governor of Ganzhou Prefecture, and completed in 1170 AD (it was called the Jianchunmen Floating Bridge at the time).

The other two floating bridges are the first one built during the Xining period of the Northern Song Dynasty (1068–1077 AD) — the Xijin Bridge, and the Nanhe Floating Bridge built on the Zhang River during the Chunxi period of the Southern Song Dynasty (1174–1189 AD). However, neither of these two floating bridges has been preserved.

It is said that in the past, when water transport was busy, Dongjin Bridge would be disconnected twice a day to allow passing ships through. This practice has now been discontinued, and the floating bridge is only opened on specific occasions. This sight is often jokingly referred to as "pulling the bridge down after crossing the river" (a play on the Chinese idiom "过河拆桥").

Further reading:

· Sixth Batch of Jiangxi Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Units