Yongzhen Bridge in Anyuan

Yongzhen Bridge in Anyuan

Yongzhen Bridge is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Yongzhen Bridge is located in Yongzhen Village, Xinlong Township, western Anyuan County, Jiangxi Province, and was built in the ninth year of the Shunzhi era of the Qing Dynasty (1652). The bridge is 38.5 meters long and 4.33 meters wide. Its unique design integrates the bridge structure with housing, setting it apart from conventional styles. It is supported by stone piers with layers of fir timber spanning multiple arches, differing from typical stone arch bridges. This structure represents an ingenious application of traditional Chinese wooden architectural techniques in a stone arch bridge. From afar, the bridge resembles a rainbow soaring across the river, while up close, its ornamental pavilions shine brightly, adding remarkable charm to the beautiful surrounding landscape.

Yongzhen Bridge is a covered wooden-tile bridge with a corridor-style design. It is 38.5 meters long and 4.33 meters wide, with the bridge deck 8 meters above normal water level. The bridge features two abutments, two piers, and three spans. The piers and abutments are constructed from granite strips and lime mortar. The piers have a boat-shaped profile, with cutwaters (commonly called “goose breasts”) on the upstream side. The piers support three rows of interlocking fir beams forming cantilever trusses. The bridge deck is paved longitudinally with fir planks. A double-eave, gable-and-hip roofed corridor stretches 29.8 meters long with eaves extending 0.9 meters, situated 2.6 meters above the bridge deck and 4 meters above the surface at the roof ridge. The central bay features a raised upper eave that extends 1 meter upward, with flying eaves and ornamental ridge beasts at both ends of the main ridge. The back wall once housed a shrine containing a statue of Ouyang Rongliu (now lost), while the front wall had a circular skylight. The corridor is flanked by railings made of fir planks. At both ends of the bridge are square brick-and-wood gatehouses, each 3.35 meters wide. Inside the gatehouses, nine stone steps lead up to the corridor entrance, above which is inscribed in regular script the bridge’s name: “Yongzhen Bridge.”

Xinlong Township: Located in the central-southwestern part of Anyuan County, the "Pearl of the Dongjiang River Source" — Ganzhou City, Xinlong Township is only 7.8 kilometers from the county seat. It neighbors Xinzhen Town to the east, Zhen'gang Township, Fengshan Township, and Hezai Town to the south, borders Xinfeng County to the west, and adjoins Chetou Town to the north, enjoying a geographically advantageous location. The township covers a total area of 191 square kilometers, including 166,200 mu of forestland, 8,438 mu of arable land, and 8,000 mu of orchards, with a forest coverage rate exceeding 88%. It administers nine administrative villages and 124 villager groups, with a total of 3,469 households and a population of 14,345. The area is home to the famous Ji... More information about Xinlong Township ++

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units