Chushi Bridge

Chushi Bridge

Chushi Bridge is a cultural relic protection unit of Jiangxi Province.

The only ancient covered bridge in Dingnan County, Chushi Bridge (also called Zhushi Bridge), is located in Zhushi Village, Egong Township. Zhushi Village was originally a township-level administrative unit but was merged into Egong Town in 2001.

Zhushi Village is 38 kilometers from Dingnan County and borders Heping County in Guangdong Province to the south. Chushi Bridge was a key junction along the ancient Gan-Guang (Jiangxi–Guangdong) post road and was built in the 12th year of the Tongzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1873), making it 137 years old. The bridge is 16 meters long and 5 meters wide. It earned the name “Chushi,” meaning “First Stone,” as it was the first single-arch stone bridge constructed in Dingnan County. It’s easy to imagine that, whether in the former Zhushi Township or today’s Zhushi Village, the original name likely derived from these two characters.

The bridge foundation and deck of Chushi Bridge are constructed from horse-head stone slabs bonded with a mixture of tung oil and lime mortar, making them solid as rock. Ten vermilion-painted and gilded wooden pillars around the deck form a covered walkway, providing shade, rain shelter, and resting spots for merchants traveling along the trade route.

Chushi Bridge is the only remaining structure in Dingnan County featuring an integrated bridge-pavilion design. Since its construction, this multifunctional bridge combining bridge, corridor, tower, and palace elements has served as a vital thoroughfare benefiting generations. Today, Zhushi Bridge still stands beautifully intact over Zhushi River, becoming a legendary scenic spot on the Jiangxi–Guangdong border where nature and human culture coexist in harmony.

Protected area: Within 4 meters east (roadway) from the east end of Chushi Bridge, 2 meters north, and 12 meters south to a two-story earthen building; within 4 meters west from the west end, 12 meters north, and 8 meters south to a two-story earthen building; total area: 711.2 square meters.

Location: Zhushi Village, Egong Town, Dingnan County

Protected area: Within 4 meters east (roadway) from the east end of Chushi Bridge, 2 meters north, and 12 meters south to a two-story earthen building; within 4 meters west from the west end, 12 meters north, and 8 meters south to a two-story earthen building; total area: 711.2 square meters.

Construction control zone: The buffer zone extends the same distance in all directions as the protected area. The control height limit is 10 meters; total area: 711.2 square meters.

Egong Town: Located in the southeastern part of Dingnan County, Egong Town borders Anyuan County, Xunwu County, and Longchuan County in Guangdong. It is 38 kilometers from the county seat. Tongguang Highway and the under-construction Xunwu Baiguoqian to Jiujuxinglian Highway run through the town, ensuring convenient transportation and smooth communication. With a simple and honest local culture, superior natural conditions, abundant resources, and rich forested mountains, it serves as one of the county’s main production bases for fruit, live pigs, and timber. The town covers an area of 201.11 square kilometers, governs 22 administrative villages, 285 villager groups, and has a total population of over 31,000.

Since the Fourth Plenary Session of the 13th CPC Central Committee, Egong… More details about Egong Town++

Further reading:

· Sixth Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units of Jiangxi Province