Falu Ling, Tianchang Town

Tianchang Town, Falu Ling

Falu Ling is a small, story-rich mountain village in the western part of Jingxing County. “It was named after the weary donkey of the immortal Zhang Guo.” At the village entrance over the Mian River stands a century-old iron bridge; in front of old residential houses, remnants of ancient mule carriageways remain; behind the village, the Taihang Mountains’ first irrigation channel—“Mianyou Canal”—still flows to this day. Strategically located at the border of Hebei and Shanxi, Falu Ling is the very first gateway under Nangzi Pass—“To take Nangzi Pass, one must first seize Falu Ling.” As a key military stronghold, the surrounding area features three ancient hill forts, with remnants of Jin army tunnel fortifications scattered throughout, and the Japanese army once built seven artillery bunkers here. During the war against Japan, the brutal “Battle of Falu Ling” took place here, making it one of the focal points of the Hundred Regiments Offensive.

Legends and historical facts, ancient times and modern history, water conservancy and warfare—though small, Falu Ling is full of remarkable stories. From Weishui, the county seat of Jingxing, head west for 19 kilometers, or 4 kilometers west of Tianchang Town, and you’ll see an iron bridge by the side of the Jingyang Highway (a bypass of National Highway 307)—that’s Falu Ling. At the south end of the iron bridge stands a statue of the legendary figure Zhang Guolao riding his donkey backward. It is said that the origin of Falu Ling’s name is linked to him. The Biographies of Immortals records: “Zhang Guo’s donkey grew weary here, hence the name.” In folklore, Zhang Guolao and Chai Rong once rode a donkey carrying the sun and moon, and a cart loaded with famous mountains, on their way to Xinzhou. When passing through this ridge, the donkey grew tired and the cart overturned—thus giving the village its name.

Falu Ling belongs to Tianchang Town in Jingxing County. With just 133 households and a population of 461, it’s a small village. Though small, its history is not short. On the stone cliffs of Taohua Zhan in the western part of the village, there remains a rock carving from the Northern Song Dynasty, indicating that the village existed at least as early as that time.

The Falu Ling Iron Bridge was designed and built by the French in 1905 as part of the Zhengtai Railway. In those days, narrow-gauge trains of the Zhengtai Railway crossed the Mian River via this bridge and passed through the Falu Ling Tunnel heading east. The bridge has a single-span steel frame measuring 75.5 meters in length, 7.5 meters in height, and 5.5 meters in width, with the deck sitting 30 meters above the valley floor. After the completion of the Shitai Railway line, there were discussions about demolishing this bridge, but it was preserved because it was the only passage for villagers of Falu Ling.

The Falu Ling Iron Bridge was constructed by the Paris-based DAYDE & PILLE company, using the 19th-century popular puddled iron technology—the same technique used in Vietnam’s Long Bien Iron Bridge and France’s Eiffel Tower. On the Zhengtai Railway, the primary role of the Falu Ling Iron Bridge was to connect Shanxi and Hebei, facilitating the transport of Shanxi coal. After the Japanese invaded Hebei in 1937, to ensure coal from Shanxi could be transported to various ports via the Zhengtai Railway, they heavily garrisoned the bridge and built seven artillery bunkers and two pillboxes nearby.

After 1943, the Zhengtai Railway was rerouted and trains began using the Xionghouwan section. In 1947, after the Xionghouwan Bridge was destroyed, the old railway line was temporarily put back into use. Now, the tracks have long been removed and replaced with a cement road surface. From its inauguration to the completion of the Shitai Railway, the Zhengtai Railway operated for just over 50 years, and the Falu Ling Iron Bridge stands as a historical testament to that era.

Although rugged, the ancient path of Falu Ling boasts beautiful scenery. Around the village lie three ancient hill forts: Haohan Fort, Laopo Fort, and Zihua Fort. Along the ancient path are the Mang Cave and Guolao Cave, with the Eight Immortals Terrace and Hall above, and the ceaselessly flowing waters of the Mian River below.

Transportation Guide

Location: Falu Ling Village, Tianchang Town, Jingxing County, Shijiazhuang City, Hebei Province

Getting There: Take a bus from Jingxing County headed to Tianchang Town, then transfer to a minibus to reach Falu Ling.