Hongjin Ancient Ferry

Hongjin Ancient Ferry

Hongjin Ancient Ferry

Hongjin Ancient Ferry is located in Hongdu Village, Chengjiang Township. It was once a key crossing on the route from Du'an to Longshan and Nanning. In the second year of the Jiaqing reign during the Qing Dynasty (1797), Bai Shan Tusi (local chieftain) inscribed the four characters “红渡古津” (Red Ferry Ancient Crossing) on the cliff face of the south bank, giving the ferry its name. The ferry site features steep cliffs, rugged rock formations, and on the north bank, there once stood an ancient temple perched strikingly on the cliffside, resembling a secluded mountain monastery. The two riverbanks were bustling with people coming and going, carrying loads on shoulders and backs, in an endless stream. Because it was a strategic crossing, it was often contested by military forces. During the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty, Wei Wusao, the leader of a secret society, sent troops to seize the ferry to prevent an attack by government forces, leading to a fierce battle here with the troops of the Sien Prefecture. A local poem describes it: “The great river surges eastward, / Here at this ancient ferry, thousands of boats cross the headwaters. / Sheer cliffs and precipices brim with a hundred dangers, / Slippery hidden rocks bring worry to ten thousand. / Let the mighty waves startle gods and ghosts, / But with a calm heart, I fear no sorrow. / Today, rainbows of bridges span both banks, / While the splendors of those years drift as they may.” In 1967, a stone arch bridge stretching 230 meters in length and 80 meters in height was built dozens of meters downstream from the ferry, after which the ancient crossing gradually fell into disuse.