Jiangzhou Immortal Bridge

Jiangzhou Immortal Bridge

Jiangzhou Immortal Bridge

Jiangzhou Immortal Bridge, located in Fengping Village, Jiangzhou Yao Ethnic Township, about 60 kilometers southwest of Fengshan County and just 1 kilometer from the Jiangzhou Township government. It was formed during the Paleozoic Permian period, boasting a history of over 200 million years, and is a karst landform. Its stunning landscape has been featured multiple times on China Central Television and Guangxi Television, as well as reported in publications such as Guangxi Daily, Hechi Daily, and Geological and Mineral News.

Legend has it that long, long ago, a fairy descended to the mortal world and often sang duets across the river with a mortal man. One day, the weather turned bad—dark clouds gathered, the sky darkened, strong winds blew, and a torrential rainstorm triggered a mountain flood. Both the fairy and the mortal were drenched to the skin, and their singing was drowned out by the chaos. In a moment of quick thinking, the fairy waved her long sleeves and created a grand bridge to shelter them. That’s how the bridge got its name. There are many local legends about this bridge. Some say it and the Immortal Bridge in Gengxin, Tian’e, are a pair of devoted husband and wife immortals. To help more loving couples on earth marry and grow old together, they transformed into natural bridges after ascending to immortality, bridging human affection. The most commonly told tale among locals is this: In ancient times, officials noticed the beautiful scenery of Jiangzhou—its clear mountains and waters—and planned to establish an administrative region there. They believed that such a spiritually rich land would nurture exceptional descendants destined for success, wealth, and lasting prosperity. However, a feng shui master found the soil thin and the water shallow, unsuitable for producing high-ranking officials. To attract “dragons” (a metaphor for good fortune), two bridges needed to be built to channel the dragon veins, ensuring noble and prosperous offspring. Upon hearing this, the Jade Emperor sent a group of celestial immortals with axes to construct the bridges. A father and son duo took on the task, agreeing that the son would build one bridge here, while the father would build the other in Fengping. They planned to set off firecrackers simultaneously upon completion to announce their success to the Jade Emperor. The son, accustomed to idleness and pleasure-seeking in heaven, had always displeased his hardworking father. Now that he was finally doing something meaningful, the father was pleased but doubted his son’s diligence. Confident the lazy son wouldn’t finish quickly, the father leisurely drank and enjoyed himself, certain the work would get done on time. Meanwhile, the son, resentful of being underestimated, worked diligently to outpace his father. He finished his bridge swiftly and, without waiting to inform his father, set off firecrackers to proclaim his success to the Jade Emperor. The father, startled awake by the sudden noise in his dream, couldn’t believe what he was hearing—his own bridge had only two foundations, yet the son had already finished? Stumbling over, he saw his son dancing with joy beneath a magnificent bridge that stretched like a rainbow across the sky. The old man sighed, “There’s no match for the vigor of youth!” Since then, Jiangzhou has thrived under the bridge’s auspicious energy. Local youths have been known for their diligence and good looks, earning great respect from the elders. Feng shui masters claim the area is destined for greatness, sure to produce eminent figures and wealthy individuals. People deeply revere this bridge. They’ve built temples here and planted trees around it to preserve its lush beauty and vibrant energy, hoping for divine blessings in return. By protecting the stunning landscape, they believe their lives will grow better day by day.

Nestled between two towering mountains, the Immortal Bridge connects the peaks on either side, with the Jiangzhou River and the Fengshan–Jiangzhou highway passing beneath it, resembling a colossal natural arch. It spans 118 meters in length, 76 meters in width, and rises 58 meters high. From a distance, it appears majestic and awe-inspiring, while viewing it from below evokes a sense of boundless wonder and tranquility. Beneath the bridge’s arch hang a myriad of uniquely shaped stalactites, with verdant vines clinging to the rocks—vivid and spectacular. At both ends of the bridge’s base are natural platforms and caves for sightseeing, believed to be the singing stage and resting spot where the fairy and the mortal once changed clothes. These cool, serene spots are perfect summer retreats for young couples in love and offer a unique mountain paradise for escaping the heat. The Jiangzhou River flows gently beneath the bridge. Its cool, emerald waters teem with fish swimming close to the surface. During the agricultural off-season, locals from the Zhuang and Yao ethnic groups often come here to fish and relax, sometimes catching carp weighing two or three pounds. They set up makeshift stoves right on the spot to cook and savor the fresh flavors of nature.

At the western end of the bridge lies the site of Yongning, a structure built during the late Qing Dynasty, along with a stone tablet inscribed with decrees by Wang Shi of the Baise Subprefecture in the 34th year of Emperor Guangxu’s reign. During the Qing Dynasty, a renowned scholar from Tianzhou’s Tusi Domain praised the bridge as “Mist-Dappled Spring at the Aperture,” listing it as one of the Eight Scenic Spots of Tianzhou. To commemorate the place where the fairy descended, every year on the third day of the third lunar month, local Yao, Zhuang, and Han youths gather here to sing in antiphonal style, seeking lifelong partners. This distinctive Yao tradition has continued for thousands of years. Faced with such breathtaking natural beauty, all who visit can’t help but marvel—it is truly an enchanting tourist destination. Travelers often lament, “Visiting Fengshan without seeing this wonder would be the greatest regret.”