The Chong’an River Iron Chain Bridge in Huangping

The Chong’an River Iron Chain Bridge in Huangping

The Chong’an River Iron Chain Bridge in Huangping is a cultural heritage site protected at the provincial level in Guizhou Province.

The Chong’an River Iron Chain Bridge is located on the Chong’an River at the junction of Kaili City and Huangping County in Guizhou Province. Typically built in high mountains and deep valleys, it is, along with the Shuixi Dadu Bridge, the Chishui Da’en Bridge, and the Fuquan Gejing Bridge, collectively referred to as the “Four Great Iron Chain Bridges of Guizhou.”

At the entrance to Chong’an Town, there is a nationally unique “Three-Dynasty Bridge,” which can be seen as evidence of the history of bridge development. Within a distance of less than 50 meters, three bridges built in three different dynasties span the Chong’an River in parallel. The first is an iron chain bridge from the Qing Dynasty, with a length of 36.5 meters; the second is a highway bridge with a stone pier and steel beam structure built during the Anti-Japanese War period, designed by China’s renowned bridge expert Mao Yisheng; the third is a reinforced concrete highway arch bridge built in 1996, which is also the bridge currently used by vehicles. Both stone bridges are open to pedestrians, while the Qing Dynasty iron chain bridge, although relatively well-preserved, is no longer used by people.

Further reading:

· First Batch of Cultural Heritage Sites Protected at the Provincial Level in Guizhou Province