Divine Ship Ancient Ferry

Divine Ship Ancient Ferry

The Divine Ship Ferry is located near Chaoyang Temple in Shaojie, Maolan Town, Yun County, on the Lancang River at the border between Yun County and Nanjian County. According to folklore: “When Emperor Jianwen of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yunwen, crossed the river here, he was aided by divine forces, hence the name.” The river at the ferry crossing is about 170 meters wide, with a flow speed exceeding 5 meters per second. Local historical records note: “Turning eastward lies the Divine Ship Ferry, flanked by towering mountains on both banks, where the rapids rage with a thunderous roar, their depth unfathomable.” The ferry features less than 1 kilometer of calm water, immediately followed downstream by a waterfall dozens of meters high. Legend has it that even eagles flying over the falls are often sucked into the churning depths by the powerful currents. A slight misstep by the boatmen could send the ferry plummeting into the abyss, claiming lives. Countless boatmen and travelers are said to have perished here over the years.

Historically, this was the only ferry within nearly a hundred li upstream and downstream of the confluence of the Lancang River and the Heihuan River. In ancient and modern times, merchants traveling east-west, those “venturing to the barbarian lands,” and those passing through Yun County in Lincang Prefecture all crossed here, making it a vital stop along the ancient post road. The *Newly Compiled Gazetteer of Yunnan* records: “The Divine Ship Ferry is fifty li north of Yun County; all who travel to and from Shunning (now Ning’er), Myanmar (now Jingdong), Yun (County), and Menghua (now Weishan and Nanjian) must pass through here.” Legend also says that Emperor Qianlong, during his southern tour, was ferried across by the local deity of Gonglang and the city god of Yunzhou. The Divine Ship Ferry was not only an important crossing in ancient times but remains a necessary passage between Yun County, Fengqing, Nanjian, and Weishan to this day, still operating with wooden boats and manual rowing. On the eastern bank, remnants of old ferryman dwellings can still be found, and a small shrine stands on the river cliff, once housing a clay statue of the “River-Calming King,” now destroyed, with only the shrine’s ruins remaining.

In April 1949, the Jingyun Bridge was built downstream of the Divine Ship Ferry, allowing vehicle traffic. In 1986, construction began on the Manwan Hydropower Station downstream of the Jingyun Bridge, and modern transportation eventually replaced the Divine Ship Ferry.