Xingxiu Bridge and Fengyu Bridge

Xingxiu Bridge and Fengyu Bridge

Xingxiu Bridge and Fengyu Bridge are National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Xingxiu Bridge and Fengyu Bridge

Lufeng County lies along the ancient Central Yunnan Post Road (Lufeng section), boasting a profound historical and cultural heritage and numerous cultural relics. The area features multiple ancient post stations and passes, as well as an intricate network of 174 historic bridges. Among them, the most renowned are Xingxiu Bridge and Fengyu Bridge in Lufeng. Recently, the State Council issued the “Notice on the Verification and Announcement of the Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units,” which designated the seventh batch of such units (totaling 1,943 sites) as well as projects merged with existing ones (totaling 47 sites). Xingxiu Bridge and Fengyu Bridge in Lufeng were jointly included in the Ancient Architecture Protection List, becoming part of the seventh batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units. With this addition, the total number of National Cultural Relics Protection Units in Lufeng County has reached two sites and three points, including the Lufeng Ramapithecus Fossil Site, which was listed as part of the third batch in 1988.

Xingxiu Bridge in Lufeng is located on the Xingxiu River outside the west gate of Lufeng County town, also known as the “West Gate Bridge.” It was first built in the 43rd year of the Wanli reign during the Ming Dynasty (1615 AD), while the existing stone bridge and its auxiliary structures were constructed between the 5th and 12th years of the Daoguang reign in the Qing Dynasty (1825–1832 AD). Historically, Xingxiu Bridge served as a vital gateway on the route from the provincial capital Kunming to western Yunnan. For over a century, the bridge has borne the passage of people, horses, and carts, yet it still stands firmly as it did originally — a testament to its rational design and excellent craftsmanship. Mr. Li Genyuan, a veteran of the Yunnan Xinhai Revolution, praised the bridge as having “excellent engineering, ranking first among bridges in Yunnan.” In 1983, it was designated as one of the “Third Batch of Key Cultural Relics Protection Units in Yunnan Province.”

Originally named Feihong Bridge or Liji Bridge and locally referred to as Luosihe Bridge, Fengyu Bridge in Lufeng is situated about 1 kilometer north of Lufeng County town, near Caiyuan Village, spanning the Luoci River. The bridge was first built during the Tianqi reign of the Ming Dynasty (1621–1627), but was destroyed by floods several times and subsequently rebuilt. It was restored in the 18th year of the Guangxu reign in the Qing Dynasty (1892) and has been in use ever since. The bridge is 116.55 meters long and 8.6 meters wide, with five single-span arches each 12 meters wide. The entire structure is majestic, with exquisitely carved details. The bridge deck is equipped with stone railings, and at both ends stand two pairs each of large and small stone lions and elephants. The central arch is adorned with carved dragon heads and tails on both sides, while five stone steles stand at the north end of the bridge, with the central one inscribed with the three large characters “Fengyu Bridge.”

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units