The Bridge with the Heaviest Locks: Taichung’s Fengyuan “Heart Lock Bridge” Bears Millions of Wishes

Text & Photo / Lin Yuling

Throughout history, there have been countless ways to make a wish—temples are often crowded with worshippers, and wishing wells are always filled with coins. But in Taichung, there’s a special spot: walk up the overpass next to Fengyuan Railway Station, and you’ll be greeted by a sea of “locks.” Alongside the usual padlocks, you’ll find heart-shaped locks, cute animal-themed ones, even motorcycle locks and handcuff-style locks. Travel influencer Meat Lu even described it as a “grand exhibition of locks”—a fitting description indeed. Every lock, big or small, bears someone’s heartfelt wish.

▲ The Heart Lock Bridge is covered in all kinds of wishes.

Beneath the Heart Lock Bridge lies train tracks, with trains passing by every day. Legend has it that the strong magnetic field generated by moving trains gives the locks a boost, helping the wishes written on them come true. When a wish is fulfilled, you’re supposed to return with the key to unlock your original lock, then head to Fengyuan Night Market for a satisfying meal before heading home—this is the standard “SOP” for a one-day trip to Fengyuan’s Heart Lock Bridge.

▲ Explanation for making a wish at the Heart Lock Bridge: “Harness the momentary force of a speeding train to impact the Nth dimension.”

The “Fengyuan Heart Lock Bridge” is the sixth of its kind in the world, following similar bridges in Japan, South Korea, Guam, Germany, and Italy. Initially, not many people hung locks here, but now the number has surpassed a thousand, with some locks even being stolen. Last year, news spread that the bridge might be demolished, which upset many locals. Some even started a Facebook campaign to hang 100 locks as a wish to save the Heart Lock Bridge. Thankfully, the petition had a positive outcome—although the overpass itself will still be removed, the iron fencing will be relocated to the platforms at Fengyuan Railway Station, preserved intact at both ends.

▲ The locks feature all kinds of adorable wishes—some people write messages, while others doodle.

▲ There are locks with cute animals, as well as all sorts of quirky and eye-catching ones. Meat Lu once described it as nothing short of a “grand exhibition of locks”!

▲ One lock isn’t enough—nine locks are used to list every single wish.

▲ Groups of friends make wishes together, hoping to get into their dream universities.

Looking at the big and small wishes on the locks—“Hope I get into university,” “Stay together forever,” “Make lots of money to buy a house and car”—you realize this is a place brimming with intense desire and willpower. On one particularly eye-catching oversized lock, someone seemingly wrote about missing an ex-girlfriend: “Dear ○○, I’ve missed you so much these past few years. Do you know how hard it’s been for me? I hope you’ll come back to me. I promise I’ll...” Somehow, I could feel the writer’s pain. A friend who was with me couldn’t help but say, “This bridge carries such a heavy burden!”

It turns out this place isn’t just filled with cute wishes and blessings—it’s also full of bittersweet obsessions. I couldn’t help but wonder: is this a place where wishes are fulfilled, or where they’re locked away even tighter? Perhaps “the one who locks must also unlock.” When we realize that making wishes isn’t making us happier, isn’t filling us with energy or hope, but instead leaving us exhausted from clinging too tightly, maybe it’s time to take out that key, unlock the chains, let go of the people and things on those locks, and set our hearts free.

Fengyuan Station Heart Lock Bridge
Transportation Info: About 100 meters north of Fengyuan Railway Station
Origin: People began hanging locks here in 2001; the bridge is approximately 70 meters long