There's a Strange Ancient Bridge in Jiangxi, Without Piers or Railings, Not for Vehicles, Now a Popular Attraction
People in Ganzhou generally call this bridge Jianchunmen Bridge. Its academic name is Huimin Bridge. It was built during the Song Dynasty and has a history of 800 years.
Huimin Bridge was once a vital transportation route connecting the two banks of the Gong River. It is 400 meters long, and the bridge deck is made of wooden planks. Below, there are small boats arranged side by side, with 33 sets connected by cables, and then fixed to the river surface with steel anchors.
Many tourists can’t help but wonder, ‘Why would Ganzhou still have such a backward ancient bridge in the contemporary era when construction technology is relatively advanced?’
In fact, Ganzhou’s ancient floating bridge is no longer a transportation route but a historical site and Ganzhou’s main tourist attraction. Its value lies in telling people about the city’s long history and unique local culture.
The Song Dynasty was one of the most developed dynasties in Chinese history, and Ganzhou was one of the thirty largest states in the country. Now, the Ganzhou Ancient City Tourism District is built in the triangle area formed by the Gong River, the Gan River, and the Ganz River. The obstruction of the rivers made it very inconvenient for residents along the shore to visit each other, which severely constrained the development of the city. During the Chongdao period of the Song Dynasty, Ganzhou built retractable floating bridges as a transportation route to connect the two banks of the Gong River, ending the history of boat transportation.
The floating bridge, which looks relatively simple today, was quite advanced for construction technology in the relatively backward Song Dynasty.
Ganzhou has historically had three floating bridges, but the other two bridges were dismantled for the needs of modern development, and the preserved Jianchunmen Ancient Floating Bridge has become a ‘national treasure relic’. Almost every tourist visiting Ganzhou comes specifically to check it off their list. Locals often say, ‘If you come to Ganzhou and don’t walk across the ancient floating bridge, it’s like you’ve wasted your trip.’
The water level of the Gong River is now shallow, and in the past, it was opened daily during busy times to spread a gap for large ships to pass through.
The bank on one side of the ancient floating bridge is the Ganzhou Ancient City Wall. Standing on the city wall, you can overlook the Gong River, and the ancient floating bridge looks like a long dragon floating on the water.
There are locals doing business near the entrance of Jianchunmen, mainly selling fish paste, cured meats, and small ornaments.
From the ancient floating bridge, you can gaze into the Ganzhou Ancient City Wall and city gates, which is full of historical vicissitudes, all in the wind.
