Guangxi: Sanjiang Wind and Rain Bridge

Strolling through the Dong ethnic region of Sanjiang County in Guangxi, you will be captivated by a unique type of architecture. With its wooden structure featuring towers and pavilions, upturned eaves, and grandiose design, it is known as the Wind and Rain Bridge, a distinctive building of the Dong people. These ancient structures, dating from the late Han Dynasty to the Tang Dynasty, are characterized by their rigorous construction and unique shapes, rich in ethnic spirit. Remarkably, the entire building is constructed without nails or metal fittings, using soft, corrosion-resistant fir wood joined together with mortise and tenon connections. The Wind and Rain Bridge is one of the most distinctive types of folk architecture among the Dong people.

The Wind and Rain Bridge features unique designs and a variety of styles. The most representative examples in Sanjiang County are the Chengyang Yongji Bridge, Batuan Bridge, and Sanjiang Wind and Rain Bridge.

Chengyang Yongji Wind and Rain Bridge (Firstly built in 1912)

The Sanjiang Wind and Rain Bridge was initiated in 2010 and completed in 2012. It spans 389 meters in length and is 16 meters wide, with the central pavilion reaching a height of 18 meters. The bridge features seven pavilions and two main gates, with a total of 12 sections along the corridors, housing 292 rooms, constructed from 3,000 cubic meters of fir wood. The bridge's foundation consists of reinforced concrete piers with a semi-circular arch design, while the upper part is a wooden covered bridge. This section was collaboratively built by eight master craftsmen, including representatives of the national, autonomous region, municipal, and county-level intangible cultural heritage project "Dong Wooden Architecture Construction Techniques," such as Yang Siyu, Yang Qiushi, Yang Huafu, Yang Yuji, Wu Daming, Wu Yunzhuang, Wu Chenghui, and Cui Xianjun. Its length and scale are recognized as the largest in the world, making it the world's premier Wind and Rain Bridge.

(First-Person Perspective Video of Crossing the Wind and Rain Bridge: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DEeE6rhJlIT/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==) China travel

Sangjiang Wind and Rain Bridge (Firstly built in 2010)

Sangjiang Wind and Rain Bridge

The Story Behind the Wind and Rain Bridge: The Legend of the White Loong

The Dong people of Sanjiang revere the White Loong as their ancestor, and there's a beautiful story associated with it. Long ago, the White Loong swam from the South China Sea into the inland rivers and unknowingly arrived in Dong territory. As it raised its head, it suddenly heard a melodious song. Following the sound, it found a Dong girl, known far and wide as the most beautiful girl called Yinni, singing while picking tea leaves in the hillside tea fields.

Captivated by her beauty and enchanted by her voice, the White Loong fell in love. Suddenly, dark clouds gathered, thunder rumbled, and a mountain flood surged, causing landslides. The girl disappeared without a trace. The White Loong desperately searched for her and eventually found her barely alive at the riverbed. It rescued her and transformed into a handsome young man, silently guarding her side.

When the girl awoke, she was immensely grateful to her savior and deeply moved by his kindness. The White Loong confessed his feelings, and their mutual affection blossomed into love. Eventually, they married and lived happily together in the Dong village, raising children.

However, their happiness was short-lived. One day, the White Loong went hunting and never returned. It turned out that the Loong King of the South China Sea had learned of the White Loong's secret marriage to a mortal and was furious. He sent his minions to capture the White Loong, imprisoning him in a water prison and declaring eternal confinement.

The girl waited day and night, crying for her husband, while their children longed for their father. In honor of the White Loong's departure, they built the Hui Long Bridge, hoping for his return and expressing their deep longing. From then on, the Dong village constructed various Wind and Rain Bridges, symbolizing their hopes and memories.

If you are visiting Changsha, take some extra time to Liuyang and enjoy every weekend's firework show, which is definitely worth it.

There is another legend among the Dong people regarding the Wind and Rain Bridge. In ancient times, there were no bridges over the rivers in Dong territory, and travelers relied on large rocks protruding from the water to hop across. One day, a beautiful Dong girl, carrying a load of firewood, sang as she jumped from stone to stone to cross the river.

Suddenly, the waters roiled and surged, and a black Loong emerged, dragging the girl into the depths and forcing her to become his captive. The villagers on both banks shouted in alarm, crying out, 'Help! Save her!'

At that moment, a white loong descended from the sky and engaged in a fierce battle with the black loong. After a desperate struggle, the White Loong defeated the Black Loong and rescued the girl. The grateful villagers shouted their thanks to the White Loong as it circled above the river a few times before soaring into the sky, disappearing into the clouds.

In gratitude to the White Loong, the Dong people built beautiful Wind and Rain Bridges over the rivers. The structure of the bridge symbolizes the loong's body, while the tiles represent the loong's scales. This serves as a lasting reminder of the White Loong's kindness and protection.

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