Longnao Bridge

Longnao Bridge, located on Jiuqu River in the northern suburb of Luxian County, Sichuan Province, was built during the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty (1378-1398).

Though not a covered bridge, Longnao Bridge is a world-renowned artistic structure. When I visited, I stayed overnight, capturing photos of it in the morning and evening. Standing before its massive form left me speechless and deeply impressed.

The creativity of the ancients is astounding, and some even call it the Sanxingdui of ancient bridges. Luxian County has 46 Longnao Bridges, but this one is the largest. This vast collection of dragon bridges is a world-class historical and cultural treasure.

Longnao Bridge is China's largest dragon-carved stone beam bridge, stretching 54 meters long, 5.3 meters high, and 1.9 meters wide. It has twelve piers made from four layers of gray sandstone, a construction that took twenty years.

The bridge is adorned with statues: a Qilin at each end, a male lion near the southern end, and a white elephant at the northern end. In the middle, four dragons lie parallel, facing west with their heads and tails crossing the bridge to the east.

Each of the four dragons—resting dragon, cloud-riding dragon, water-piercing dragon, and flood-controlling dragon—has a unique appearance. The Qilins and the male lion are depicted as being harnessed, as if ridden.

The builders intended the Qilins to guard both sides of the bridge, suppressing land and water monsters. The white elephant symbolizes peace and prosperity, while the fierce green lion frightens away thieves. The dragons represent forces of nature, benefiting the people by controlling water and weather.

Cliff Carving near the Longnao Bridge, Luxian County, Sichuan Province,

Since its completion, Longnao Bridge has gained significant attention, even from Emperor Qianlong. In the 43rd year of his reign, he issued an imperial edict to protect the bridge, an unprecedented honor for a structure.

#CoveredBridgesofChina

Wu Weiping (Instagram @wp_bridges_hunter)

Wu Weiping, co-photographer of Fantastic China: 

20 years, 400,000+ kilometers, 100,000 photos...  for capturing the remnants of ancient Chinese Covered Bridges.