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Chengyang Yongji Bridge
The Yongji Bridge is over the Linxi River in Ma'an
Village, Linxi Town of the Dong Ethnic Minority Autonomous Prefecture of
Sanjiang, the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
The Yongji Bridge, also called Chengyang Fengyu Bridge, was built in
1916. It is a wood-and-stone architecture. It is 76 meters long and 3.7 meters
wide with 5 stone piers covered by wooden board. On the bridge, there is a long
corridor as rain shelter with long benches on both sides. Passengers can take a
rest and shelter from rain. On the five piers, there are five four-storeyed Dong
styled tower-like double-eave pavilions, which are covered with cyan tiles and
white eaves. The whole bridge is in the shape of a crescent moon and is just
like a golden phoenix spreading the wings before flying. The pavilion in the
middle is hexagon and has a pyramidal roof. The pavilions on the two ends are
like magnificent palaces with pyramidal roofs with gourd-shaped top. The
westernmost one has gable and hip roof. There are many Dong styled patterns on
the corridors and eaves.
The Yongji Bridge is not only full of Dong flavor in the shape, but also
has superb craftsmanship in the structure. The whole bridge is connected by
wooden tenons. It has a complicated structure without the smallest error.
Meanwhile, it is beautiful and magnificent and demonstrates the high level of
the Dongs' architectural design.
In the middle of the bridge erects a marble, on which a poem of Guo
Muoruo was carved. The poem was composed when he was visiting the bridge. Guo
Muoruo also inscribed the name of the bridge -- "Chengyang Bridge".
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