Notes on Covered Bridges

Written by Lu Xiaomin

Photographed by Wu Weiping

Guangxi Normal University Press

April 2022

98.00 （CNY）

This book introduces covered bridges of China in the form of cultural essays. The author visited hundreds of covered bridges in more than ten provinces and municipalities， recorded five covered bridge groups in China with words and photos， and summarized the tortuous history of covered bridges for over more than 2，000 years.

Millennium Long Inheritance： Wood Can Also Be Long Lasting

Among Chinese buildings， bridges cannot compare with palaces， religious buildings， and gardens. They are greatly different， whether in landscape and scale or the degree of delicacy. But the covered bridge is an exception. In the lofty mountains and high ranges， ravines are crisscrossing， and rapids are dangerous. The ancestors concentrated as much wisdom on the rivers to facilitate their travels. They built bridges over the rivers， and mountains and rivers have been connected since then. For thousands of years， covered bridges have been built over the rivers like rainbows to connect thousands of villages. Among the mountains and rivers， covered bridges present the wonder of three-dimensional buildings， which make people exclaim about the brilliant talent of architects.

I have always believed that wooden buildings cannot compare with stone ones. Wooden structures can easily collapse due to the erosion of wind and rain and will step off the stage of history in several hundred years， while stone buildings can last forever. The covered bridge is still an exception. When we witness the huge bridge made of wood arches stride across the running river， the strong visual impact makes it easy for us to overlook the short， rough， and heavy stone bridge. Few people found these wooden materials so strong， and that wood could also generate eternal power. They lie among the mountains and rivers and become gates over the waters. They are the masterpieces of Chinese bridges.

People regard covered bridges as geomantic buildings， as their existence is related to the peace and prosperity of clans， villages， and even areas. Thus， they become the products of the ups and downs of villages and are closely linked to the fortunes of villages. People hope to connect to mysterious supernatural forces with covered bridges as a medium to protect their villages， families， and themselves. Driven by practical function and spiritual symbolization， whether the economic power is strong， people everywhere are trying to build and maintain covered bridges， even at the cost of all their properties. Whenever a piece among numerous tiles， purlins， bridge slabs， railings， and guard boards was blown off or decayed， someone would immediately change it. Covered bridges were destroyed and reconstructed.

Ye and Wu were two big families in Sanmenqiao village， Zhouning， Fujian. In the late Qing Dynasty， they jointly built Sanmen Bridge， a double-hole wooden flat covered bridge， which was more than 40 meters long. In 1924， the two families worked together for the second time. They raised funds to rebuild the covered bridge washed away by floods. This time， it was rebuilt into a wooden arch covered bridge with double holes， double eaves， and a hip roof. One winter after ten years， Sanmenqiao village was looted by a gang of bandits. Fleeing desperately， the frenzied bandits burned Sanmen Bridge. It was not until 1968 that the villagers， who were deeply troubled by poor traffic， joined hands for the third time. The bridge was rebuilt into a more durable double-ring stone arch bridge. Unexpectedly， the bridge collapsed under the impact of a catastrophic flood the next year. In 1971， the villagers worked jointly for the fourth time. The new Sanmenqiao Bridge stood again over the stream. In 2006， the villagers overhauled the covered bridge with a history of more than 100 years again. For the common purpose of access， all families worked together several times to build the covered bridge. Generations combined their efforts on the bridge as they had put aside differences and forgotten unhappiness. The covered bridge became an emotional bond of Sanmenqiao village， concentrated villagers’ consensus， and brought together their minds. Thus， they got together happily under the roof.

Royal palaces were usually burned or abandoned after the change of dynasties and turned into ruins in a few years. Thousands of palaces crumbled into the soil with the change of times， and many magnificent palaces faded away in history. Covered bridges， with the double protection of clans and social efforts， last longer than grand palaces. The forces of clans and people continued with the reproduction of descendants. They rebuilt bridges with all the labor， material， and financial forces of their clans and villages， showing their best wishes in the form of a bridge. Covered bridges were built by our ancestors， and later generations continued the life of covered bridges， making them a carrier between ancestors and later generations. Covered bridges were constantly repaired and rebuilt throughout the ages， and their lives were continued all the time， showing the great power of wooden buildings. With the efforts carried forward by generations of folk forces， we can hear the distant echoes of these ancient buildings and see them stand as winners in the world， becoming immortal monuments.

Lu Xiaomin

Lun Xiaomin， a member of the China Writers Association， vice president of the Zhejiang Prose Society， and an invited contributor to Chinese National Geography， is engaged in researching and protecting traditional villages， vernacular architecture， and covered bridge culture.

Wu Weiping

Wu Weiping， a member of the China Photographers Association， used to work as a full-time photographer for the Ministry of Transport. Since 2001， he has been focused on seeking and photographing the covered bridges built in ancient China.