CHENGYANG BRIDGE

The Dong ethnic villages are usually built on the shores of a river and are characterized by the impressive covered bridge linking the village to the outside world. The Dong villages emblem is called the Wind and Rain Bridge, because it protects both wind and rain. The bridges come as a kind of wooden gallery surmounted by pavilions and pillars. The most remarkable of all is the Yongji Bridge, the village of Chengyang. Built between 1911 and 1924, the building is 76 metres long and 3,4 metres wide, and is 10,6 metres high. The bridge gives the impression of crossing the river as if it were a dragon that flows into the water.

It took twelve years for the Wind and rain bridge to come into being. The building is considered a real masterpiece and classified as a historical heritage. In their early stages the work was financed by villagers, but recently the state took over by granting subsidies for the maintenance of the bridge. The masterpiece is all wood and stretches over 80 metres long. You can admire five pavilions with crooked roofs and with beautiful scenery.