Recently, the publicity campaign on the theme of protection achievements of covered bridges organized by the National Cutural Heritage Administration went into the popularity of wooden arched covered bridges in Fujian. The Northern Song Dynasty is a living fossil of wooden bridges in China. The rainbow bridge in the famous painting of the Northern Song Dynasty, The Picture of the River during the Qingming Festival, is the prototype of a wooden arched covered bridge. Three points show you that the rainbow bridge in the ancient wooden arched covered bridge Luanfeng Bridge, The Picture of the River during the Qingming Festival, which has the largest single hole span in the world, actually "hides". The most shocking picture in the famous painting of the Fujian and Zhejiang mountainous areas through the ages, The Picture of the River during the Qingming Festival, is nothing more than the "painted eye", a pillar free, single arch, and dozens of round logs across the Bian River. It is not necessary to use one nail and one iron to weave a wooden bridge, but it can withstand the busy water transportation and the traffic between vehicles and horses △ The picture of the river during the Qingming Festival by Zhang Zeduan in the Northern Song Dynasty (partial close-up of the original work) has long disappeared in the Central Plains for a long time People believe that this outstanding type of bridge in ancient China has been lost until over a hundred wooden arch bridges in the mountainous areas of Fujian and Zhejiang were presented to the world. To the left is the Yangmeizhou Bridge, and to the right is the Luanfeng Bridge, both located in Shouning County, Ningde, Fujian. The Wenxing Bridge on the left and the Beijian Bridge on the right are both located in Taishun County, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province. More than a hundred wooden arch bridges span between valleys, and their form is in line with the Hongqiao in the Qingming Riverside Scene, but with an additional key evolution: the construction of gallery houses on the bridges has transformed from simple transportation projects to spaces with popularity, faith, and life. How was the Luanfeng Bridge built hundreds of years ago? More than a hundred wooden arch bridges are distributed in the mountainous areas at the border of Fujian and Zhejiang provinces. Among them, the wooden arch bridge located in eastern Fujian is highly representative. There are a total of 11 wooden arch bridges in eastern Fujian listed as national key cultural relics protection units, including Baixiang Bridge, Qiancheng Bridge, Wan'an Bridge in Pingnan County, Tiandi Bridge in Gutian County, Dongyuan Bridge in Zherong County, Yangmeizhou Bridge, Luanfeng Bridge, Xiangong Bridge, Dengyun Bridge, Shengping Bridge, Feiyun Bridge in Shouning County, etc. The Luanfeng Bridge, located in Shouning County, Ningde, Fujian Province, is the world's largest ancient wooden arch covered bridge with a single span. It was first built in the Ming Dynasty and has been standing for more than 200 years since its reconstruction in the fifth year of the Jiaqing reign (1800) of the Qing Dynasty. Standing under the Luanfeng Bridge, you can clearly see the structure of the bridge. Dozens of thick logs intersect and stack with each other to form a single span of 37.6 meters. The round logs rely entirely on mortise and tenon joints, without the need for a nail or iron, but form an exceptionally strong wooden structure system. How did the Luanfeng Bridge, built hundreds of years ago, stand tall in wind and rain? The longitudinal circular beams in the wooden arch structure frame are called seedlings, and the transverse square beams in the wooden arch structure frame are called cow heads. The circular segments of the seedlings and the square cow heads are connected by mortise and tenon joints. The wooden arch structure of the wooden arch bridge in the mountainous areas of Fujian and Zhejiang consists of two systems. The main arch system is a three segment seedling system built with three rows of longitudinal seedlings, and the auxiliary arch system is a five segment seedling system built with five rows of longitudinal seedlings. The main reason why the wooden arch bridge needs two systems is mainly to generate mutual transmission and feedback through the contact between the arch trees to restrain the deformation and displacement of the arch wood structure and redistribute the load on the bridge deck, avoiding damage to the arch frame caused by this. In addition, there is a special component called scissor seedlings used to solve the problem of bridge front and back shaking. It must be mentioned that... The "General Column" located at the four corners of the wooden arch covered bridge appears to be a decorative "General Column" In fact, it is the "stabilizing sea needle" of the entire bridge, which firmly locks the lightweight gallery houses and solid arches together. This is also the "key evolution" of the wooden arch gallery bridge, which is an important structure for building gallery houses on the bridge. Each wooden arch gallery bridge embodies the construction wisdom of our ancestors. This construction wisdom has only developed into mature technology in the mountainous areas of Fujian and Zhejiang in China, and is unique and unparalleled in world civilization. In December 2024, the "Traditional Construction Techniques of Chinese Wooden Arch Bridges" were selected as "Representative Works of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity". More and more young craftsmen and cultural protection volunteers have joined the team to protect and repair the bridge. Adding gallery houses on the bridge is not only a scenery but also a culture. Why build gallery houses on the bridge? Don't be afraid. Is it heavy? On the contrary, the arches of the heavy wooden arched bridge rely on the overall force generated by the bite of wood weaving. If there is no downward compaction of the weight of the arches of the arches, it is easy to loose and lose stability. △ The corridors of Luanfeng Bridge went out once in the past years when mountains were high and roads were far away and villages were scattered. People often traveled for tens of miles without seeing people. Thus, people took a rest on the bridge and slept outdoors. "Building corridors on the bridge" developed into a landscape and a culture. When Zhou Lianggong, a litterateur at the end of the Ming Dynasty and the beginning of the Qing Dynasty, was an official in Fujian, he once praised: "The bridge in central Fujian is the most beautiful. Building houses on the bridge has clear wings, and there is no place to draw pictures." The polygonal caisson structure at both ends of the carved beams and painted rafters Bridge in the Feiyun Bridge Gallery, located in Houdun Village, Aoyang Town, Shouning County, is exquisitely painted with the vivid and gorgeous patterns of characters and stories in traditional Chinese culture △ Feiyun Bridge located in Houdun Village, Aoyang Town, Shouning County △ The polygonal caisson at both ends of Feiyun Bridge is located under the Xiangong Bridge on Toad Creek, Shouning County. Toad Creek crosses the city and crosses the bridge. People take a rest and take the veranda roof to rise up the octagonal cusp shaped corridor. The inside of the corridor is more exquisite △ Xiangong Bridge located on Toad Creek, Shouning County. In addition, there are many memorial tablets of gods in the center of the corridor bridges. When the Loong Boat Festival comes, Zhouning, Pingnan and other places in Ningde, Fujian Province ushered in the annual bridge walking ceremony. The female elders wore special clothes, held prayer cards, and sang songs of praying for blessings. This folk custom originates from the old folk custom of "walking on all kinds of diseases" in ancient times. People believe that walking on the bridge during the Dragon Boat Festival can ward off evil spirits and epidemic diseases, and pray for health. More than 100 wooden arch covered bridges stand in mountains and streams, and the tourist route with covered bridges as the theme Moreover, ancient bridges, ancient paths, and ancient villages are becoming cultural hubs that drive rural revitalization. Tourists come along the river, crossing not only a river but also a civilization corridor forged by the wisdom and emotions of our ancestors for thousands of years