Luding Bridge, Suspension bridge crossing the Dadu River in Luding County, Sichuan Province, China.
Luding Bridge is a simple suspension bridge over the Dadu River with a span of 101.6 metres and a width of 2.8 metres, its deck about 14.5 metres above the low-water level. Thirteen iron chains carry it: nine bottom chains spaced 33 cm apart hold cross planks topped by eight longitudinal planks, while four chains serve as handrails. Each chain is 127.45 metres long, weighs about 2.5 tonnes and is made of 800 to 900 flat links.
Constructed between 1705 and 1706 during the Qing Dynasty under Emperor Kangxi's directive, the bridge facilitated trade routes connecting Sichuan with Tibetan regions.
The bridge gained prominence during the 1935 Long March when 22 Red Army soldiers crossed the chains under enemy fire, becoming a symbol of revolutionary determination.
Located at W66J+PMC on Cheng Wu Lu in Luding County, the bridge is open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. with an entrance fee of 10 yuan.
The bridge was rebuilt in 1977, so the chains and planks crossed today are not the 1706 originals. Each of the thirteen chains is 127.45 m long and weighs about 2.5 tonnes, forged from 800 to 900 flat links roughly as thick as a rice bowl.
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