Wan'an Bridge, Wooden arch bridge in Changqiao, Pingnan County, China
Wan'an Bridge is a covered wooden arch bridge in Changqiao village, Changqiao town, Pingnan County, Fujian. It is 98.2 m long and 4.7 m wide, with a deck 8.5 m above the water. Five piers of cut stone, pointed upstream and rounded downstream, carry six spans of unequal width, from 10.6 to 15.3 m. The gallery above has 37 bays and 152 fir columns, with benches along both sides.
The first bridge on this site was raised in the late 11th century and rebuilt after a fire in the early 1700s. The current form dates from the mid-18th century, when craftsmen adapted the construction to available materials.
The bridge's name changed to Wan'an, meaning "ten thousand years of peace", after its 1932 rebuilding, when a craftsman reportedly fell into the river and came away unharmed. The covered gallery held a shrine to Guanyin until the 1950s, when it was removed to reduce fire risk. Thirteen couplets are inscribed on the structure.
The path to the bridge runs through narrow village streets that can become slippery during rain. Those who arrive early in the morning usually find the covered passages empty and can examine the wooden structure in quiet.
The side benches were built so travelers could set down their baskets and rest while waiting for ferrymen or trading partners. This function turned the bridge into a social space, not just a passage.
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