The Seventeen-Arch Bridge of Jianshui

The Seventeen-Arch Bridge is the colloquial name for the Shuanglong Bridge, located in Baijiaying Village, Xizhuang Town, Jianshui County, Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province. It spans the confluence of the Lujiang River and the Tachong River, hence the name Shuanglong Bridge, which means 'a bridge locking two dragons'. The Shuanglong Bridge was originally built during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty. At that time, only a three-arch stone bridge was built over the Lujiang River. Later, due to the flooding of the Lujiang and Tachong rivers, the Tachong River dike in the southwest broke, and the river water rushed towards the village not far from the bridge. The flood was fierce, and the village suffered severe damage, which was later named Shuidaying Village. Now, Shuidaying Village belongs to Baijiaying Administrative Village, Xizhuang Town, Jianshui County, Honghe Prefecture, Yunnan Province. The Tachong River changed its course and merged into the Lujiang River, which also widened the river surface by three to four times. The originally built three-arch stone bridge was left hanging in the middle of the river. In the 19th year of the Daoguang period, fourteen more arches were built and connected to the original three arches, making a total of seventeen arches. Locals call the Shuanglong Bridge the Seventeen-Arch Bridge. From a distance, it looks like a ship with pavilions, and from close up, it resembles a long rainbow lying on the waves. There are three flying eave-style pavilions built on the bridge, with the two at the ends being slightly smaller and the one in the middle being large and spectacular. The Shuanglong Bridge is about 150 meters long, a single-arch bridge. The bridge is constructed with six large wooden pillars, with wooden planks laid on the bridge deck, wooden pillars erected, and a tiled roof, forming a long corridor in the air. On May 25, 2006, the Shuanglong Bridge was announced by the State Council of the People's Republic of China as the sixth batch of national key cultural relics protection units. 🚉 Transportation Strategy: The Shuanglong Bridge is located in Shuidaying Natural Village, Baijiaying Administrative Village, Xizhuang Town, Jianshui County, Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province. It is about 12 kilometers from Jianshui Station to Shuanglong Bridge, which takes about 20 minutes. ⏳ Visiting Time: Free to visit, the recommended visiting time is 30 minutes to 1 hour.