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The 1,000-year-old wooden bridges that keep
modern China moving: Stunning timber structures have withstood test of time
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Remarkable images of bridges built nearly 1,000 years ago and still in use
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The wooden bridges in south east China have been listed as cultural relics
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Knowledge and skills been passed on down the years to maintain them
PUBLISHED: 17:49 GMT, 27
December 2012 | UPDATED: 18:21 GMT, 27 December 2012
Still standing and still in
every-day use - the arched wooden bridges built in China nearly 1,000 years ago
demonstrate the true skill of the master craftsmen who first constructed them.
These stunning structures
show how not every part of China has been altered by its remarkable rate of
development.
The bridges, suspended
between two banks of lush greenery and built from the wood of the trees
surrounding them, are still a fully functional part of life in the Fuijan and
Zhejiang provinces along China 's south east coast.
Still in use: A man walks
across the Yangmeizhou timber arch lounge bridge, in the Xiadang village of
Shouning County, which was built during the Ming Dynasty
Amazing structures: The Yangmeizhou bridge, right, and the
Luanfeng bridge, left are both prime examples of the 'beam-weaving' bridge
building method where horizontal 'beams' are supported by piers at each end
Protected: The bridges,
including the Yangmeizhou bridge pictured, have been listed as one of the
state's key cultural relics
Of the 100 woven arched
timber 'lounge bridges' in China, 19 of them are in the Shouning County of the
Fujian province alone - including the Luanfeng and Yangmeizhou bridges in the
village of Xiadang.
The Qiancheng bridge
meanwhile, in the Tangkou village, in Fuzhou , also in the Fujian province is
even older, having been built during the Southern Song Dynasty which lasted
from 1127 to 1279.
Again the bridge, which is
an impressive 62.7 metres long and 4.9 metres wide, has been rebuilt several
times, but remains an iconic image of ancient Chinese construction methods.
Both of the bridges have
been listed as one of the state's key cultural relics, while the UNESCO website
has said the traditional methods for building the bridges on China's south east
coast, has declined in recent years because of the country's rapid
urbanisation.
The building of the bridges
relies on a skilled craftsmanship, with a woodworking master directing the
carpentry of a team of woodworkers.
Idyllic: The Luanfeng Bridge , a timber arch lounge bridge,
in the Xiadang village in south east China
Still standing: The
Qiancheng Bridge, in the village of Tangkou , which was built during the
Southern Song Dynasty, which began in 1127
This craftsmanship has
been passed on down the years from one generation to another by masters
teaching apprentices or relatives within a clan following strict procedures.
The clans then play a
vital role in the building, maintenance and protection of the bridges.
The historical bridges
also play an important role within the cultural life of the areas they have
been built in, providing meeting places for residents to exchange information,
worship and entertain.
Reaching over time: The Yangmeizhou Bridge is 47.6 meters
long and 4.9 meters wide
Throughout the years: The
skills and knowledge needed to maintain the bridges has been passed on through
the generations
The bridges, included on
UNESCO's National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage, are built entirely by
hand using the skill of 'beam-weaving' and creating mortise and tenon joints.
The woodworking masters
design the bridges with a range of arches depending on the surroundings, while
the passageways can be of various styles, depending on the use of the bridge.
To create arch support,
'beam weaving' is used which sees three rows of wood formed into an
arch-supporting system while in the upper layer five shorter rows of wood are
jointed and intertwined with upper-arch supports.
Wood that then connects
the whole bridge is placed at the joints between the ends so the bridge becomes
a solid whole.
Traditional tools such as
Lu Ban rulers, sawhorses, axes and chisels were used in the construction of the
bridges.
A glimpse into the past: The bridges offer us a peak into the China of years gone by, while still managing to serve the country in the modern day