Chinese

Author: Dai Zhijian
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-06-01
Features: The sincere and wonderful, lingering yet sorrowful love story of the protagonist in the famous American film "The Bridges of Madison County" has captivated countless people deeply yearning for romance, bringing the Madison Covered Bridge into prominence and fame. In China, however, the covered bridge holds a different charm—its ancient and timeless elegance attracts and moves the hearts of millions. These ancient covered bridges are solemn and weathered yet magnificent and picturesque, like poetry and paintings, embodying a thousand emotions. They are tranquil and simple, serving as resting places and spiritual havens for villagers, and as a rich legacy in human architectural culture.
Crossing several rugged paths in the village, one can faintly see the covered bridge with its graceful curves soaring over a beautiful stream, hidden among towering trees on both sides. The dappled shadows of the trees fall upon the vermilion bridge body, black tiles, and white dragons and fish. The river, bathed in the glow of the setting sun, sparkles in clusters of orange yellow, faintly enveloping the covered bridge, slowly drifting away like a fairyland. At this moment, the air seems filled with a sweet solitude and an eternal sense of peace, intoxicating. Time seems to have frozen here. This is the clarity and purity after history’s passage. My consciousness flows between history and reality: for hundreds of years, the covered bridges have been accompanied by the same white-walled, black-tiled structures, moss-covered stone paths, flowing streams, and lazy old oxen dozing in the fields—all so serene and unhurried. There are no steel and concrete, no colorful neon lights, no indulgence in luxury or the clamor of carriages and horses. Instead, there are the traces of time, and the rich folk customs and historical culture that have emerged from a profound human environment.
When the world is rushing forward, these covered bridges in ancient villages and towns still live their lives with composure, standing tall and proud despite the winds and rains of a hundred years.
Friend, have you ever seen a bridge? Upon hearing this, you might laugh. Bridges and roads are like close siblings—where there is a road, there is a bridge, and where there is a bridge, there is a road. Who hasn’t walked a road? Who hasn’t seen a bridge? But have you ever seen a covered bridge? Have you ever seen the breathtakingly magnificent Chinese covered bridges? This question may not be so easy to answer.
If you’ve watched the American film "The Bridges of Madison County," do you remember the Madison Covered Bridge in the movie? Do you know that the Madison Covered Bridge, a nationally protected cultural relic in the U.S., famous for the romantic encounter of the film’s male and female protagonists, cannot be compared to China’s covered bridges in terms of its single-span structure, age, appearance, or internal design!
China is vast, with abundant mountains and rivers, and intersecting streams. Especially in the south, there are extensive hills, dense forests, deep valleys, and perilous gorges, making transportation extremely difficult. Ancient craftsmen, fully utilizing their wisdom, built various types of bridges according to the terrain, including many uniquely designed covered bridges. Some span perilous shoals and cliffs, while others rest quietly in villages and towns, presenting stunning scenery.
According to incomplete statistics, there are still over 3,000 uniquely styled ancient covered bridges standing in China’s green mountains and clear waters. They have withstood the test of time and have stood for over a thousand years. Their simple yet elegant designs, practical and scientific structures, and rough yet refined styles reflect the cultural concepts, aesthetic tastes, and superb craftsmanship of China’s ancestors. They form beautiful landscapes that move people deeply and leave them lingering in admiration.
Friends, please follow my footsteps into the towering mountains and ridges, extend our hands to brush away the dust of time, and together we shall rediscover the lost classics, stepping into the land of covered bridges, into the dream of covered bridges!