Taishun Covered Bridge Introduction
The Zhejiang Taishun Langqiao refers to the wooden arch covered bridges located in Taishun County, Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province, China. There are more than 30 ancient covered bridges from the Ming and Qing Dynasties still standing in Taishun. Because of their abundance and diversity, Taishun is known as the "Kingdom of Covered Bridges" and "Hometown of Covered Bridges" in China. The covered bridges in Taishun are physical testimonies of Chinese folk culture, with bridge structures resembling the Bian River Rainbow Bridge depicted in the famous Northern Song Dynasty painting "Along the River During the Qingming Festival." For centuries, the people of Taishun have referred to the covered bridges as "Centipede Bridges." Built primarily with wooden arch structures and assembled using mortise and tenon joints without a single nail, this unique construction method has been listed as a part of the world's intangible cultural heritage. The combination of the corridor and the wooden arch structure not only serves basic transportation functions but also provides structural support for the wooden arch, protects the wooden bridges from wind and rain, offers resting places, serves as locations for folk beliefs, and provides spaces for gatherings, communication, and trade. Currently, the Wuchang Palace in Jiji Town, Nantou County, offers a view of the Zhejiang Taishun covered bridges, specifically designed in the style of the Beijian Bridge from Xi Creek, featuring a statue of Yue Lao, the deity of love, allowing those seeking romantic fulfillment to step onto the bridge of love and sincerely pray for a good marriage.
