Anlan Suspension Bridge, Dujiangyan

Anlan Suspension Bridge (19 October, 2005)


The Anlan Suspension Bridge is a 500-meter bridge that crosses the Minjiang River. It bestrides the water of the Inner Canal and Outer Canal to connect with the Dujiangyan Irrigation System. Also known as the Husband And Wife Bridge, the Anlan Suspension Bridge has been around since ancient times, when it was known as Zhupu Bridge. During the Song Dynasty, it was rebuilt and called Pingshi Bridge. Pingshi Bridge was destroyed in the war at the end of Ming Dynasty.

View of the midspan of Anlan Suspension Bridge (19 October, 2005)


A new bridge was built to replace it during the eighth year of Jiaqing Reign, during the Qing Dynasty (1803). The person who proposed rebuilding the bridge was He Xiande and his wife. Since then, it was called Anlan Bridge, meaning "couple" or "husband-and-wife" bridge, in reference to the couple who proposed it.

Anlan Bridge is 261 meters long. It is supported by wooden pegs and stone piers. The bridge crosses the river by using bamboo ropes. The bridge is secured by bamboo ropes on two sides, in length of which are about 500 meters each. When the bridge was restored, steel ropes were used instead of bamboo ropes. The wooden pegs which supported the cable were changed to ferroconcrete pegs, and the length of the bridge become 240 meters.

Crossing the Anlan Suspension Bridge (19 October, 2005)


Crossing the Anlan Suspension Bridge (19 October, 2005)


Seen from the distance, the Anlan Bridge is like the rainbow in the sky. Crossing the bridge, you can see the Minjiang water roaring towards in the west and irrigation channels crossing each other in the east. The general picture and functions of Dujiangyan irrigation system are all clear at a glance. It was a very wet day when I visited the Dujiangyan irrigation system, but that creates a mood that is so appropriate for this region.

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