Guang Ji Qiao - Chao Zhou

Located on Han Jiang (river), Guang Ji Qiao (bridge was built for the purpose of tax collection. Chao Zhou has long been a sea port for oversea exporting goods, mostly to the South East Asia, even today. Large number of Chao Zhou people have been living over seas for hundreds years, bringing home cash to the family in Chao Zhou has long been the financial support of the locals. Water way were the only transportation route for exporting good back in the days, so the best way to collect tax is over the bridge.

Both ends of the bridge are stationed with bricks and mortar, the middle section is connected with movable wooden boats. Passing boats would pay the fee, went through the mid section, traveled out to the sea via Han Jiang. Today, it no long serves this purpose. Each morning, the small boats are moved aside for passing by boats, then closed again for the rest of the day. It's now a tourist spot, cost 50 RMB to be on the bridge. It's one of the 4 most famous, well preserved and unique bridges of China.

I have seen many bridges during this trip. Each bridge is unique and beautiful. What I like about the Chinese ancient bridges are their functionality, not only they connect one side of the water way to another, they provide coverage for the rainy days and protects passerby from the hot sun. If so you like to watch the water shimmer and run by you, you may spend a moment of life here on the bridge, it's romantic by itself. To meet someone, say a date, you can pick the bridge as the location, whoever's waiting at the bridge can enjoy the pictorial view and became part of the picture as others view you. A bridge this beautiful can not be missed or get mixed up as one might have to call and ask "I am at startbucks, but I don't see you, which startbucks are you at now?" I love water, whenever I see water, my mind calms as an effect. How I wish to have such beautiful bridges in LA.