Artisan builders in Ningde City, south China's Fujian Province, are using their traditional craftsmanship to preserve a centuries-old Chinese wooden arch bridge, a feat of ancient engineering now recognized on UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
On Thursday, UNESCO added traditional design and practices for building Chinese wooden arch bridges to its Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Among all Chinese wooden arch bridges, the 1,000-year-old Wan'an Bridge in Changqiao Village of Pingnan County stands out as the largest and longest-surviving such bridge in China, with a length of 98.2 meters. "The most remarkable aspect of Chinese wooden arch bridges is their structure. Using short wooden pieces to span large distances requires exceptional skill, and multi-span designs like Wan'an Bridge demand greater expertise than single-arch bridges, demonstrating the wisdom of bridge builders," said Lu Zeqi, a local rural revitalization officer.
In 2022, an devastating fire once again tested the resilience of Wan'an Bridge. Huang Minhui, an inheritor of wooden arch bridge construction whose family has a century-long connection with the ancient bridge, led the restoration efforts.
"The most important aspect of restoring Wan'an Bridge is its wooden arch. The arch's woven wooden structure is central to traditional wooden arch bridge building techniques. Parts are held together by mortise-and-tenon joints, without the use of nails or metal materials. The structure resembles a upside-down woven basket, which makes it very stable," said Huang.
Local preservationists and craftsmen face high demands as they seek to help the iconic bridge better withstand the forces of nature, including floods, fires, and natural erosion.
"Our biggest challenge was staying true to our ancestors' techniques in the recent restoration work. All our meticulous efforts are to restore the original appearance of Wan'an Bridge," said Huang.
From the ashes of disaster to the UNESCO stage, Wan'an Bridge reflects the spirit of resilience, tradition, and progress—a true cultural treasure bridging the past and the future.
Fujian artisans safeguard centuries-old Chinese wooden arch bridge
