HK Media's Guizhou Tour: Spanning the "Great Crack of the Earth", Huajiang Canyon Bridge Stands Unrivaled in Every Direction

On the final day of the delegation's Guizhou tour (April 26), the members visited the Huajiang Canyon Bridge, hailed as a world first in both horizontal and vertical dimensions.

The Huajiang Canyon Bridge is hailed as a world first in both horizontal and vertical dimensions. Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

Invested in and constructed by Guizhou Transportation Investment Group Co., Ltd, the bridge is a key control project of the Liuzhi-Anlong Expressway in Guizhou Province. Stretching 2,890 metres in total length, it features a main span of 1,420 metres and stands 625 metres above the water. The bridge holds two world records: the longest main span for mountain bridges and the highest elevation, earning its reputation as a global leader in every direction.

The bridge holds two world records: the longest main span for mountain bridges and the highest elevation, earning its reputation as a global leader in every direction. Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

After being established, the Huajiang Canyon Bridge has shortened travel time between Guanling Buyei and Miao Autonomous County in Anshun City and Zhenfeng County in Qianxinan Prefecture from two hours to just two minutes. Moreover, it has improved access to major tourist attractions, including Huangguoshu Waterfall, Anshun Dragon Palace Cave, Wanfenglin Scenic Spot, and other tourist attractions, creating a new world-class tourism landmark.

The bridge stands as a testament to China's infrastructure technology and engineering ingenuity under extreme natural conditions. It is not merely a structure of reinforced concrete, but also a comprehensive integration of drone technology, Building Information Modeling (BIM), intelligent monitoring, ultra-high-strength materials, and innovative construction techniques. The construction team overcame the natural barrier of the "Great Crack of the Earth", transforming a formidable chasm into a thoroughfare, a truly milestone in global bridge construction history.

Visitors can showcase their courage on specially designed glass sections, striking poses on the transparent surface while taking in the breathtaking views. Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

Designed as a comprehensive bridge-tourism complex, the Huajiang Canyon Bridge combines "bridge sightseeing + bridge sports experience + tourism services", setting an innovative model for Guizhou's bridge-tourism integration. Visitors can showcase their courage on specially designed glass sections, striking poses on the transparent surface while taking in the breathtaking views.

The VR bungee jumping worth RMB 88 on site, Photo by Bastille Post

The bridge also offers paid extreme sports experiences, including bungee jumping, sky racing, and a "heart-stopping" walk, with prices ranging from RMB 100 to 2,999.

Ms. Nie Caiqi, Photo by Bastille Post

Ms. Nie Caiqi, a Guizhou resident who experienced the "heart-stopping" walk, said it was her first time visiting the bridge and she came mainly to accompany her mother for sightseeing. She admitted feeling noticeably nervous and afraid before stepping onto the wooden planks, but found that "it wasn't actually that scary". With constant encouragement from those around her, she completed the experience.

Ms. Nie experienced the "heart-stopping" walk. Photo by Bastille Post

Mr. Han Cheng, a tourist from Hubei Province who experienced the bungee jump, said that for him, extreme sports represent excitement, adrenaline, and a man's dream. He viewed the bungee jump as a special gift for his 33rd birthday. Mr. Han admitted that he "backed down twice" before jumping due to fear, and that the most terrifying moment after jumping was the sensation of weightlessness during the fall, which made him experience the whole process mostly with his eyes closed.

Mr. Han Cheng, Photo by Bastille Post

Asked whether spending nearly RMB 3,000 for a few seconds of experience was worth it, Mr. Han confessed that he had thought it was expensive before jumping, but felt it was worthwhile afterwards, since he accomplished something he had never done in 33 years. He pointed out that he had already won a "gold medal" of courage after the jumping, proving his own bravery to himself, without needing to show it to anyone else on social media.

The Huajiang Canyon Bridge, Photo by Bastille Post

On the fourth day of the delegation's Guizhou tour (April 25), the members visited the globally renowned Moutai Liquor Factory and the national 5A-level tourist scenic spot, Zhijindong Cave.

The Moutai Chinese Liquor Culture City, a large-scale wine culture exposition area invested and built by Kweichow Moutai Group between 1993 and 1997, Photo by Bastille Post

The statues of Mr. Zhou Enlai and Mr. Charlie Chaplin in the scenic spot, Photo by Bastille Post

In the morning, the delegation visited the Moutai Liquor Factory and the Moutai Chinese Liquor Culture City, a large-scale wine culture exposition area invested and built by Kweichow Moutai Group between 1993 and 1997, to have a deep insight into the Group's liquor-making process. The Group is headquartered in the scenic Maotai Town, located on the banks of the Chishui River in northern Guizhou Province, while the headquarters sits at an average altitude of 423 meters and employs more than 40,000 people.

The Group traces its roots back to three historic distilleries in Maotai Town — "Chengyi", "Ronghe", and "Hengxing", each with over a century of brewing history.

Photo by Bastille Post

The development of Moutai, Photo by Bastille Post

With Kweichow Moutai Co., Ltd. as its core subsidiary, Kweichow Moutai Group focuses its development on three core pillars: Wine Industry, Wine-Tourism & Health Care, and Industrial Chain Finance. The Group now oversees 36 wholly-owned, holding, and joint-stock companies, with business interests spanning baijiu, health liquor, grape wine, securities, insurance, banking, cultural tourism, education, real estate, ecological agriculture, and baijiu-related upstream and downstream industries.

The introduction of the staff, Photo by Bastille Post

Mr. Zhou Enlai and Kweichow Moutai, Photo by Bastille Post

Its flagship product, Kweichow Moutai, is widely recognized as the originator and quintessential representative of China's sauce-flavor Daqu liquor. Its core production area covers 15.03 square kilometers. Kweichow Moutai holds the titles of "China's Geographical Indication Product", "China-EU Geographical Indication Product", and "Organic Food", and is also recognized as China's national intangible cultural heritage, making it a fragrant Chinese calling card that has spread its reputation across the world.

Special versions of Kweichow Moutai, Photo by Bastille Post

The display wall of Kweichow Moutai, Photo by Bastille Post

The reporter had the opportunity to taste Moutai ice cream firsthand. To describe the actual taste: it resembles the grape rum ice cream available in Hong Kong supermarkets, but without grapes, leaving a subtle hint of alcohol and sweetness on the palate. The Group's staff said the ice cream contains 3% Moutai liquor and comes in five flavors: original, chocolate, strawberry, matcha, and plum. A single scoop costs 39 RMB.

Photo by Bastille Post

The Moutai ice cream, Photo by Bastille Post

In the afternoon, the delegation toured the Zhijindong Cave UNESCO Global Geopark in Zhijin County, Bijie City, which is also Guizhou's first UNESCO Global Geopark and carries the reputation of being "China's most beautiful cave". Moreover, it's a National Scenic Area, National Geopark, National Natural Heritage, and National 5A-level Tourist Scenic Spot.

The Zhijindong Cave UNESCO Global Geopark, Photo by Bastille Post

The Zhijindong Cave UNESCO Global Geopark, Photo by Bastille Post

The reasons for Zhijindong Cave to earn a status of UNESCO Global Geopark are based on its unique geological heritage characteristics and extremely high aesthetic value. First, it contains the densest concentration of cave halls.

Photo by Bastille Post

Second, Zhijindong Cave features nearly every known type of karst deposits— stone walls, stalagmites, moon milk stones, rimstones, curling stones, cave flowers, flowstones, and more. It also boasts the widest variety of rare karst accumulations. Cave landscapes such as the Silver Rain Tree, Overlord's Helmet, Upside-Down Pipa, Grand Mural, and Twins Jade Tree are breathtakingly lifelike.

Photo by Bastille Post

According to the staff of the scenic spot, Zhijindong Cave can be called a place that will change one's view of what a cave can be, making visitors marvel that a cave could actually be outstandingly beautiful. Beyond the magnificent scenery of the cave, the Geopark also includes attractions such as dense sinkholes, natural bridges, and other geological landscapes. Moreover, the Wujiang River Source Gallery also offers a striking combination of gorges, high cliffs, and tranquil waters, featuring both aquatic and above-ground landscapes.

Photo by Bastille Post

The staff explained that most people have heard of the Chinese idiom "dripping water wears away stone". But the transformations inside the Zhijindong Cave could be better described as "dripping water builds stone" — as water droplets continuously contribute to karst growth.

The staff further noted that green plants have been observed growing on or above the surface of stalactites. These plants absorb moisture from the stalactites. Once the moisture is withdrawn, the stalactites will oxidize at a fast speed, leading to cracking and falling, a form of substantial damage instead of surface soiling. To combat this situation, the Geopark uses high-pressure water guns on a weekly basis to clean surfaces in key protected areas, curbing the effects of plant attachment and vegetation growth.

Photo by Bastille Post