On the festive occasions the fellow villagers of Dong nationality bringing along the old and young were jubilant to flock to the Chengyang Bridge from all directions. The young boys and girls of the Don Nationality dressed in their holiday best. Were setting off crackers while dancing the "Cai Tang" dance accompanied with reed-pipe wind instrument. People were gathering at the head of the Chengyang Bridge. The passageway was blockaded with the stable fences made of green bamboo by the youngsters and girls. On the days of jubilation or during the festive activities all guests coming here to visit their relatives and friends were declined to enter the village. The youngsters and girls neither check your passes nor ask lbr money, but they only want to sing in antiphonal style with you. Please listen to the song of "blocking the way".
Never seen such a brilliant Sunlight,
Never seen such colorful flowers,
The appearances of the Dong nationally,
Have changed a lot,
Because the guests coming from afar today...
Just like the storm-tossed bridge of the Dong nationality the songs of them are characteristic of cordiality, harmony, simplicity and grace. When the guests could correct link the song they would be permitted to enter the village through the bridge and well received. Such a kind of jubilant occasion could be easily found in the Dong villages or Dong townships. But the Chengyang Bridge is one of the "state major units of historical relics under protection". Therefore singing in antiphonal style on Chengyang Bridge has a special cultural flavour.
he Chengyang Bridge was built by the people of the eight Dong villages such as Chengyang Village, Ma'an Village, etc. headed by five old Dong men, who mobilized the village to offer the timbers or contribute their labor while tilling the land. The best stonemasons and carpenters were invited here to construct. It took 12 years to accomplish the construction of the Chengyang Bridge.
Situated at Linxi Township of Sanjiang County of the Northern Guangxi, the Chengyang Bridge is across the Linxi River. It is 64 meters in length, 3 meters in width and more than 10 meters in height. It is a four-arched bridge with five piers. Each arch of main girders of bridge was built in two layers with seven China firs that about half meter in diameter, 30 meters in length. Then planks would be paved, columns erected, beams put up. At last, the roof would be constructed and covered with tiles. Along both sides of bridge installed the banisters. In the Linxi township there are about 15 storm-tossed bridges. Its local name is "florai bridge". People are overwhelmed with the fact that the whole bridge fully depend upon its through-jointed frame and corbel, without any iron nails and screws.
Every village of Dong nationality of the Northern Guangxi has its own bridge which is different from others in the style. Some are composed of three pavilions: some four pavilions; some, five pavilions; some are covered with rectangle or hexagonal spires, two to five layers of eaves; some are with Xieshan-style roofs. The more interesting is that the storm-tossed bridges at the Town Ba Tuan have double decks. The upper deck is form people to walk on while the lower deck for draught animals.
The storm-tossed bridge is just entrance of a village, which is a passage linking the two banks of the rivers and streams. It is the only way to enter the village as well as the symbol of a village. |
