Yujin Bridge in Shaxi Old Town, Dali

Yujin Bridge

The meandering Heihui River runs through Shaxi from north to south in the east. There is a crescent-shaped ancient bridge, Yujin Bridge, across the river, which is set off by distant towering green mountains.Yujin bridge was built in the Qing Dynasty Kangxi, a few hundred years war collapsed and damaged, in 1931, Yunnan Province Dali Shaxi Jianchuan County public fundraising to build ancient bridge, Bai famous scholar Zhao Fan as Yujin bridge repair specifically wrote "bridges offering cited".

How to get to Yujin Bridge?

We can take the shuttle bus from Xiaguan(Dali) to Jianchuan County, and take a local minibus to Shaxi Town, then we can walk to Yujin Bridge directly.

History

Yujin Bridge was built in the Kangxi Period of the Qing Dynasty. After several centuries of collapse and destruction due to war, it was rebuilt in 1931. It has a height of 6 meters (12 meters clearance height), 35.4 meters length, 5 meters width, and fences made of stone slabs.

What to See

On one side, there is a stone-carved turtle head on the bridge vault looking at the upstream area of the Heihui River; on the other side, there is a turtle's tail connecting the downstream part of this river. At the ends of the fences, there are four carved giant salamanders.

This ancient bridge is the only way for Bai people living in Shaxi to go to work in the fields and to do business. Stone slabs on its body have become shiny with green light but are also potholed due to the press and tread of carriages, horses and people.

It is a witness and carrier of Shaxi's long history, greeting and sending off several generations of Shaxi ancestors. If you stand on the bridge looking back at Shaxi Ancient Town, you can see that there is a landscape painting under those mountains.

Nearby Attraction

Shaxi Ancient Town (沙溪古镇)

Shaxi Ancient Town is a pleasant surprise between Dali and Lijiang. Shaxi Ancient Town is a famous attraction once played an important role as a bustling trade point on the Tea Horse Caravan Road. With the decline of the ancient Tea Horse Road, the town seems to have been forgotten. But this helps retain the original appearance of the small town. Many of the historical sites have been well preserved including Sifang Street, Xingjiao Temple, Yuxi Bridge and Ancient Opera Stage. Compared with other commercialized ancient towns in China, the undeveloped Shaxi Ancient Town is a better place to escape from the hustle and bustle of the metropolis and experience the quaint lives of local Bai People

Best Time to Visit Yujin Bridge

You can visit Yujin Bridge between February to May since Shaxi enjoys the favorable climate and tranquil environment. The 8th day of the 2nd month on the lunar calendar can be the ideal time to enjoy the Taizi Festival, which is the grandest featival of Shaxi.