Chaoshan

Guangji Bridge Travel Guide

Eighteen Ferries and Twenty-Four Islets · Ancient Lift Bridge · Eight Views of Chaozhou

Guangji Bridge spans the Han River and is one of China's four great ancient bridges. It is also the most special 'movable' bridge—eighteen ferry boats are linked together in the middle to form a floating bridge, which is set up in the morning and taken down in the evening every day, allowing boats to pass on the river.

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Destination Details

Key facts

Best seasonThroughout the year, the most comfortable period is from October to April

Suggested stay1 hour

Key highlightsEighteen Shuttle Boats · Twenty-Four Islets · Bridge Piers and Pavilions · Bridge Dismantling Ceremony

TrafficWithin walking distance outside the East Gate of Chaozhou Ancient City

RemindThe floating bridge is taken apart around 17:30 every day. If you want to see the whole bridge, please go early.

Guangji Bridge, commonly known as Xiangzi Bridge, spans the Han River outside the East Gate of the ancient Chaozhou city and was first built during the Qiandao period of the Southern Song Dynasty. It is approximately 500 meters long, with stone piers and pavilions on the east and west sections, and a middle section consisting of eighteen shuttle boats arranged side by side to form a floating bridge — this combination of "beam bridge and floating bridge" is extremely rare among ancient Chinese bridges.

Main Highlights

Eighteen Shuttle Boats and Twenty-Four Piers

The folk saying "eighteen shuttle boats and twenty-four piers" refers to its structure: twenty-four stone bridge piers support pavilions, leaving a gap in the middle filled by eighteen wooden boats that form the bridge surface. The boats can be detached at any time to allow large ships to pass, making it one of the earliest movable bridges in the world.

Floating Bridge Operation

The floating bridge is assembled and disassembled at set times each day: in the morning it is connected to form a complete passage, and in the evening the boatmen tow the shuttle boats away to clear the navigation channel. If you only want to see the bridge fully connected, it is recommended to visit in the morning; if you want to see the bridge being dismantled, check the specific schedule in advance.

Pavilions and Bridge Market

The pavilions on the bridge vary in style, with some built as palace-like halls and others as gazebos. The mosaic decorations on the roof ridges represent Chaozhou-Shantou craftsmanship. The bridge deck also serves as a small market, selling Chaozhou-Shantou snacks and handicrafts, lively during the day. At night, the bridge and the lights on both riverbanks illuminate together, making it the most beautiful stretch of the Han River.

Suggested Route

Classic: Guangji Tower → Walk to the west section of the bridge → Cross the floating bridge → East bank → View the overall panorama, about 1 hour.
Combine with Han Wen Gong Memorial, Paifang Street, and Kaiyuan Temple for a one-day tour of Chaozhou Ancient City.

Practical Information

The bridge is just outside the East Gate of the ancient city and can be reached on foot. Summers along the Han River can be muggy, so visiting before evening is recommended; during typhoons or floods, the bridge may close temporarily, so check announcements before departure. The stone slabs on the bridge deck have large gaps, making it inconvenient to walk in high heels.