Guangji Bridge

🌟**Weekend trip to Chaozhou➕Shantou, indulge in a two-day and one-night journey of food and scenery! 🚌** 🚄**Day One: Exploring Chaozhou** Depart from Fuzhou by high-speed train🚅 8:38-11:24 Arrive at Chaoshan Station 🚖Take a taxi to the city center for a hearty lunch (Chaoshan Station is located between Chaozhou and Shantou, carpooling is the most convenient) - Discover the mysterious beauty of the Thai Buddha Temple - Stroll across Guangji Bridge, feeling the vicissitudes of history - Wander through Paifang Street, experiencing the charm of the ancient city 🍜**Chaozhou food recommendations:** Beef stir-fried with rice noodles, oil mandarin juice, oyster omelette, beef balls, fermented bean curd chicken wings, spring rolls, almond tea, salty rice dumplings (Don't forget to try them!) 🌇After dinner, head to Shantou Taste delicious dinner in Shantou (Beef hotpot is a must-try, for detailed strategies please refer to the previous notes～) 🌞**Day Two: Enjoying Shantou** - Check into a Shantou hostel, experiencing the local life atmosphere Have a delicious lunch (Try the tasty beef brisket rice) - Take a leisurely walk in Shantou's Little Park, feeling the tranquility and beauty 🍲**Shantou food recommendations:** Taro in syrup, Old Four's fruit juice ice, Old Hu's sweet soup, bean paste milk (Delicious flavors that are unforgettable) 🚗**Afternoon free exploration, tasting local snacks** Prepare to return to Fuzhou at 5 o'clock - Taste the big tree rice noodle rolls - Try a cup of authentic Chaozhou tea (Huangpi water) - Experience the cultural charm of Chengchuan tea treatment 🛴**Tips:** There are QR code scooters on the road, making travel more convenient! Two days on the weekend are definitely enough～ Let's seize every wonderful moment! 🌈 🌟**Summary** A two-day and one-night trip to Chaozhou➕Shantou is not only a journey of food but also a relaxation and enjoyment of the soul. This weekend, let us together feel the weight of history, appreciate the local customs, savor authentic food, and create our unforgettable memories. Looking forward to exploring with you and enjoying this wonderful journey! 🌺🌄

I've longed to visit Chaozhou, and I finally managed to arrange the trip✈️ Although three days and two nights is not a lot of time, I was able to satisfy my cravings and sightseeing desires😌. The only downside was the weather; it was overcast and rainy☔️. Weather really does play an important role when going out to have fun~ 🚘Transportation: Day one Nanjing✈️Jieyang🚕Shantou Day two Shantou chartered car tour around Nan'ao Island, circling the island, then off to Chaozhou Day three Chaozhou🚕Jieyang✈️Nanjing 🏨Accommodation: Shantou——Junhua Haiyi Hotel, just a five-minute walk to Longyan South Road, convenient for ordering takeout, with butler service in the hotel, which is quite considerate. However, the hotel is clearly dated, with older facilities. Chaozhou——Tengrui Crown Hotel, quite new, we stayed on the 38th floor with a nice view, the room environment and facilities were great~ The service was okay, not as considerate as the butler service in Shantou. 🎈Fun: Shantou——Strolled around the Little Park and Shantou Travel Agency, quite leisurely, good for taking photos, but the ferry ride back and forth didn't seem very interesting. Nan'ao Island——The chartered driver took us around for a check-in tour, there are many scenic spots, but unfortunately the weather was bad, so we just took photos for check-in. Nan'ao Island's beaches are nice, we could bring kids here in the future and stay on the island for a night. Chaozhou——Hanwen Gongci and Guangji Bridge are worth visiting, they have a strong sense of history and are close to each other, the light show on Guangji Bridge is quite stunning! Paifang Street is full of merchants, similar to Nanjing's Laomendong 😊Chaozhou is really delicious, with historical sites, culture, and natural scenery. Next time, I'll wait for good weather and come to play again👋

🌈 How long has it been since you last traveled with your parents? Take some time in March-April to accompany your parents, 🌆 the number of people in Chaozhou will be less during this period! The experience is better than usual holidays! Take your parents to experience the small town stories, stroll in Paifang Street🏝️, Guangji Bridge, Kaiyuan Temple... and other tourist attractions - 💁🏻【Three-day two-night itinerary】 Day🚏1️⃣: Paifang Street (free) → Kaiyuan Temple (free) → Xima Road (snack street) → Chen Weinan Cultural Museum (free) → Zhenhai Tower (free) → Xu Fuma Mansion (20 yuan) → Chaozhou West Lake (free) - Day🚏2️⃣: Beige Buddha Lamp (10 yuan) → Yiyuan (10 yuan) → Guangji Tower (10 yuan) → Guangji Bridge (20 yuan) → Watch the light show at Guangji Bridge at night (free) → North Bank Road Night Market at night - Day🚏3️⃣: Phoenix Island Park free) → Hanwen Gongci → (free) → Huiru Park (free) → Thai Buddha Hall (free) → Danfuyuan (40 yuan) - 👼Tips: Don't worry about the itinerary being too full! Chaozhou attractions are basically in the ancient city area! And they are all next to each other! It takes 1-5 minutes to walk to the next scenic spot! 🛎️【Recommend parents to stay around Chaozhou Ancient City】 ❤️Chao Hotel Fangju｜Downstairs is Paifang Street 🧡Chao Hotel·Jianju ｜100 meters walk to Kaiyuan Temple 💛Lane Morocco ｜One minute walk to Chaozhou Zhenhai Tower 💚Xiermon Meisu ｜Multiple room types to choose from! Free parking! 💙Binjiang Meixi｜Budget hotel! Student party charge! - 💁🏻Precautions ①Have a planned itinerary to make parents feel involved. ②Guided by parents' interests and hobbies. ③Parents have pocket money to avoid inability to pay by phone ④Prepare some medicines, don't forget to bring the medicines that parents usually take. ⑤Bring more warm clothes in winter, and mosquito repellent in summer. ⑥Take more photos of parents and take more photos with parents. ⑦Don't argue with parents in public. ⑧You can walk a little slower, be more patient. ⑨ Do not act separately from parents. ⑩Transportation is mainly fast and comfortable - 【Recommended food shops🚏】 🍧South Gate Xieji 🍤Mr. Braised Goose 🧁Old Zhang Gu Shop 🍲Red Head Boat Raw Pickle 🍪Li Ji Snacks 🍎Old Fan Guest Licorice Fruit 🥔Phoenix Floating Tofu 🥟Eighteen Curves Fish Dumplings 🍢Ming Ji Snacks 🍖Cai Bo Traditional Snacks Glutinous Rice Pig Intestines 🧇Kaiyuan Road Salt Water Gu 🫢Chaozhou Special Snacks (recommended to eat on Xima Road): Sesame tea, fried chicken wings, fish dumplings, pig's trotters, bamboo shoots, wheat cakes, turnip balls, spring rolls, cake rolls, oyster pancakes, ... and so on

Chaozhou's must-visit spot, the Guangji Bridge, is one of China's 'Four Ancient Bridges' and has been praised by bridge expert Mao Yisheng as 'the world's earliest open-close style bridge.' It was first built during the Southern Song Dynasty (1171). 👏 A full-day Guangji Bridge itinerary: ➡️ Pass through the ancient city and cross the Guangji Tower in the morning to see the boats come together to form the bridge ➡️ Spend 20💴 for a ticket to cross the bridge ➡️ Walk across the bridge to the Hanwen Gong Temple on the opposite bank, which is good for a half-day visit ➡️ Return from Guangji Bridge and enter the ancient city through the Xia Shui Men Tower into Paifang Street ➡️ Enjoy delicious food and stroll along Paifang Street in the afternoon ➡️ Watch the free Guangji Bridge light show at night ❓Do you need to buy another ticket to return from Hanwen Gong Temple across Guangji Bridge? ‼️ How to get a free pass ⚠️ Remember this: When you walk from the Guangji Tower side to the exit on the Hanwen Gong Temple side ▶️ Find a staff member and show your Hanwen Gong Temple reservation page ▶️ They will direct you to the ticket office on the left side of the exit to register and get a stamp ▶️ On your return, you can cross the bridge for free with the stamped Guangji Bridge ticket and the Hanwen Gong Temple ticket (free of charge)! (Note: It is not clear if this is still possible on holidays) 🚢 The floating bridge connection times are as follows: February 1st—October 31st: 10:00—17:30 November 1st—January 31st: 10:00—16:30 ⚠️ Note on holidays and weekends: 9:00—17:30 🌟 If you want to see the boats come together in the morning, you should arrive at least 40 minutes before the above connection times. (Don't be like that silly kid who arrived at 9:30 on the weekend thinking they could see it...) 🌟 If you want to witness the 'bridge-dismantling,' just get there before the last connection time. (Arriving early means shivering in the cold wind for nothing, like that silly kid named Jin Zhu La Mu...😂) 🎆 Guangji Bridge light show times and viewing spots at night: Every night at 8:00 PM Weekends at 8:00 PM and 9:30 PM You should at least arrive 20 minutes early to secure a good spot (from Guangji Tower to Xia Shui Men Tower side, enjoy the view from the side of Guangji Bridge). With this guide, you'll save at least 20 bucks and a lot of precious time. I've taken the detours so my 'jewels' don't have to.👏🌞 I am Jin Zhu La Mu, welcome to follow ♥️ and experience a different world together ✈️

Chaozhou really values the heritage of intangible cultural heritage. When the intangible cultural heritage lanterns meet the intangible cultural heritage Chaozhou cuisine, the festive atmosphere of Jianye's home flavor is maxed out! Shantou is really too romantic 😭😭 Come to Chaozhou's Guangji Bridge for a challenge! I personally prefer the night view of Guangji Bridge. When the lights come on at night, it feels a bit like Chongqing's Hongya Cave, with a little feel. The small lanterns🏮 are basically available at every store, and we bought them near the main entrance. It just so happened to be the weekend, and there were really a lot of people 📸tips: Don't just stand at the main entrance to take pictures, come in and you can go up the small stairs on both sides of the main entrance to the second floor, the pictures taken from there are even better! It perfectly avoids the crowd, and the scenery is very prominent, and you can also take pictures at the corner of the stairs~ What's great is that when we arrived, we just caught the start of the light show across the street. We went to see it first, and the light show with music had a strong Chaozhou flavor. It's a pity that it was a bit rushed. When coming back, I saw everyone checking in at Chaozhou on social media. There are so many places I want to go to experience the shock of Chaozhou's fire jumping tradition

Guangji Bridge, one of the four ancient bridges in China, is also the first drawbridge. The bridge is connected every morning and disconnected at five or six in the afternoon. Guangji Bridge has two ticket gates, tickets can be purchased on both sides, one is outside the water gate coming out of Paifang Street, and the other is on the side of Hanwen Gong Temple. Transportation: Self-driving (Didi): Because there are a lot of people on Paifang Street, it may not be easy to find a parking spot, you may have to drive to the side of Han Gong Temple. Bus: Chaozhou buses are not punctual, not very convenient, it is recommended to check the platform~ Tricycle: If you come from the urban area of Chaozhou, you can choose to take a tricycle, very comfortable, 5/10 yuan. 🎫Tickets (stop selling at five in the afternoon) Adults 20 yuan, free for those under 1.2m Half price for minors/elderly/students... "Chaozhou's eight scenic spots are good and romantic, eighteen shuttle boats and twenty-four continents, twenty-four towers and twenty-four styles, two cattle and one slip" 🧸There are different Chaozhou intangible cultural heritage displays or sales on the tower, such as wood carving, embroidery, clay sculpture, etc.~ 🎐The cattle is at the entrance on the side of the water gate There are a lot of people on weekends, especially tour groups, you can rub a tour guide to learn a little about the related history and culture~

This bridge in Chaozhou, known professionally as "the world's earliest lift bridge", was something I only learned about upon my arrival, revealing my limited knowledge. The Guangji Bridge is different from other bridges in that it combines the features of a beam bridge, a pontoon bridge, and an arch bridge. The most remarkable part is the pontoon section in the middle, which is made up of dozens of wooden boats connected together (I couldn't count exactly how many boats there were). The boats are covered with wooden planks to form a floating bridge that people can walk across; the most majestic part is the arch bridge, which, I was told, spans about fifty meters and rises about thirty meters in height. I arrived here after four in the afternoon, grabbed a cup of Americano with mandarin orange, and waited to witness the astonishing scene of 'dismantling the bridge to cross the river.' The dismantling started around five-thirty. I saw two large boats slowly approaching from a distance, gradually separating the sections of the pontoon bridge until it was split in two. During the day, the bridge is closed for people to cross, and at night it opens to allow the passage of large ships. It can also be quickly dismantled for flood discharge during heavy rains.

The Chaoshan area is known as the most festive area in China. Every time the Spring Festival comes, it is a mix of various folk activities. Many unique folk activities have become national intangible cultural heritage. Here I have summarized the time and location of the major popular activities in 2024 for you. To visit the Chaoshan folk customs, this one is enough! Lunar New Year's Day 3 (2.13) Huage Building New Year Blessing Activity, Huage Building Scenic Area, Dapu County, Meizhou Lunar New Year's Day 1 to 8 (2.10-17) Chaozhou Ancient City Intangible Cultural Heritage Fair, Guangji Bridge, Han Wen Gong Temple, Chaozhou City, etc. Lunar New Year's Day 1, 2 (2.10, 2.11) Buma Dance, Lion Dance, Drum Team Performance, Shangdong Village, Dacheng Town, Raoping County, Chaozhou City Lunar New Year's Day 2, 3 (2.11, 2.12) 8 pm, Tiezhi Puppet Show, Tang Boyuan's Former Residence (Yuewenfang), Chaozhou City Lunar New Year's Day 4 (2.13) Chao Opera Chao Qu Concert, Yuewenfang, Cultural Square, Fengcheng Park, Chaozhou City Lunar New Year's Day 5 (2.14) Traditional Lion Dance Dragon Dance Show, People's Square, Chaozhou City Lunar New Year's Day 10 (2.19) Ying Dance Performance, Shuangluo Village, Dongshan Town, Raoping County, Chaozhou City Lunar New Year's Day 10 (2.19) Dragon Parade, Bashang Community, Shangrao Town, Raoping County, Chaozhou City Lunar New Year's Day 10 (2.19) Dragon Parade, Xukeng Village, Shangrao Town, Raoping County, Chaozhou City Lunar New Year's Day 10 (2.19) Qiaolin Fireworks Fire Dragon, Qiaolin Township, Jieyang City Lunar New Year's Day 11 (2.20) Grinding Lord Activity, Tiepu Village, Tiepu Town, Chaozhou City Lunar New Year's Day 12 (2.21) Drum Team Parade, Lane Xia Village, Guantang Town, Chaozhou City Lunar New Year's Day 13 (2.22) Dragon Parade. Cultural Square, Maozhi Community, Shangrao Town, Raoping County, Chaozhou City Lunar New Year's Day 14 to 15 (2.23, 2.24) Lantern Festival, Dachanglong Village, Puning City Lunar New Year's Day 15 (2.24) Dragon Dance Performance, Fengling Village, Sanrao Town, Raoping County, Chaozhou City Lunar New Year's Day 15 (2.24) Puzhai Fireworks Fire Dragon, Puzhai Town, Fengshun County, Meizhou City Lunar New Year's Day 15 (2.24) Traditional Dragon Dance Drum Parade, Yangcipu Village, Raoyang Town, Raoping County, Chaozhou City Lunar New Year's Day 15 (2.24) Traditional Dragon Dance Drum Parade, Lanwu She Village, Yang Town, Raoping County, Chaozhou City Lunar New Year's Day 15 to 18 (2.24-27) Big Pig Race Activity, Xinheng Town, Jiedong County, Jieyang City Lunar New Year's Day 16 (2.25) Jumping Fire Stack Camp Lord Activity, Zhanlong West Village, Zhanlong Town, Puning City Lunar New Year's Day 16 (2.25) Ying Dance, Mazha Village, Puning City Lunar New Year's Day 16 (2.25) Walking Cane Lane Folk Activity, Xikou Village, Linxi Town, Chaozhou City Lunar New Year's Day 17 (2.26) Big Pig Race Activity, Guanshan Village, Chenghai District, Chaozhou City

🌉 Guangji Bridge ticket price: Adults: 20/person (purchase on-site) 📍Address: East Huan City Road, Xiangqiao District, Chaozhou City, Guangdong Province (opposite Guangji Gate Tower) 🌉 Guangji Bridge opening hours: ☃️Winter time: November 1st - January 31st of the following year Weekdays: 10:00-16:30 (Ticket sales stop at 16:00) Weekends/Holidays: 09:00-17:30 (Ticket sales stop at 17:00) 🔥Summer time: February 1st - October 31st Weekdays: 10:00-17:30 (Ticket sales stop at 17:00) Weekends and holidays: 09:00-17:30 ⏳Tour duration: About 1h is already very sufficient (the bridge is 518 meters long, you can walk back and forth on the bridge) 🌉 Guangji Bridge: Also known as Chaozhou Guangji Bridge, it was historically called Kangji Bridge, Dinghou Bridge, and Jichuan Bridge, commonly known as Xiangzi Bridge, and also referred to as Chaozhou Xiangzi Bridge. Located outside the east gate of the ancient city of Chaozhou, Guangdong Province, spanning the Han River and connecting the east and west banks, it combines beam, pontoon, and arch bridges in one. It was a vital passageway for ancient Guangdong to Fujian and Zhejiang, one of the eight scenic spots of Chaozhou, a famous cultural and tourist attraction in the Chaoshan area, one of the four ancient bridges in China, a national key cultural relics protection unit, a national AAAA tourist attraction, and has been praised by bridge expert Mao Yisheng as 'the world's earliest drawbridge'. ⛩️Chaozhou Ancient City: Just walk over from Guangji Bridge to reach Chaozhou Ancient City. Chaozhou Ancient City is a national historical and cultural city, and its Paifang Street is a cultural ancient street that integrates intangible cultural heritage, traditional crafts, and special snacks. It is really suitable for strolling and eating. (The folk rhyme goes: 'Chaozhou Xiangqiao is so charming, with eighteen boats and twenty-four islets, twenty-four pavilions and twenty-four specialties, two iron bulls and one slippery one.') 🍱Cuisine: There are hand-beaten beef balls, Chaoshan three treasures, as well as salty rice cakes, fermented bean curd chicken wings, Chao-style marinated platter, cheese-baked lobster, skillfully roasted squid slices, specialty raw pickles, and steamed dragon grouper. 🌉 Guangji Bridge tourist projects: Light show🎆 performance time: Monday to Thursday: One show every night, starting at 8:00 pm, each performance lasts 15 minutes. Friday to Sunday: Two shows every night, at 8:00 pm and 9:30 pm. Each performance lasts 15 minutes. Viewing location: You can watch from both sides of the Binjiang Corridor, so be sure to go early to grab a good spot! Essential equipment: Friends who want to take photos can wear Hanfu🥻, Chinese-style clothing, and carry a small lantern🏮, which makes for great photos. ⛩️Paifang Street: Go straight into the main street, the night view of Paifang Street is very beautiful, you can take some night scene photos, which are very lively. 🛒Toiletries: In summer, be sure to spray mosquito repellent, as there are quite a few mosquitoes. 🚥Transportation: Kaiyuan Temple (free) - Paifang Street (free) - Jiadixiang (free) - Xia Shuimen Gate Tower (free) - Guangji Tower - Guangji Bridge - Han Wengong Temple - Haiyang Confucian Temple (Confucius Temple) - Zhongshan Road (Chaozhou wood carving, Chao embroidery crafts) - Xu Fuma Mansion - Chaozhou West Lake (free)

Guangji Bridge, formerly known as Kangji Bridge, Dinghou Bridge, and Jichuan Bridge, commonly known as Xiangzi Bridge, and also referred to as Chaozhou Xiangzi Bridge, is located outside the east gate of the ancient city of Chaozhou, Guangdong Province. Spanning the Han River, it connects the east and west banks and was a vital thoroughfare from ancient Guangdong to Zhejiang. It combines the features of beam bridges, pontoon bridges, and arch bridges, making it one of the eight scenic spots in Chaozhou and a unique example in the history of Chinese bridges. After the Spring Festival, a friend invited me to visit the Chaoshan area to see the local customs, and Guangji Bridge is a must-visit spot. This bridge is quite special; you must visit it once during the day and again at night. Why?