ChinaSignature | Luoyang Bridge in Quanzhou: Nature's philosophy in tides and oyster reefs

BEIJING, March 24 (Xinhua) -- March 22 marks World Water Day, and China Water Week runs from March 22 to 28. Both aim to raise awareness of the value of water resources and the need for their sustainable management.

Cai Xiang, a renowned calligrapher of China's Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127) and governor of Quanzhou, was also a master in taming the waves. Nearly a thousand years ago, he oversaw the construction of Luoyang Bridge, China's earliest flat-beam stone bridge to span a tidal estuary. Without steel, concrete, or machinery, the bridge was built in harmony with the sea. It not only safeguarded livelihoods, but also stood as a vital landmark along the Maritime Silk Road.

How did this ancient bridge endure through centuries of crashing waves? Let Cai Xiang reveal the philosophy behind its creation.

Photos by

Jiang Kehong, Sui Shangjun

Story by

Sui Shangjun

Visual design by

Li Mangmang, Hu Jingwen & Sui Shangjun

China Signature Studio■