Guangji Bridge.

Guangji Bridge is one of China's most famous ancient bridges. It is located outside the east gate of Chaozhou Ancient City in Guangdong Province, spanning the Han River and connecting the two banks of the river. It is known for its unique bridge construction style and is known as the "world's first drawbridge." Guangji Bridge was first built in the 7th year of the Qiandao period of the Southern Song Dynasty (1171). It was originally built by Zeng Wang, the governor of Chaozhou, who ordered the construction of stone piers and used 86 shuttle boats connected by iron chains to form a pontoon bridge, named "Kangji Bridge." Later, after being repaired by officials of successive dynasties, it gradually formed a unique pattern of "eighteen shuttle boats and twenty-four piers." The structure of Guangji Bridge is composed of two stone beam bridges in the east and west sections and a pontoon bridge in the middle. The eastern beam bridge is 283.35 meters long, the western beam bridge is 137.3 meters long, and the middle pontoon bridge is 97.3 meters long, connected by eighteen wooden boats. This floating beam structure can reduce the number of piers in the middle, greatly reducing the resistance to runoff. In the event of a flood, the pontoon bridge can be opened to quickly discharge the flood, improving the flood discharge capacity of the bridge. Guangji Bridge is not only a landmark building in Chaozhou but also a treasure in the history of Chinese bridge construction. It has witnessed the historical changes of Chaozhou, carries rich cultural connotations, and is still a part of the lives of the people of Chaozhou, attracting tourists from all over the world.