Qingshuihe Bridge

Introduction

The Qingshuihe Bridge is a red steel rainbow bridge that spans the Qingshuihe Canyon at the junction of Kaiyang in Guiyang and Wengan in Qiannan. The bridge connects the steep cliffs on both sides of the V-shaped gorge. The Qingshuihe Bridge is a marvel of engineering and is known for its innovative technology within Guizhou's  “Bridge Museum.”

This bridge is the largest of its kind in the world. It is also the premier mountainous steel-truss suspension bridge in Asia. It is 2,171.4 meters long. Its main span, which is 1,130 meters long, crosses the gorge in a single arch. The deck of the bridge is 406 meters high. That is the same as a 135-story building. From there, you can look down on the fast-moving Qing Shui River and the layered karst peaks next to it. This bridge cost 1.54 billion yuan to build. It was built in extreme terrain where “not a single square foot of level ground exists.” Engineers used a new technology called composite plate-truss technology. This technology broke the bridge structure into sections that were put together on the site. They used kilometer-level cable lifting techniques. Construction was completed in just 29 months. This was a full year ahead of schedule.

Today, the journey from Guiyang to Wengan takes one hour instead of four, and it takes just three minutes to cross the gorge, instead of two. The railway has become a popular place to visit amongst the beautiful karst landscapes. The red bridge stands out brightly against the green canyon from its viewing platform. When it's misty, it looks like a path to heaven. The beautiful Qingshui River Gorge and the cultural attractions of the ancient Buyi villages are just some of the other things to see nearby, blending the bridge's engineering skill with the natural world.