On July 9, Yanghou Bridge is located in Yanghou Natural Village, Waitun Village, Waitun Township, Zhenghe County, Nanping City, Fujian Province. The exact year of its original construction is unknown; the existing wooden arch covered bridge was built in October of the Daoguang reign of the Qing Dynasty (1850 AD) and has a history of more than 170 years. The arch bridge has a span of 33 meters and a width of 4.86 meters, and the roof of the bridge house stands 25.6 meters above the river surface. It is a cultural relic protection unit of Fujian Province and was included in the "China World Cultural Heritage Tentative List" in 2012.

Yanghou Bridge. Photo by Huang Jiemin

Villager Yang Jiyi grew up beside the bridge corridor. Now 75 years old, he is the bridge's "bodyguard," watching over it. In 1974, he took over the burden of protecting the bridge from his 50-year-old father, Yang Wuqing, and realized his wish of becoming a bridge guardian. From then on, he has never been separated from the covered bridge. Yet this seemingly simple job has been taken to the utmost by Yang Jiyi. He has accompanied the bridge for 50 years, keeping it safe over the long term and witnessing the inheritance and development of the traditional covered-bridge culture of Yanghou Village.

The 75-year-old Yang Jiyi is the guardian of Yanghou Bridge. Photo by Huang Jiemin

The Yanghou covered bridge is an ancient wooden arch covered bridge spanning the Qixing Stream. Its original construction dates far back, and it was rebuilt in the 30th year of the Daoguang reign (1850). Like a long dragon lying in a secluded valley, it is highly aesthetic in form, simple and elegant, with carefully selected materials and mortise-and-tenon joinery. After 174 years of wind and rain, it remains solid, leaving people in awe of the superb craftsmanship of traditional Chinese wooden bridges. It is the crystallization of ancient wisdom and a historical treasure hidden deep in the mountains. The Yanghou covered bridge was originally called Yanghou Cuo Bridge and was an essential ancient route from Zhenghe to the counties of eastern Fujian.

Aerial view of Yanghou Bridge. Photo by Huang Jiemin

"My father knew from the time he could understand things that my grandfather had begun guarding the covered bridge. When I was 8, my 55-year-old grandfather Yang Zuqian passed away, and my 33-year-old father took over the arduous bridge-protection work from him." Standing before the bridge pier, Old Yang vividly recalls his forebears' careers as bridge guardians. At 25, Yang Jiyi followed in his father's footsteps and became a member of the third generation of bridge guardians. "I come over every day to walk around and take a look. This bridge was handed to me by my father, and I cannot let anything go wrong with it on my watch." Fire prevention, crowd control, cleaning... He is Yang Jiyi, the bridge guardian. In 2024, Yang Jiyi was named one of the third "Most Beautiful Cultural Relic Guardians" of Fujian Province.

Guarding this covered bridge well is not a matter of a single day but requires long-term perseverance and dedication. He has always stood on the front line of cultural relic safety patrols, never stopping regardless of wind or rain. Each time, Yang Jiyi spares no effort, moving through every corner of the bridge and conducting thorough, all-round inspections of the piers, deck, railings, corridor housing and other parts to ensure every component is in good condition. In addition, he closely monitors whether the bridge has any damage, decay or other potential problems, promptly identifying and eliminating safety hazards.

Over the long days of guarding the covered bridge, Yang Jiyi works quietly and unassumingly. It may look leisurely, but he loves the bridge and loves every busy day at the bridge. The covered bridge is part of his life. As a bridge-protection volunteer, compared with 10 years ago, his skin is darker, his steps are no longer so brisk, and his eyesight has grown a little dim, but what remains unchanged is the focused look in his eyes while working. In ordinary bridge protection, he displays an extraordinary spirit and interprets responsibility and commitment through his own actions.

What is gratifying is that in the eyes of the local government and residents, this nationally treasured covered bridge, as a cultural relic protection unit of Fujian Province, is not only an ancient building but also embodies important historical and cultural relic value. It serves multiple roles such as customs, blessing and rest, is a bond connecting emotions, and carries the totem of regional culture.

It is understood that government departments such as the Museum of the Zhenghe County Culture and Sports Bureau and the Waitun Township Government have allocated special funds to reinforce the bridge foundation, and thousands of local people have donated money. The ancient bridge has been repaired and maintained many times, with the principle of restoring it as it was. The villagers' unique affection for the old Cuo Bridge has given this Yanghou covered bridge, standing firm through wind and rain, an even more solid foundation.

Protecting the ancient covered bridge, which embodies so much nostalgia, has only a starting point and no end. Local people are proud that in this era there are Yang Jiyi and a group of local villagers guarding Yanghou Bridge, keeping it ever renewed. They protect cultural heritage, voluntarily popularize laws and regulations on cultural relic protection, spread knowledge of cultural relic safety, and promptly stop behavior that affects cultural relics, contributing to the protection of cultural relics.

In the future, Yang Jiyi and his fellow villagers will continue to shoulder the duty of protecting the bridge and will pass on the spirit of voluntary bridge protection from generation to generation.