Yunlong Bridge(云龙桥）, is also called Tiesuo Bridge (chain bridge) by local people in Dali, Yunnan. (Photo/ Lin Jian)

Picture shows the road that leads to Yunlong Bridge.(Photo/ Lin Jian)

Villagers of Yangbi County walk by the bridge everyday. (Photo/ Lin Jian)

[InKunming--Attractions]  Yunlong Bridge (云龙桥), also called Tiesuo Bridge (chain bridge) by local people in Dali, was the first bridge connecting Dali and the west on Southern Inland Silk Road in Han Dynasty.

It crosses over Yangbi River (漾濞江), connecting Xiguan city, the capital of Dali prefecture in the east and Yongping county in the west in Dali.

Southern Inland Silk Road in China contains three parts, namely the Lingguan road(灵光道), Wuchi road(五尺道), and Yongchang road(永昌道). The bridge belongs to the last part of Southern Inland Silk Road, on the Yongchang road.

Yunlong Bridge connects Xiguan city, the capital of Dali prefecture in the east and Yongping County in the west in Dali. (Photo/ Lin Jian)

Yunlong Bridge connects Xiguan city, the capital of Dali prefecture in the east and Yongping County in the west in Dali.(Photo/ Lin Jian)

Picture shows a pair of antithetical couplets that praise the bridge, written by an ancient Chinese poet. (Photo/ Lin Jian)

History of Southern Inland Silk Road is longer than Northern Silk Road and Southern Sea Silk Road. Therefore, Yunlong Bridge has a history of over thousands of years.

Many bridges on Southern Inland Silk Road had been destroyed or disappeared as time passing by. However, Yunlong Bridge still stood on the Yongchang road of Southern Inland Silk Road. It is as old as Yangbi County, a county nearing by.

Countless Chinese literators, scholars and experts wrote articles and poems to praise the bridge in history. The bridge has been listed as Yunnan provincial key cultural relics protection unit.

(Editors: Cathy Chen, Tracy)