The Zhusheng Bridge spans the Wuyang River at the east end of Zhenyuan's old town, a 135-metre stone arch bridge that has connected the north and south banks since the Ming dynasty. The current structure dates from 1723 — the first year of the Yongzheng emperor's reign — though bridges have occupied this crossing since the 14th century. At 8.5 metres wide and 14 metres above the water, it is substantial enough to have served as the town's main commercial artery for three centuries.
The bridge's most distinctive feature is the Zhuangyuan Pavilion (also called the Kuixing Pavilion) at its midpoint — a two-storey pavilioned gatehouse that would have served as a ceremonial and resting point for travellers and examination candidates entering the town. Walking across at night, with the old town lit on one side and the dark gorge falling away below, gives a sense of why Zhenyuan was considered worth defending. The bridge was designated a national historical and cultural site in 1988, alongside the Qinglongdong complex on the cliff above.