Floating Pontoon Bridge

The floating pontoon bridge across the Gan River near Ganzhou's old town is assembled from dozens of flat-bottomed wooden boats moored side by side and linked with iron chains and wooden planks to form a continuous walkway. It bends and rises with the current, so crossing it at any speed faster than a slow walk requires attention — something the local commuters who use it daily find entirely normal.

The bridge is particularly atmospheric at dusk, when the evening light comes across the river and the old city wall rises on the far bank. A short walk along the riverbank south of the bridge leads to good views of the Song-dynasty walls, which survive in substantial sections and include several original watchtowers. The combination of the bridge and the walls is the most photogenic aspect of the old city.

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A story
The Gongjiang Floating Bridge (贡江浮桥) has existed in some form since the Song dynasty, though the current version was rebuilt in the twentieth century. It is one of only a handful of functioning pontoon bridges remaining in southern China — the individual boats are chained together in sequence and flex visibly underfoot as you cross, moving with the current in a way that makes the river's presence unavoidable.