Taking advantage of a weekend with nothing to do, I decided to go for a walk. It happened to be a foggy day outside. Soon, I arrived at the banks of the Gandang River. The legendary Wind and Rain Bridge came into view. Standing at the head of the bridge, I saw passersby coming and going. The bridgehead was quite lively, and there were also people like me who came to enjoy the scenery.
There is a beautiful legend about the origin of the Wind and Rain Bridge. It is said that a long time ago, people used to build small bridges over the river by simply laying planks of fir across it. One night, young men and women who were returning home after singing songs together hand-in-hand walked across the small bridge. Only one young woman named Liang Lan was alone and dejected. As she was crossing the bridge, she accidentally fell into the river. Seeing that she was being swept into the depths, a little green dragon swam over and carried her to shore. Liang Lan was saved. People then learned that Liang Lan was missing her lover, Yong. They had been in love for many years, but her parents forced Yong to marry his cousin. Yong, who was heartbroken for Liang Lan, fell ill and could not keep the appointment. To commemorate the little green dragon and to wish lovers a happy ending, people rebuilt the small wooden bridge into the long Wind and Rain Bridge with covered walkways. They also carved images of green dragons in various shapes and forms on the bridge pillars, and the bridge was called “Offering-to-the-Dragon Bridge” or “Welcoming-the-Dragon Bridge.” Because it was a river crossing structure with a bridge as its main body and covered walkways as its adornment, which allowed people to shelter from the wind and rain, it was called the Wind and Rain Bridge.
I have walked across many Wind and Rain Bridges, large and small, including the Sanjiang Chengyang Bridge. Each time, I feel something different. I like these Wind and Rain Bridges. But to truly understand the Wind and Rain Bridge, it is not enough to just take a casual look. I hope one day I can savor the myriad charms of the Wind and Rain Bridge – perhaps a sudden downpour might bring together strangers on the bridge; or maybe on a moonlit night fragrant with osmanthus, I can sit on the Wind and Rain Bridge, stand under the osmanthus trees, with the one I love, and listen to beautiful songs drifting over the bridge, harmonizing with the gurgling waters of the Gandang River, echoing into the hearts of every dreamer…
The Wind and Rain Bridge at night has a special charm!
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