Bridge of Love…

Is the name I give to the covered bridges I know…

1. Lai Vien Kieu in Hoi An is, without doubt, the most renowned bridge of the type in the country, better known to the locals as Cau Nhat Ban (Janpanese Bridge) or Chua Cau (Pagoda Bridge.) The bridge itself is a perfect example of the combination of the Japanese and Vietnamese architectures, simple but elegant. From afar, it looks like a cosy house with pink walls and a roof made of dark green tiles shining up in the sun. People in Hoi An believe their bridge is connected with a myth about a monster called con Cù. Its giant body spreads across various countries with its head in Japan, its tail in India, and its body in Hoi An. Because of its giant size, if it turned, then Japan would shake with earthquakes; Hoi An and India would suffer in the process. Therefore the bridge was built as a curse on the monster keeping it from turning hence ensuring peaceful lives for the three countries. The story sounds mythical but humane. In this sense, it is the bridge that saves the countries. At the time, many Japanese people settled down in Hoi An where they did business for their living. Chua Cau was, for them, a national embodiment of their fatherland. If you click on each pic, you'll see its full-sized version.

 

2. Born and raised in Hue but not until recently have I seen the well-known bridge mentioned in the popular folk song “Ai ve cau ngoi Thanh Toan, cho em ve voi mot doan cho vui…” The bridge is located in rustic Thanh Toan Village, around 7 km from the city of Hue. The modest name Cau Ngoi Thanh Toan in itself evokes the image of a bridge with a tiled roof to distiguish from other bridges. Although Thanh Toan Bridge was not the only covered bridge in and around ancient Hue, it was different in that while the others were mainly for decorative purposes, the ones in the Citadel, for example, Thanh Toan Bridge has dual commitments, for transport and shelter. Spanning a small creek, which is full of water in the rainny season, but often runs dry in the summer. It’s said that Lady Hoang Thi Dao, a native of the village and wife of a wealthy mandarin in the court of King Le Hien Tong, donated money to have this bridge built for charity purpose. Stepping on the bridge, visitors soon feel relaxed. Of note are the two long wooden pedestals running along both sides of the bridge serving as benches for passers-by. After buying food from the village market nearby, people could stop at the bridge, sit on the benches, enjoy breezes from the creek or converse. Though fishing isn’t my hobby, I imagine it is perfect for fishing, (if there are fish in there). Later, a small shrine was added on the bridge in dedication to Lady Dao. The curved bridge looks both rustic and royal. When I came, a small building was being constructed just a short distance from the bridge, which was to house farming tools on display. When finished, that gallery would make the journey to Thanh Toan Bridge complete. Visitors can buy things  from the market and learn how villagers work with their tools.

 

3. If the bridge in Hoi An is a sacred place soaked with the love for the country, the bridge outside Hue is the one of love for the people, then the covered bridge in far-away Madison County depicted in my all-time favorite movie The Bridges of Madison County is the one of romantic love. The red, solid-looking bridge standing out in the field of wild flowers witnesses the love of rugged photographer Robert and Francesca with passion, happiness, disappointment and death...

 

The three different bridges in the three areas may look very different and serve various purposes but share one thing in common: human love.

 

 

Comments

[Thuỳ Trang]

I went to Thanh Toan bridge 4 years ago. Now I have a chance to look at it from your pictures. That's exact like your words. That is a rustic, peaceful village with cool and fresh air. It's wonderful if we come there in summer.We can also see many paddy fields here.I also came to Hoi An. However, I didn't visit Chua Cau because my class just dropped in acient towns for 2 hours. So we were busy with hanging out together to go shopping until the driver asked us to come back.What's a pity!. Now, I can know more about that bridge as well as an interesting story you have told. Thank you for your words. I hope you have more writings on different cultures for us to enjoy !

[Duong Lam Anh (to Thùy Trang)]

Thùy Trang,
I'm surprised to hear that you visited Hoi An but never saw Chua Cau because the bridge is a must and right in the center of the old quarter. Hoi An is pretty small in terms of area, though... Where else could you shop, if not the small street leading to Chua Cau? I wonder.

[khanhmai]

I used to came to Thanh Toan bridge, mostly in summer. The scenery, the people and my feelings are almost the same everytime. Then once I passed it by on Hue Festival and found a lively traditional village by the green old creek, not the peaceful quiet lonely one I've ever known. Normally I don't like changes, especially when I love silence but it was somehow a really fantastic moment.
Well, I've talked too much about the village while you are all about the bridges, but please let me have some words here since the bridge forms an integrated part of the whole view.

[Rita & Jacques Welche]

Hello from California ...
i found your site while looking for pictures of the Hue mausoleums, we
spends 12 days in Vietnam in late october and brought back hundreds of
pictures ... after a few weeks everything became a blur and now i have a
hard time remembering the name of all the sites we visited.
i loved reading your entries and looking at your pictures, we visited
Hue during a major rain storm and missed half of our planned tour ... so
sad .... wished we had been able to stay longer!
happy writing ...

Rita & Jacques Welche