A cultural travel guide to the world
Guangji Gate and Guangji Bridge, photographed in 2023; the state of the pontoon in the photo is not guaranteed to be the same every day

Home / China / Guangdong / Chaozhou / Classic landmark

Guangji Bridge

广济桥／湘子桥 · Han River, Xiangqiao District, Chaozhou, Guangdong, China

Photo: Windmemories · CC BY-SA 4.0

See how a pontoon bridge and stone beam bridge combine across the Han River, and how the old town relates to the waterway.

Know before you go

  • Do not climb over railings, stand in the pontoon opening and closing work area, or assume visitors can cross the river on the bridge every day and at every hour. The bridge has been restored in the modern era, so not every component of today's deck can be called an unchanged Song original
  • when the bridge is crowded, do not block the way to take photos.

This article is Not yet verified. Please check official announcements for prices, opening hours and dates.

Culture

Culture & customs

Background

Construction of Guangji Bridge's predecessor began in 1171, initially as a pontoon bridge of linked boats. Later generations repeatedly added piers and pavilions, and by 1530 it had taken on the layout of "eighteen pontoon boats and twenty-four piers". The bridge was altered in the modern era, and restoration was carried out from 2003 to 2007; today's deck cannot simply be regarded as an unchanged Song-dynasty relic. It was not only a river crossing but also served trade and the city's connections with the wider world.

Local customs

  • Please enter according to the bridge area's opening hours, ticketing and on-site routes, and follow staff instructions when the pontoon section opens or closes or the water level changes. The pavilions and railings on the bridge are protected structures
  • leave room for other visitors when you stop for photos, and also follow the safety signs on the Han River banks when viewing the bridge from either side.

Religion & beliefs

  • Guangji Bridge is a historic bridge that once served as a river crossing and trading facility
  • it is not itself a place of religious worship. If there are temples or ancestral halls at the bridgeheads or around the old town, visit each according to its own on-site etiquette
  • protection rules for the bridge pavilions and historic components should be understood as heritage-management requirements, not lumped together as religious taboos.

Etiquette & taboos

Etiquette & taboos

Rules that apply here

Essential restrictionsSafetyCountry-wide guidance · China

China: At Qingming tomb-sweeping, no burning paper or open flames in wooded areas

Do

  • Check whether the cemetery requires a reservation before you go
  • Stay quiet while laying flowers, bowing and observing silence
  • Consider flowers, tree planting or online memorials instead of burning paper
  • Dress soberly for tomb-sweeping
  • Take offering wrappers and rubbish with you when you leave

Don’t

  • Don't burn paper, incense or candles, or set off firecrackers, in woods or grassland
  • Don't talk loudly or joke around in the cemetery
  • Don't block cemetery paths for long to take photos

During fire-prevention periods, burning paper, incense and candles is strictly banned in forest and grassland fire zones, and anyone who starts a wildfire may be held legally liable. Whether and where a cemetery allows burning is set by its own rules on site.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Xinhua: Two departments deploy safety measures for the Qingming holiday

Essential restrictionsPublic transportCountry-wide guidance · China

China: Go through security before the metro, and park shared bikes in marked zones

Do

  • Cooperate with the security check at the entrance and put bags through the scanner
  • On the platform, wait beside the doors and let passengers off first
  • Register with your real name in the app before riding a shared bike
  • Park in a marked bay or an app-designated spot, and make sure the lock clicks shut
  • If the brakes or lock don't work, switch bikes and report it in the app

Don’t

  • Don't linger in the doorway or force your way through closing doors
  • Don't leave bikes in traffic lanes, fire lanes or on tactile paving
  • Don't let children under 12 ride shared bikes

If you refuse the security check you will not be let into the station. Badly parked bikes are removed, and riders may face action under local rules and the operator's terms.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: People's Daily Online: Beijing issues standards for shared bike technology, services, parking

Essential restrictionsPublic transportCountry-wide guidance · China

China: No smoking anywhere on high-speed trains, and no phone calls in quiet carriages

Do

  • Sit in the carriage and seat shown on your ticket
  • Put large luggage in the racks at the carriage ends or overhead
  • Use headphones for videos and music
  • In a quiet carriage, step outside to make or take calls
  • Before getting off, check around your seat and take your rubbish and belongings

Don’t

  • Don't smoke anywhere on the train, including toilets and vestibules
  • Don't take someone else's seat
  • Don't choose a quiet carriage when travelling with babies or toddlers (12306 advises against it)

Smoking on a bullet train can set off smoke alarms and slow or even stop the train. Smokers are fined by the police and, according to reports, may also be barred from buying bullet-train tickets; official rules prevail. If someone breaks the quiet-carriage rules, tell the train staff.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Travel China Guide: Smoking on Chinese trains

Essential restrictionsSafetyCountry-wide guidance · China

China: Stay on open sections of the Great Wall and never carve the bricks

Do

  • Walk only on open sections and marked routes
  • On steep stretches, stop and steady yourself before taking photos, and watch your step
  • Wear non-slip shoes, carry enough water, and turn back if you are tired
  • Carry your rubbish down or put it in a bin
  • Check opening arrangements before you go; official announcements prevail

Don’t

  • Don't carve, write on or prise loose the bricks
  • Don't climb over fences or onto closed, crumbling walls and watchtowers
  • Don't run or push on steep sections

Carving the Great Wall counts as damaging a cultural relic: one visitor who carved his name at Badaling was given administrative detention and a fine by the police and was blacklisted by the scenic area. Closed sections are not maintained and can be dangerous.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: China News Service: Man detained for five days and fined 200 yuan for carving on the Badaling Great Wall

Essential restrictionsEveryday mannersCountry-wide guidance · China

China: book popular sights in advance, under your real name, through official channels

Do

  • Check the booking rules on the site's official website, mini program or account before you go
  • Enter every companion's ID details in advance and pick an entry time slot
  • Children, seniors and others with free or reduced tickets also book as required and show ID
  • Book early for holidays and summer; popular dates often fill quickly

Don’t

  • Don't trust third parties offering to grab tickets or sell 'insider' tickets
  • Don't assume a free ticket means no booking is needed
  • Don't count on buying tickets at the gate on peak days

Once a popular date is fully booked, you may be turned away. China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism requires sites to keep in-person ticket windows and to accommodate seniors and others, but on-site quotas are limited; booking windows, release times and visitor caps are subject to official announcements.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: China Daily: Ministry of Culture and Tourism requires all scenic areas to keep ticket windows

Essential restrictionsEntryCountry-wide guidance · China

China: set up mobile payment before you go; hotels and tickets are booked under your passport

Do

  • Link a foreign bank card to Alipay or WeChat Pay before departure
  • Carry some cash in yuan for small stalls, remote areas or payment glitches
  • Expect real-name checks at hotels, for train tickets and popular sights; use your passport
  • Make sure the name and number on bookings match your passport exactly
  • If a station gate cannot read your passport, use the staffed lane

Don’t

  • Don't wait until you arrive to set up payment; verification can take time
  • Don't assume cash alone or a bank card alone will work everywhere
  • Don't book with details that differ from your passport

Without a working payment method, or with mismatched ID details, you may be unable to check in, buy tickets or enter sights. Payment limits, fees and platform rules are subject to official announcements.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Gov.cn: Payment services for foreign visitors to China

Essential restrictionsEveryday mannersCountry-wide guidance · China

China: Queue, don't smoke where banned, and never carve on heritage sites

Do

  • Wait your turn in line, and follow staff directions when it's crowded
  • On buses and the metro, let passengers off first and offer seats to those in need
  • Book popular sights and museums in advance, under your real name, through official channels
  • Sort your rubbish into the right bins
  • Use serving chopsticks and spoons, and order only what you can eat

Don’t

  • Don't cut in line or walk side by side blocking the way
  • Don't smoke where it is banned; many cities ban smoking in indoor public places and on public transport
  • Don't carve or write on historic buildings or ancient trees, or climb on or touch relics
  • Don't use flash or tripods in exhibition halls
  • Don't talk loudly or play music out loud in public places

Staff will stop you from queue-jumping, smoking where banned or marking relics, and smoking in no-smoking areas or damaging relics can also lead to fines under the law. Fine amounts, booking methods and opening hours are as officially announced.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: Palace Museum official site: Visit

Don’t DON'T

  • Do not climb over railings, stand in the pontoon opening and closing work area, or assume visitors can cross the river on the bridge every day and at every hour. The bridge has been restored in the modern era, so not every component of today's deck can be called an unchanged Song original
  • when the bridge is crowded, do not block the way to take photos.

Locals appreciate DO

  • Start on the Guangji Gate side to see how the bridge relates to Chaozhou's old town, then look at how the pontoon section, piers and pavilions fit together
  • if there is an officially scheduled opening and closing demonstration, watch it at that day's times. Afterwards, walk along the Han River, or set aside half a day for the Han Wengong Memorial Temple to compare bridge transport with Chaozhou's local history of education and culture.

Plan your visit

Practical info

Travel tips

  • To see just the deck and views from both banks, allow about 1–2 hours
  • with Guangji Gate, the Han River promenade and the Han Wengong Memorial Temple, plan half a day. The bridge is on the east side of Chaozhou's old town, and if you stay in the old town you can walk to its west end
  • from Chaoshan Station or more distant parts of the city, allow a buffer of about 30–60 minutes by bus, taxi or ride-hailing. Ticketing, pontoon opening and closing, the direction of crossing and maintenance are affected by weather, water levels and management, so check the bridge area's or Chaozhou tourism authority's notices for the day before you go. You can spend the other half-day on Paifang Street and Kaiyuan Temple, experiencing the bridge and the old-town streets in separate parts. If the deck is closed, you can still enjoy the views from both banks
  • crossing the river need not be your only goal.
Sources & verification notes

Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of Guangdong Province: Chronology of Guangji Bridge's construction and restoration

Chaozhou Historic and Cultural City Conservation Plan: Bridge conservation

Wikidata: Bridge centre coordinates

Commons: Photo licence and author

How do you like this place?