The Luoyang Bridge, also called the Wanan Bridge, spans the Luoyang River in Quanzhou prefecture, Fujian, a few kilometres from where the river meets the sea. It was built in the eleventh century, in the Northern Song dynasty, under the direction of Cai Xiang, the local governor and a noted calligrapher. It is a long stone beam bridge, with huge granite slabs laid across stone piers shaped like boat prows, so that the current is split rather than resisted. It was a real engineering achievement, because the estuary has strong tides, and the builders used an unusual technique: oysters were encouraged to grow on the piers and cement them to the foundation, a living mortar that strengthened the structure over the years.
Today the bridge is a quiet monument, with stone guardian figures, pavilions, and ancient inscriptions, and with views over the tidal flats, where fishermen and oyster farmers work at low water. Quanzhou itself was the great port of Song and Yuan China, visited by Marco Polo and Ibn Battuta, and its history of Arab, Persian, and Indian merchants adds a cosmopolitan flavour to the whole area, visible in old mosques and temples.
Riding here is coastal-plain riding, with flat roads, junctions, scooters and lorries, and a great deal of local activity. It is not a spirited ride, but the contrast of old stone and modern factory belts is interesting. Spring and autumn are comfortable, summer is hot and humid with typhoon risk in late season, and winter is mild. Mornings are best for the soft light over the water, and for catching the low tide when the mudflats shine.
The town of Luoyang, practically next door, has fuel stations, small restaurants and local seafood, and Quanzhou, about half an hour away, offers every service you could need. Try the oyster omelette or the thin-skinned local noodles if you see them. Foreign riders in China need to consider licence and permit rules in advance, and a local guide or arranged vehicle is common for travellers. Visit the bridge slowly, since the stone slabs are slippery in the wet, and take time to read the inscriptions even if you cannot decipher them.