The sword hung under the ancient bridge, why has no one dared to steal it for more than 170 years?

For more than 170 years, no one has dared to steal the sword hanging under this ancient bridge. What is the reason?

Accordingly, this ancient bridge is located in Yueli village , Zunyi city, Guizhou province (China). The bridge is called Wan'an , built in the 29th year of Daoguang (ie 1849). Wan'an bridge is a handcrafted stone bridge. This stone bridge is 40m long and 6m wide.

However, under the bridge hangs a mysterious sword about 2m long with iron chains. Locals say this sword is called the "dragon sword" and it has a history of more than 170 years. They believe that thanks to this ancient sword, floods are always stopped. Even when the flood water rises high, it never floods this bridge.

In ancient times, the river flowing through Nhac Ly village often had high water levels during the rainy season, causing flooding. This not only damaged the crops of the people living on both sides of the river, but also made it difficult for people living on both sides of the river to travel. In particular, many people were unfortunately swept away by floodwaters or had unfortunate accidents.

The stone bridge was built in 1849 in Guizhou province (China).

To solve this problem, the people of Yueli Village made an effort to build the Wan'an Bridge and hung a long sword under the bridge. A strange thing happened. Since the Wan'an stone bridge was built, the river water has never risen above the bridge. The bridge has remained standing even during the most severe flood seasons.

The mysterious sword has been hanging under the bridge for more than 170 years.

Mr. Tran, a local resident over 70 years old, shared that he lives near the ancient bridge and heard from his ancestors that, in ancient times, the location of the bridge was an important traffic axis. However, every time floods occur in summer and autumn, the river will rise, making life difficult for people on both sides of the river, many people are even swept away by the river water.

" After the bridge was built, this ancient sword was cast and hung under the stone bridge arch. As far as I remember, no matter how much the river water rose, it never flooded the stone bridge. This bridge is still in use today ," Mr. Tran added.

What is the mysterious sword hanging under the stone bridge for?

The story of the stone bridge and the legend of the mysterious sword have been passed down for generations in Nhac Ly village.

Mr. Li Lianchang, a cultural and historical expert in Zunyi city, said that hanging "dragon swords" under stone bridges is actually a custom that has existed in many places in China.

According to popular legend in Chinese folklore, hanging a "dragon sword" is intended to kill Jiaolong (water dragon). Ancient people believed that water dragons often appeared under rivers and would destroy stone bridges built by humans. Therefore, hanging a sword under the bridge can help deter or intimidate the water dragon from destroying the bridge.

However, this expert pointed out that the above custom is actually just a form of superstition in ancient times and it has no scientific basis. The reason why ancient people often believed in this custom is because building a stone bridge is not simple.

This not only takes manpower but also costs a lot of money and the villagers' hope of bringing a better life. They hope that the bridge with the sword hanging on it can last a long time to help local people travel safely during the rainy season .

A stone stele near the bridge clearly states the year of construction and the names of those who donated to pay for the bridge's construction.

The tip of the sword points down to the river. Whenever the wind blows, the blade sways gently from side to side. After more than 170 years, the blade has rusted and corroded. However, it is still quite well preserved and is considered a rare treasure of this village.

The story of the strange sword hanging on the stone bridge has made many curious tourists come to the ancient bridge to see it with their own eyes.

Interestingly, for more than 170 years, although the ancient sword was considered a treasure hanging in the middle of the bridge, it was never stolen. The specific reason is unknown, but many people believe that this is a "sacred" treasure that has helped the bridge stay stable for many years.