ENGINEERING FEATURES
Traditional Bridge and Tower Construction , Sanjiang , China
By Dato ’ Ir . Fong Tian Yong
ENGINEERING FEATURES
The Sanjiang county is situated at the north-eastern corner of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region . The Dong tribe is one of the 55 ethnic minorities of PR China who live in the mountainous regions of southern China , mainly in Guangxi , Guizhou and Hunan provinces . The cluster of Chengyang ’ s eight Dong tribal villages of Sanjiang is situated 17 kilometers from Sanjiang County , deep inside the mountainous region surrounded by tea plantations , padi field , vegetable farms and a beautiful landscape of rivers , timber bridges , water wheels for irrigation , wooden drum towers and wooden houses of Dong ’ s unique architecture .
The Wind and Rain Bridge , together with the Dong Drum Tower , is a symbol of Dong ’ s culture and architecture . Most Dong villages are built along the river banks . As such , bridges have
69