Sliding Across the Nujiang River to Go to School: The Cable Bridges of Bingzhongluo
Source: Travel Industry
On the cable bridges, children of the Nujiang Valley go to school. I had heard rumors before, but they seemed far-fetched. When I first heard that there were hundreds of bridges spanning the great Nujiang Grand Canyon, I was skeptical. It wasn’t until my journey from Liuku to Bingzhongluo, where I encountered countless bridges—big and small, new and old, sturdy and crumbling—spanning the rushing river, that I truly believed it.
As we traveled north against the current, the towering mountains and roaring rivers stretched endlessly, forming an immense canyon. One day we traversed the Gaoligong Mountains, the next the Biluo Snow Mountains, sometimes on the left bank, sometimes on the right. No matter which side of the road we took, the bridges over the Nujiang River were always a sight to behold—each with its own unique charm. Thus, in my mind, the Nujiang River became a museum of bridges.
I noted down the names of some bridges: the Curved Bridge, the Leap Forward Bridge, the Bifu Bridge, the Shide Bridge, the Puladi Bridge, the Huitong Bridge, and the Soni Bridge near the Yunnan-Tibet border.
These bridges appeared before me in various forms: pedestrian and horse suspension bridges, steel-concrete bridges for cars and tractors, iron chain bridges, stone arch bridges, plank suspension bridges, and even ziplines. Regardless of their form, they all shared one common feature—they were all bridge types without piers. The Nujiang River's swift currents and high waves make it impossible to plant bridge piers into the riverbed. Instead, bridges are constructed by finding relatively narrow points between the two banks or using ziplines that span several kilometers to cross the river.
In the first county north of Liuku, Fugong County, I learned that constructing a decent pedestrian suspension bridge costs around 5 million yuan—a figure unimaginable to locals. A county’s entire annual fiscal revenue is only about 10 million yuan. How much can be allocated for bridge construction? Fortunately, the national and local governments have allocated over 60 million yuan, building 21 pairs of ziplines, 10 temporary bridges, 3 pedestrian suspension bridges, 3 tractor suspension bridges, and 2 vehicle suspension bridges. However, out of the 21 pairs of ziplines, 17 pairs are in urgent need of replacement, and those 10 temporary bridges have become dangerous. Some I personally walked across—the iron cables beneath hadn't been replaced in decades, the wooden planks above were loose and scattered, with wide gaps between some planks large enough to drop a person through. The vertical boards people stepped on were poorly connected and already showing signs of decay. Although I've crossed countless iron chain bridges and consider myself experienced, standing on these precarious bridges over the Nujiang River, looking down at the turbulent waters, my legs trembled, and I felt dizzy.
Among all the bridges, what troubled me most were the ziplines swaying over the vast river, as they are the only way for countless children to get to school.
There are two types of ziplines. One type has equally high ends, with a pulley attached to a rope that you slide across using your hands and feet. The other type consists of dual ropes utilizing the height difference between the two ends, allowing you to slide across automatically. Children use the second type for school, while the first type is only suitable for strong young adults.
In Maji Township of Fugong County, I observed and experienced a dual zipline with a height difference. As the moment approached, everyone in our group hesitated, staring at the thin wire swaying in the air and the roaring river below. Each person stuck out their tongue and shook their head. Being the heaviest and oldest among us, I should have been the first to back out. But then I thought, if six or seven-year-old elementary school students can do it, why can't I, who has wandered the world for decades? Moreover, I've always believed that whether it's a zipline, a log bridge, or a cable car, under normal circumstances, there is no danger—it's all about mindset and courage.
I decided to slide across myself, but the tour guide arranged for a young man to escort me. A sturdy, elliptical seat secured my bottom, with two nylon ropes at each end, and two fist-sized semi-circular iron hooks hanging together from the zipline. The young man accompanying me hung opposite me. With both feet on the ground, once everything was hooked up, I lifted my legs, and like an arrow leaving the bow, I was off. The speed, height, wind, and roar of the river combined with the abyss below made me instinctively close my eyes. In just a few seconds, I reached the other side. The young man said we had arrived, but I was still dazed—it was faster than flying! This was my first time sliding across a zipline, and my mind went blank.
On the return trip, I was more aware. I didn't close my eyes this time and noticed that before sliding, the young man deliberately grabbed a handful of grass from the side. I didn't know why. This time, I clearly saw the towering mountains on either side and the deep valley below. Just as we were about to reach the shore, the young man tightened his grip on the cable with the grass in his hand, immediately reducing the speed. He explained that grabbing the grass was to slow down; otherwise, the momentum would have slammed us into the rock wall. This method was simple, economical, and effective. Coincidentally, it was the time when elementary school students were finishing their classes. Observing carefully, every child seemed to have a handful of grass in their hands!
After leaving Maji Township, I couldn't stop thinking about those elementary school students who rely on ziplines to cross the river for their education. One day, in a store in Bingzhongluo Town, everyone was generously spending money buying candies, pastries, and clothes for the mountain families. I kept thinking about those students crossing the zipline to school in the cold weather. The wind in the valley is even colder, often accompanied by snow. If the children's hands, holding onto a handful of grass, freeze numb, they might not be able to grab tightly upon reaching the other side, leading to potential accidents. Perhaps nothing serious has happened yet, but I couldn't help but worry. So, I bought dozens of gloves and entrusted someone to give them to those students, hoping they wouldn't have to expose their hands holding grass to the freezing winds. Who among us, as parents, seeing our children cross the river like that, wouldn't feel heartbroken?
I asked, and found out that children as young as five or six start learning how to slide across the ziplines. The school is on the other side of the river. Without the zipline, how could they attend school? Not attending school is something adults simply cannot allow. When asked about their greatest wish, the children said they hope there will be a bridge across the river so they can walk to school.
A single steel wire, a thin nylon rope, a homemade pulley, and a handful of dry grass—these are the tools a six or seven-year-old child uses to challenge and conquer the mighty rapids of the Nujiang River's canyon. This is astonishing! In cities, children are driven to school by their parents using different modes of transportation, while here, these young, fragile bodies are balancing life itself. Every time I think about it, my heart trembles...
Nujiang River, please bless these children who "fly" across the grand canyon to attend school!
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