As the old saying goes, "Crossing Tongji Bridge and troubles go away." On the Lantern Festival, Foshan is filled with lively festive vibes when millions of people join the traditional custom of Crossing Tongji Bridge, holding windmills and lettuce with good wishes for the new year.
This is a traditional folk activity that has been passed down for more than 400 years in Foshan, Guangdong. Every year on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, more than one million locals and tourists participate in this vibrant celebration, carrying windmills and lettuce as they walk across Tongji Bridge to pray for national prosperity and family happiness, which makes it one of the grandest Lantern Festival traditions in the Greater Bay Area. Nowadays Tongji represents the spirit of benevolence and integrates charity elements in modern times such as the Charity Parade, highlighting the spiritual core of Tongji with upward momentum and social harmony.
From day to night, an endless stream of people walked through the Tongji Bridge, forming a golden line of windmills overhead, wishing for a smooth and happy new year. Anna Filipowicz from Poland participated in the event for the first time with a group of students. "This is such an amazing custom! I really appreciate a sea of people with lanterns and windmills and the wonderful atmosphere, and you can really feel the profound heritage of traditional Chinese culture." She said. Olga Rodionova from Russia thought of this as a truly unforgettable experience and she believed that new happenings will be coming this year for everyone.
The 'Crossing Tongji Bridge' folklore traces its origins back to the Ming Dynasty, with a history spanning four centuries. According to historical records, the original Tongji Bridge was a wooden structure funded by local villagers. Over time, it underwent multiple renovations. In 1625 (Tianqi reign, Ming Dynasty), Foshan native Li Daiwen, then Minister of Revenue, initiated its reconstruction using a combination of wood and stone, ensuring the passage of both pedestrians and freighters. The bridge was then named as Tongji, symbolizing that prosperity comes from open passage.
As a vital trade route in the past connecting Foshan, Shunde, and Panyu, Tongji Bridge has long been a symbol of commerce and prosperity. To wish for a good year ahead, Foshan people began the tradition of walking across the bridge. Over time, this practice became a cherished folk tradition, inspiring the well-known Cantonese saying: Crossing Tongji Bridge, Troubles Go Away!
Nowadays, Crossing Tongji Bridge on the Lantern Festival has become a unique ceremony of Foshan people, which bears their good hopes and wishes for life, and also symbolizes the spirit of Foshan people keep going forward.
