200,000 cross 'lucky bridge' for health & happiness-China

Chinese wall of humanity: Incredible sight as 200,000 file over 'lucky bridge' to wish for health and happiness

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 2:20 PM on 25th March 2011

This is the moment hundreds of thousands of festival goers took to the Taiping Bridge in South-Western China as part of a traditional ‘bridge-treading’ event.

The event in Jushui Township, Sichuan Province, saw local residents walk along the bridge to pray for their families on the day of the Spring Sacrificial Rites.

Every year the treading over the bridge marks ‘Chunshe’, otherwise known as the Spring Folk Fair, during which locals seek happiness and health.

Around 200,000 participants gathered at the ancient Taiping Bridge to throw old clothes and coins into the water to bring them luck.

Health and happiness: Local residents in China's Sichuan Province gather at the Taiping Bridge for the Spring Sacrificial Rites festival to pray for good luck

Tradition: Around 200,000 people showed up to throw clothing and coins over the bridge in a bid for health and happiness for them and their families

Re-opened: After three years of renovation following China's earthquake, the bridge opened for people to pray during the Bridge-Treading

Chunshe has been suspended for the past two years though as the bridge needed to be strengthened following the 8.0 magnitude earthquake in Wenchuan County in 2008.

But after three years of renovation, the bridge re-opened for people to pray during the 'Bridge-Treading'.

 

Residents braved the cold weather to pile onto the bridge for their chance to throw coins over the bridge, some taking their very young children and babies with them for the family occasion.

Some dressed in traditional Chinese costumes for the parade and others decorated the bridge and neighbouring trees with colourful streamers. 

But as they threw their clothing over the bridge to seek health and happiness, the shallow river became filled with litter.

 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1369900/200-000-Chinese-locals-throw-coins-clothing-Taiping-Bridge-bid-heath-happiness.html#ixzz1HeJv7A3y