Investigation and protection strategy of the Chuiyu Bridge ruin in Wuyishan

The ruin of the Chuiyu Bridge is located in Wuyishan, Fujian Province, China. Originally built as a woven wooden arch bridge in 1887, the bridge was destroyed by Japanese bombs in 1942, and today only parts of its abutments and pier foundations remain. According to historical records, the Chuiyu Bridge was built around the same time as the nearby Yuqing Bridge, a well-known woven wooden arch bridge. Both bridges are important nodes in the ancient Great Tea Route. Currently, the Yuqing Bridge is well preserved as a National Cultural Relics Protection Unit (CRPU) and as part of the Wuyi Mountains World Heritage property. By contrast, the ruin of the Chuiyu Bridge is listed only as an ungraded immovable cultural relic and has not received any formal protection. Such a condition is largely due to the fact that its value as a cultural heritage site has not yet been fully recognized. This paper aims to promote the identification and recognition of the Chuiyu Bridge Ruins as an important cultural heritage site, raise professional and public awareness of its value, and encourage corresponding conservation practices. To do so, it examines the bridge’s history and surveys its current condition through literature review and field investigation. On this basis, the paper systematically evaluates the ruin's historical, scientific, cultural and social values. It proposes several conservation measures, including administrative and legal protections, the development of protection plans, and the establishment of dedicated research funds. These suggestions will help the comprehensive conservation of the ruin and support the future inscription of the Great Tea Route in the World Heritage List.