The Gao Bridge is a stone arched one with a single hole. [Photo/WeChat account: TaicangTourism]

There are three bridges in Taicang listed as China's important cultural sites under state protection.

The three bridges are well reserved after more than 660 years of exposure to sun and rain. Seated over the same river, they are separated from one another by mere 1,000 meters.

Although ancient bridges are quite common in South China's cities, it's still unusual for three ancient bridges to be over the same river.

Gao Bridge

Established in 1334, the bridge is a stone arched one with a single hole. Walking on it, one may see images of flowers and plants engraved on the bridge's stones and a taijitu, a symbol in Chinese philosophy, on the center of the bridge's pavement.

Why is the bridge called Gao? Because the bridge looks a little bit higher than other bridges for its single hole and Gao means high in Chinese.