Visiting the "Most Beautiful Crack on Earth": The Tragic Broken Bridge of Maling River Gorge

In Maling River Gorge lies the ruins of an ancient Qing Dynasty bridge. It was destroyed by raging floods in the 1990s, yet its broken walls and remnants have frozen into a poignant landscape within the gorge. My first impression of Maling River came from Han Hong’s song "Dawn." The story in the song is about the elevator accident that happened here on October 3, 1999. The parents who lifted their child high in a life-or-death moment have imbued this place’s name with an indescribable weight and warmth. Visiting in person, this history adds a solemn depth to the surrounding mountains and waters. The scenic area ticket costs 70 yuan (often discounted on various platforms). Some might think the grand "Galloping Horses" waterfall can be fully admired from the parking lot bridge. But only by entering can you witness the marvel praised by Ming Dynasty traveler Xu Xiake and experience the depth hailed by National Geographic as the "most beautiful crack on Earth." The broken bridge ruins, the waterfall cave you can enter to feel the mist on your face, and the Jade Maiden Waterfall hidden beyond the bridge’s view—all lie deep within this fissure. Whether to enter depends on whether you want to admire its grandeur from afar or feel its spirit up close.