Rainbow Bridge in East China's Jiangxi Province was damaged by flood on Wednesday Photo: Snapshot of Jiangxi Wuyuan Tourism Company's official WeChat account

An ancient Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279) bridge in East China's Jiangxi Province that was damaged by heavy flooding will be repaired under the guidance of professional experts after flood waters recede, the local tourism administration announced on Monday. 

As water levels return to normal, more than 10 wooden pieces of the bridge that were washed away by the flood have been found with the help of local villagers, Si Wei, an employee of the Jiangxi Wuyuan Tourism Company, told the Global Times on Monday.

The 140-meter-long covered pedestrian bridge, known as the Rainbow Bridge, was damaged on Wednesday after Qinghua town in Wuyuan county, Jiangxi Province, suffered a flood that submerged the walkway under more than one meter of water. 

Two of the bridge's wooden corridors and one wooden pavilion were washed away, according to a post on the Jiangxi Wuyuan Tourism Company's official WeChat account on Sunday. 

The county cultural heritage administration posted a notice online seeking for the missing structures, which later went viral on social media. 

Currently, the provincial cultural relic protection center is collecting data for repairs, and a professional technical team will conduct a comprehensive inspection of the bridge and complete a repair plan within a short time, according to Si. 

The bridge, a national key cultural relic, was built more than 800 years ago. Known as "one of the most beautiful covered bridges in China," it was by far the best designed and most well-preserved ancient covered bridge in China. 

Si noted the locals have a deep attachment to the ancient bridge as they see it as an auspicious symbol. 

Rainbow Bridge in East China's Jiangxi Province Photo: Snapshot of Jiangxi Wuyuan Tourism Company's official WeChat account

According to historical records, the bridge was built with financial aid provided by a monk who had earned the money through begging. After 10 years of construction, the bridge was finally completed. According to local legend, a rainbow appeared in the west right upon its completion, leading people to believe that crossing the bridge would bring good luck to them. The bridge later earned the name the Rainbow Bridge.