Guangji Bridge lies to the east of Chaozhou City in Guangdong Province.
On one side of the bridge is a stone tablet inscribed with four Chinese characters that read: Flood Stops Here. Legend has it that the inscription was written by Han Xiangzi -- one of the Eight Immortals in Chinese mythology. The bridge, therefore, is also known as Xiangzi Bridge. It is one of the four most famous bridges of ancient China.
Its construction began in 1170 in the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279) and lasted 57 years. Spanning a length of 519.7 meters, the bridge has 18 piers in the east and west sections and a middle section 100 meters long. More piers were built in 1435 in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and the bridge's name was changed to Guangji Bridge. The bridge later underwent five large-scale repairs. In 1638, it caught fire and all the bridge's pavilions were burnt down.
Layers of granite form 24 large and small piers. These piers are precious relics of Chinese architecture. The middle section of the bridge comprised 18 shuttle boats chained together to form a pontoon. This feature allowed the structure to open and close for larger passing vessels. Two iron oxen placed on both ends of the pontoon bridge in 1723, are now lost. In 1958, the shuttle boats were dismantled due to traffic needs and a vehicular bridge was rebuilt in its place. An iron ox was mounted on the bridge in 1980.
Restoration work for the bridge began in October 2003 and was completed by mid-2007. The restored bridge returns the unique feature of the 18 shuttle boats in the mid-section.
十八梭船廿四洲，廿四楼台廿四样
广济桥，俗称湘子桥，位于潮州古城东门外，横跨韩江，始建于南宋乾道七年（公元１１７１年），全长５１８米。其十八梭船廿四洲，廿四楼台廿四样之风格形成于明代。当年的２４个桥墩上建有２４个式样各异的亭台楼阁，桥中间的一段用铁链串连１８艘木船，方便洪水入海及巨轮通行。该桥集梁桥、拱桥、浮桥于一体，是中国桥梁史上的孤例，被誉为世界上最早的启闭式桥梁，与赵州桥、洛阳桥、卢沟桥并称中国古代四大古桥，在海内外享有较高的知名度。
广济桥是潮州文化一座主要的历史地标，是建筑智慧的结晶，也是中华人文精神的体现，更承载着海内外数千万潮人对故土乡情的记忆。然而受各种自然灾害的影响，广济桥桥体损坏严重。大部分桥墩出现淘空、倾斜和沉降，必须加紧抢救工作。
广济桥修复工程从２００３年１０月开工。一期工程对古桥墩进行维修加固，恢复石梁桥面及石栏杆，并拆除１９５８年改建的钢架梁，恢复十八梭船的启闭式浮桥。二期工程则恢复桥上的亭台楼阁。
