It was reportedly established during the reign of Emperor Le Hien Tong (1740-1786) and has been maintained by the village ever since. Construction of the bridge was initiated by Tran Thi Dao, the wife of a high-ranking Mandarin in Le Hien Tong's court. Tran, who came from this area, had the bridge constructed to better facilitate transportation and communication in the village that lines both sides of the canal. When the Emperor heard of her charitable act, he exempted the village from taxation as a reminder for them to live up to her example. In 1925, Emperor Khai Dinh granted her a posthumous title and ordered the villagers to establish an altar on the bridge in her memory.

 

The tile-roofed Thanh Toan bridge is not only an ancient architectural remain with highly historic and cultural values but also a tourist attraction. The bridge was built over 2 centuries ago and damaged many times by storms, floods and wars. However, after the bridge was destroyed, the villagers always contributed to repair, renovate and preserve it. The Thanh Toan bridge with its tile-roof has entered into the moods and aspirations of many generations as well as inspired the poetic souls of the local people and travellers, their contents are still handed down among the people or engraved right on the bridge.

 

In many guidebooks, the bridge is referred to as the "Japanese Bridge" since it bears some stylistic resemblence to another small wooden bridge in nearby Hoian. Recognizing the bridge's historical value, the Cultural Ministry renovated the bridge in 1991.

 

Nowadays, the bridge attracts lots of tourists because of its old architecture and historical and cultural values. This tile-roofed bridge has been an inspiration to many local people and travellers, with its poems still being handed down or engraved right on the bridge.