A township government in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region was fined after it demolished an ancient bridge that was built 400 years ago, Nanguo Morning News reported.

The bridge was built in the early Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and located in Mashan county's Zhoulu township. Two months ago, the township demolished the bridge after it organized people to clean up the trash in the watercourse.

The township government officials later said that they did not know that the bridge was a protected cultural relic. The county government fined the township 50,000 yuan ($8,220), according to the related heritage protection law.