The gains and losses of the people’s loyalty show the rise and fall of ancient and modern dynasties; the opening and closing of stone drums foretell peace and turmoil under heaven.

In Shigu Town of Yulong County, about 50 km away from the seat of Lijiang County, the rolling Yangtze River, blocked by the cliff of Mount Hailuo, has to make a sharp V-shaped bend and turn northeastward. This great "V"-shaped bend is the famous First Bay of the 10,000-li Yangtze River. In the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, well-known in both ancient and modern times, Shigu Town is named after a drum-shaped stone carved from white marble. The stone tablet, 1.5 m in diameter and 0.7 m thick, is protected by a pavilion. According to the legend, during the Three Kingdoms period, Zhuge Liang "crossed the river in May" near Shigu and built this monument to deter all foreign ethnic groups after conquering Nanzhong. There is a crack on the side of the drum. It is said that the drum will crack in turmoil of the nation or remain smooth in peace. The current is very fast here, but with wide river surface, water slowly flows like a mirror. With green willows on both sides of the river bay, rolling mountains under the white clouds and blue sky, neat farmlands nearby, and villages and towns in cooking smoke, it is wonderful to see such plateau scene like the water town in South China. The First Bay of the Yangtze River is not only an important scenic spot in Lijiang, but a throat of access to the Mount Laojun Scenic Area and the Three Parallel Rivers Scenic Area.