长江第一湾First Bend of the Yangtze River
位 置：丽江市区西面，路程 51 公里
海 拨：1900 米
交 通：丽江市至石鼓（长江第一湾）70公里，15元/人，2小时 也可包车前往，但价格需面议。
门 票：长江第一湾博物馆5元 石鼓镇3元
Admission Fee: CNY 10
Recommended Time for a Visit: One hour
从青藏高原奔腾南下的金沙江、澜沧江、怒江三大河流，在南北走向的云岭、怒山、高黎贡山三大山脉的夹持之下，在滇西北境内形成了“三江并流”的举世奇观。金沙江指长江上游从青海省玉树县巴塘河口至四川省宜宾市岷江口一段，全长2308公里。相传过去沿江一带的居民曾取沙淘金，所以叫金沙江。它流出青海，经西藏从德钦县进入云南，继续南流于横断山区，在丽江石鼓镇突然折向东北，形成一个V形大弯，人称“长江第一湾”。纳西语称这里为“剌巴”，意为虎啸处或虎族之花。
前人有诗云：“江流到此成逆转，奔入中原壮大观。”关于江湾由来，民间传说：怒江、澜沧江和金沙江三姐妹结伴出游，半途发生争执，大姐、二姐固执地往南走了，金沙姑娘立志要到太阳升起的东方寻找光明和爱情，到古鼓后，告别两个姐姐，毅然转身东去。金沙姑娘转身处，就成了长江第一湾。
长江第一湾山萦水绕，景色如画。这里江流开阔平缓，江边柳林如带，四周有层峦叠嶂的云岭山脉绵延环抱，层层梯田盘绕山坡，与平畴沃野、村落瓦舍相连，享有“小江南”的美誉。
在金沙江流转角处的小山岗上建有一面汉白玉雕成的鼓状石碑，石鼓因此得名。石碑直径1.5米，系明代嘉靖二十七年至四十年（1548－1561年）间，丽江土知府木高向北进军吐蕾，得胜凯旋后的记功碑，石碑两面都有阴刻铭文。
石鼓镇距丽江县城70公里。在金沙江流转角处的小山岗上建有一面汉白玉雕成的鼓状石碑，石鼓因此得名。石碑直径1.5米，系明代嘉靖二十七年至四十年（1548－1561年）间，丽江土知府木高向北进军吐蕾，得胜凯旋后的记功碑，石碑两面都有阴刻铭文。
石鼓渡口江面宽阔，水势缓和，适于摆渡，历来为兵家必争之地。相传三国时期，诸葛亮平定南中，在此“五月渡泸”（金沙江古称泸水）；公元1253年，忽必烈又在此“革囊渡江”。1936年4月，中国工农红军二方面军在贺龙、任弼时、肖克率领下，从这里渡江，北上抗日。解放后，在石鼓碑背后的高坡上，建起了碑高8.1米“红军长征渡口纪念碑”，立于突兀的高坡上，气势雄伟，庄严肃穆，俯临“第一湾”，能让你顿生崇敬，为云南省重点文物保护单位。碑前的牌楼是红军渡江纪念室，
“陈列室”里陈列的红军长征遗物，将使你更形象地了解半个多世纪前的这支伟大的军队。
石鼓碑右侧的江湾堤岸上，有一片护堤柳林；碑左侧有冲江河汇人江中。河上建有铁虹桥，桥长17米，铁链上铺木板，两侧也用铁链护拦。该桥系晚清石鼓举人周兰坪倡建。
石鼓至塔城约100公里的公路，全线紧依在金沙江西岸。游这条线，首先是走进如画的江湾风光，而沿江两岸遍布的古迹、古渡，又让你走进一条历史文化的长廊，一种厚重感会贯穿整条旅游线。你正走入一个更古老的纳西传说。石鼓、巨甸和塔城，是这条线上景点集中的三个游览胜地。
石鼓镇在历史上是内地和藏区茶马互市贸易古道上的一座重镇，集市贸易兴旺，如今三日一集，十分热闹。
First Bend of the Yangtze River
Yangtze River, considered the mother river of China, flows majestically through the center of China and is the third longest river in the world. Starting from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the Yangtze River surges southeastward until it meets the Hengduan Mountain Range. About 44 miles outside of Lijiang, unusual geological phenomenons force the Yangtze to make a sudden V-shaped bend and flow to the northeast. This extraordinary turn, nearly180-degrees, creates beautiful and marvelous views that startle the imagination. Here, the river is wide and the water flows in a gentle, slow pace. Large willow trees grow luxuriously alongside the river that is banked on both sides with lush, fertile deep green vegetation and immense, steep mountains that rise up from the river to touch the clouds in the blue sky above. The whole sight is like a wonderful landscape painting that never ends. This is the First Bend of the Yangtze River - a world-famous geological phenomenon and an extraordinary panoramic scene whose vistas you will long remember with great pleasure.
On the mountain at the river's bend stands Stone Drum (Shigu) Town. This ancient town is named after a drum-shaped marble plaque. Built during the Jiaqing era (1548-1561) of the Ming Dynasty, the stone drum is a monument commemorating the victory of Lijiang's Naxi ruler over an invading Tibetan army. It is one point five meters (five feet) in diameter and zero point five meters (two feet) in thickness. The stone drum has an obvious vestige of what appears to be a "rip" in it. It is said that the stone drum would rupture prior to any war and then fold when peace returned.
Throughout time, Stone Drum Town was always a significant and vitally strategic military area where many famous historical events have been taken place. It was here that Zhuge Liang, the famous and highly acclaimed military strategist of the Three Kingdoms Period, chose to cross the Yangtze River and gain "battle advantage" over his opponents. The first emperor of the Yuan Dynasty, Kublai Khan, used this place for his expeditionary forces to ferry across the river. In April 1936, the Second Route of the Red Army, led by General He Long and Ren bishi, crossed the river here and continued to march north. There are memorials here honoring the people whose histories are entwined with the Stone Drum Town.
This whole area abounds with attractive stories and dazzling visions. Stone Drum Town, together with the First Bend of the Yangtze River, and so many other spots nearby such as the Tiehong Bridge and Rock Gate ensure that a trip here will be an exciting one that you will greatly enjoy.
