At the southern outlet of Lijiang's Black Dragon Pool, the Suocui Bridge stands as a functional water gate and a monument of stone and timber. Completed in 1877 during the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty, this structure is the first of the Seven Star Bridges, a historic network arranged to mirror the Big Dipper across the canals of Dayan Ancient Town.

The bridge spans fourteen meters, its weight supported by a stone substructure of three arches. Beneath these arches, the spring water plunges over rugged limestone, creating a three-stage cascading waterfall with a four-meter drop. Above this rush of water, a wooden corridor offers shelter under a gabled roof of grey tiles, terminating in pavilions with upturned, flying eaves.

Human presence remains etched into the physical fabric of the bridge. Visitors walk upon polished Wuhua colored stone slabs, worn smooth by generations of travelers. Along the sides of the corridor, built-in wooden benches invite pedestrians to rest, their surfaces smoothed by countless resting hands.

The bridge also preserves the hand of Xu Qixiang, the Prefect of Lijiang, who brushed the calligraphy for the two plaques hanging at its ends. One reads 'Yangqing,' and the other 'Suocui,' meaning 'locking in the emerald green.' This name reflects a deliberate effort to symbolically contain the water's life and the surrounding scenic beauty.

Today, Suocui Bridge is the most completely preserved wind-and-rain bridge in the Lijiang region. It continues its original work of regulating the water flowing into the Yuhe River to feed the canals of the Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site. It remains a place where engineering, poetry, and daily life converge over the rushing currents.