At the foot of Elephant Hill, the cold, crystal-clear waters of the Jade Spring pool serve as the headwater of the Yuhe River system, which flows directly into the Old Town of Lijiang. This water conservation area houses the Yuquan Ancient Architectural Complex, a sanctuary of nine historical structures that blend Han, Tibetan, Bai, and Naxi ethnic styles.

The story of this sanctuary began in 1737, during the second year of the Qianlong Emperor's reign, when local Naxi builders constructed the Longshen Temple. This traditional courtyard features a "Four Courtyards and Five Tianjing" layout. Imperial recognition followed when the Jiaqing and Guangxu Emperors granted the spring waters official "Dragon God" titles in 1812 and 1889.

During the mid-to-late twentieth century, preservationists saved several regional structures from destruction by dismantling and relocating them to this lakeside. In 1966, workers moved the late Qing-dynasty Wenming Gatehouse from the local Confucian Temple, placing it alongside four smooth, Ming-dynasty stone lions. In 1979, the Jiezhi Qunlun gatehouse and the majestic Five-Phoenix Tower arrived from Fuguo Temple on Mount Zhishan. Built in 1601, the twenty-meter-tall Five-Phoenix Tower stands on thirty-two timber pillars. Its twenty flying eaves sweep upward toward the sky, resembling birds poised for flight from every angle. Nearby, the double-eaved Guangbi Tower, once a library, was relocated from the Mu Family Mansion, while the hexagonal Yiwen Pavilion was salvaged from the Jade Emperor Pavilion pool. Legend says a Naxi grandmother built this pavilion by collecting a single coin from each passerby.

Rushing water cascades under the three arches of the Suocui Bridge, a wind-and-rain corridor built in 1887. Across the water, the triple-eaved Deyue Tower rises from an octagonal base in the middle of the lake. Rebuilt in 1963 after a devastating fire, it bears plaques hand-inscribed by the scholar Guo Moruo. Directly opposite the ancient opera stage, the tower overlooks the mirror-like pool, which reflects the snow-capped peaks of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Today, these structures stand as a unified monument, protected by national laws that preserve both the historic woodwork and the living waters that sustain Lijiang.