Lion city still retains its stable position even after being submerged under Lake Qiandao since 1959.
In February 2013, exquisite pictures were published by the Chinese National Geographic Magazine showing Shicheng City (Lion City). The city is nearly 1339 years of age and located in Zhejiang Province, East China. In 1959, the city was submerged under Lake Qiandao so that the Xin’an River Hydropower Station could be constructed.
The city was named ‘time capsule’ by international archeologists. It has been able to maintain its stable condition since it’s shielded from erosion by rain, wind and sun. This makes it a virtual time vessel. As seen from the pictures, shicheng city walls, stairs, ancient houses, wooden beams and memorial arches are still in the same condition they were a thousand years ago.
The city was named after Wu Shi Mountain (Five Lion Mountain) and was at one time the center of economics, politics and culture of the Sui’an County. Sui’an county history writes that there was a total of 265 arches submerged under the Qiandao lake. Some of this have the fine Jie Xiao Memorial Arch carvings still preserved.
The restored map of the city shows five gates in all directions. Each of the city gates has a city gate tower and every corner of the Lion city is connected by six streets. Stone roads that are typical in this city have been tidily paved with pebbles and flagstones.
Archaeologists who rediscovered Shicheng (Lion City) dubbed it as “Atlantis rediscovered’. The city location is now about 26-40 meters (85 -131 feet) beneath Qiandao Lake. The valley had to be submerged in water so that a dam could be constructed. Scattered around the lake are some large and small islands that are man-made. Shicheng city is approximately 62 football fields in size.
There is a chain of over 1,078 man-made large islands and a few thousand smaller ones at Qiandao Lake. Image source: www.dailymail.co.uk
According to Our World, “It was decided to make an underwater city accessible to tourists. Special submarine height of 3.8 meters and a length of 23 meters with a capacity of 48 passengers, was built over six million U.S. dollars to bring everyone in the underwater kingdom, but it was unsuccessful”
A restoration picture of Shicheng city in east China’s Zhejiang Province. Image source: www.dailymail.co.uk
According to Wikipedia “Big Blue dive operator based in Shanghai, runs weekend trips twice a month throughout the year to the city and has started to uncover parts of the lost city.” [source:Â www.china.org.cn]
