Lion City: Know About This 600-Year-Old Preserved Underwater Chinese City

Beneath the tranquil waters of Qiandao Lake in Zhejiang Province in China, lies a submerged world, the ancient city of Shicheng. This comes as a 600-year-old testament to China's Imperial past. It is referred to as the ‘Lion City’ due to its close proximity with the Wu Shi Mountain, also known as the ‘Five Lion Mountain.’

The reports pertaining to its history are very unclear. However, the conflicting reports that exist point towards that this submerged city was established either during the Han dynasty or the Tang dynasty. It is said that the city flourished during the Ming and Qing dynasties. 

Why is the city submerged?

It is no accident that the city lies submerged. The city was intentionally drowned in order to accommodate the Xin’an hydroelectric dam. As of now, this submerged marvel is hidden 400 m below the lake's surface.

Lion city rediscovered 

The city was forgotten for decades until its rediscovery in 2001. This happened when the Chinese Government organised an expedition to collect the remnants of this submerged marvel. Following this, the Chinese National Geography published an article showing the previously unseen photos.

Following this, many explorations contributed to photos and videos that helped in decoding the life of this submerged marvel. The city, however, remains brilliantly well preserved due to its contact with freshwater and limited exposure to light and oxygen.

According to reports, the city measured around half a square kilometer. It also had five entrances. This comes as an unusual feature because traditionally, others like it only had four that aligned with the cardinal directions. Also, the city has many beautifully preserved stone statues of various animals, including lions, dragons, and phoenixes. It also contained historical inscriptions dating back to 1777.