Touring historical ruins is one of the most interesting activities among tourists from around the world, although few ruins are as amazing as those found at the bottom of the Chinese Qiandao Lake , in the eastern province of Zhejiang.
It is about Shi Cheng , an ancient city built during the Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD) and known as the City of the Lion. Do you want to know more about these incredible submerged ruins that can be explored with diving goggles and an oxygen cylinder? Well, watch out!
The five lions
Shi Cheng was sunk when the Xin’an River hydroelectric dam was completed in 1959, creating a huge man-made lake with a thousand islets. The name of this submerged city refers to the mountain that rose behind it, Mount Wu Shi (whose name means "the five lions"), as well as the five gates of the city (an unusual number, since normally cities had four).
Intact to the industrial revolution
Submerged at between 26 and 40 meters, the city has remained, paradoxically, intact to the urban revolution that has transformed China since its opening to capitalism more than three decades ago, which has destroyed a good part of its cultural heritage.
Underwater excursions
Thus, Shi Cheng has preserved the surrounding wall and numerous buildings from the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. Best of all, all of this can be seen on the underwater excursions organized by Big Blue, a Shanghai diving agency. Of course, visitors must have accredited a diving course advancing to dive.
With their respective waterproof cameras, underwater tourists must wear a wetsuit because the temperature at the bottom ranges between eight and ten degrees, while on the surface it ranges from eleven to 32 degrees.
