http://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/ancient-chinese-underwater-city-perfectly-preserved-082934 Chinese underwater city - Lion City 17 FEBRUARY, 2014 - 22:00 APRILHOLLOWAY The ancient underwater Lion City of China shareThis The Lion City, otherwise known as Shi Cheng, is an ancient submerged city that lies at the foot of Wu Shi Mountain (Five Lion Mountain), now located about 25 – 40 metres beneath the spectacular Qiandao Lake (Thousand Island Lake) in China. Officials have taken a renewed interest in the sunken city after discovering that, despite more than 50 years underwater, the entire city has been preserved completely intact, transforming it into a virtual time capsule. Shi traditional Chinese statues - underwater city The structures in Shi Cheng feature traditional Chinese statues. Photo credit. The Lion City was built during the Eastern Han Dynasty (25 – 200 AD) and was first set up as a county in 208 AD. It was once the centre of politics and economics in the eastern province of Zhejiang. But in 1959, the Chinese government decided a new hydroelectric power station was required - so it built a man-made lake, submerging Shi Cheng under 40 metres of water. sketch of the Lion City - underwater city A sketch of the Lion City, which remains perfectly preserved underwater. Photo credit. After erecting a dam, now known as Xin'an River hydroelectric, the historical metropolis was slowly filled with water until it was completely submerged by the turquoise-blue mass now referred to as Qiandao Lake. Qiandao Lake covers an area of 573 km² and has a storage capacity of 17.8 km³. More than 1,000 large islands dot the lake and a few thousand smaller ones are scattered across it. spectacular Qiandao The spectacular Qiandao (Thousand Island) Lake. Photo credit. There, lying at the bottom of the Thousand Island Lake, the Lion City lay undisturbed and forgotten for 53 years, until Qiu Feng, a local official in charge of tourism, decided to see what remained of the city under the deep waters. He was amazed to discover that, protected from wind, rain, and sun, the entire city complete with temples, memorial arches, paved roads, and houses, had become a ‘time capsule’ as almost every structure was completely intact, including wooden beams and stairs. Chinese underwater city - Lion City Divers have rediscovered the opulent city. Photo credit Unsurprisingly, this amazing site has now been opened up by the local tourist office and divers are vying to get a look at this ancient sunken city and all the historical treasures it has to offer. - See more at: http://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/ancient-chinese-underwater-city-perfectly-preserved-082934#sthash.cgCFe3Pe.dpuf ]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]] http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2561147/Chinas-Atlantis-How-Lion-City-purposely-flooded-make-way-power-station-remains-completely-intact-130ft-underwater-50-years.html China's Atlantis: How the Lion City was purposely-flooded to make way for a power station but remains completely intact 130ft underwater after 50 years Shi Cheng was once centre of politics and economics in eastern province of Zhejiang Covered in water to build hydroelectric power station in 1959 and was forgotten Now divers want to use the metropolis as a tourist site and have gone to plan routes By Mia De Graaf Published: 05:59 EST, 17 February 2014 | Updated: 08:05 EST, 17 February 2014 View comments A maze of white temples, memorial arches, paved roads, and houses... hidden 130 feet underwater: this is China's real-life Atlantis. The so-called Lion City, tucked in a lake between the Five Lion Mountain, was once Shi Cheng - the centre of politics and economics in the eastern province of Zhejiang. But in 1959, the Chinese government decided a new hydroelectric power station was required - so built a man-made lake. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO Metropolis: Shi Cheng, dubbed Lion City after the Lion Mountains that surround it, has lain hidden under 131 feet of water since 1959 to generate hydroelectric power Metropolis: Shi Cheng, dubbed Lion City after the Lion Mountains that surround it, has lain hidden under 131 feet of water since 1959 to generate hydroelectric power Classical: The structures in Shi Cheng were built 1,300 years ago featuring traditional Chinese statues. Away from the wind and sun, it has remained intact Classical: The structures in Shi Cheng were built 1,300 years ago featuring traditional Chinese statues. Away from the wind and sun, it has remained intact Erecting a dam, the historical metropolis was slowly filled with water until it was completely submerged by the turquoise-blue mass now referred to as Qiandao Lake. Depending on where on the lake bottom it is, the city is between 85 and 131 feet underwater. RELATED ARTICLES Previous 1 Next All at sea: The crew of Royal Navy Destroyer HMS Daring spell out a romantic Valentine's message as they return home from a nine-month deployment Sea of love: Royal Navy crew spell out Valentine's message... The pictures that will make you feel sick: 'Urban ninjas' scale China's tallest buildings and have the dizzying snaps to prove it The pictures that will make you feel sick just looking at... Share this article Share And it lay forgotten for 53 years. Greek philosopher Plato wrote about Atlantis some 2,600 years ago, describing it as 'an island situated in front of the straits called the Pillars of Hercules.' 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TWICE Watch video 30 Rock makes bold joke about Bill Cosby back in 2009 Hidden: The city was once a political and economic hub for eastern China but after authorities built the man-made Qiandao Lake in 1959, it is nowhere to be seen Hidden: The city was once a political and economic hub for eastern China but after authorities built the man-made Qiandao Lake in 1959, it is nowhere to be seen Divers have rediscovered the opulent city and plan to bring tourists round Divers have rediscovered the opulent city and plan to bring tourists round Even wooden structures remain surprisingly strong, according to the team that have gone to inspect Even wooden structures remain surprisingly strong, according to the team that have gone to inspect There are rows of houses made out of brick, with wooden stairs that are still almost pristine There are rows of houses made out of brick, with wooden stairs that are still almost pristine There are rows of houses made out of brick, with wooden stairs that are still almost pristine He said the island he called Atlantis 'in a single day and night... disappeared into the depths of the sea.' Searches continue across the Mediterranean, particularly around Gibraltar, to find the original Atlantis. But China's manmade version will soon be a renowned attraction. Qiu Feng, a local tourism official, has now suggested using Shi Cheng as a destination for diving clubs. Carvings: Visitors will be able to see the traditional engravings first-hand when guided by Qiu Feng and her team Carvings: Visitors will be able to see the traditional engravings first-hand when guided by Qiu Feng and her team Before: This is a sketch of the city dating back hundreds of years, showing people pacing the streets and goods being carted in on horseback Before: This is a sketch of the city dating back hundreds of years, showing people pacing the streets and goods being carted in on horseback Locator: The newly-built lake, which has generated hydro-electric power for the region, is just south of Shanghai in the far east of China Locator: The newly-built lake, which has generated hydro-electric power for the region, is just south of Shanghai in the far east of China A team was dispatched to explore the city before tours are designed. Qui said: 'We were lucky. As soon as we dived into the lake, we found the outside wall of the town and even picked up a brick to prove it.' Protected from wind, rain, and sun, the entire city has been branded a ‘time capsule’ as almost every structure remains completely intact, including wooden beams and stairs. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2561147/Chinas-Atlantis-How-Lion-City-purposely-flooded-make-way-power-station-remains-completely-intact-130ft-underwater-50-years.html#ixzz3Ky3qjYzq Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook ===================== http://www.bbc.com/travel/feature/20140711-chinas-atlantis-of-the-east Often called the “Atlantis of the East” by travellers, the underwater city of Shicheng is a magnificent, mysterious time capsule of Imperial China. Stone architecture dating to the Ming and Qing dynasties (which ruled from 1368 to 1912) stands perfectly preserved 40m under Qiandao Lake in Zhejiang province, 400km south of Shanghai. Unlike the mythical Atlantis, Shicheng – which means Lion City in Mandarin – was purposely flooded in 1959 to make way for the Xin’an Dam and its adjoining hydroelectric station. Nearly 300,000 people were relocated for the project, some of whom had families that had lived in the city for centuries. The city was “rediscovered” in 2001 when the Chinese government organised an expedition to see what might remain of the lost metropolis. Interest and exploration increased further in 2011, when the Chinese National Geography published some never-before-seen photographs and illustrations hypothesising what the small city, which measured about half a square kilometre, might have looked like in its heyday. Expeditions and underwater photographs have revealed that the city had five entrance gates, as opposed to the traditional four – with two western-facing gates as well as gates in the other cardinal directions. The city’s wide streets also have 265 archways, featuring preserved stonework of lions, dragons, phoenixes and historical inscriptions, some of which date back as far as 1777; the city walls are believed to date back to the 16th Century. Despite being underwater, Shicheng has remained well preserved; the water actually protects it from wind, rain and sun erosion. Today, advanced divers can get up close to the ruins with dive operators such as Big Blue and Zi Ao Diving Club, which run regular dives between April and November. Since the ruins have yet to be fully mapped, the dive is still considered “Exploratory” and is limited to divers with deep water, night and buoyancy experience. ==================== http://www.wherecoolthingshappen.com/lost-city-shicheng-found-underwater-in-china/ ================ http://skindesigntattoos.com/tattoo-inspiration-chinas-real-life-atlantis/ Take for example, this underwater, ancient City of Schicheng, which has been buried beneath the beautiful Thousand Island Lake for 53 years. Now serving a new lease on life, the city is now an adventure park where guests can scuba dive and snorkel around the lost city. In short, it’s a magical underwater haven, which is both mesmerizing and whimsical. To think that this city has survived the destruction of the sun, because it’s fully submerged by water thus making it a literal “time capsule.” underwater-city-china-1_zpsfe9824f7 With a maze of white temples, memorial arches, paved roads, and houses… hidden 130 feet underwater: this is China’s real-life Atlantis. The City, which has since been called Lion City, is tucked away in a lake between the Five Lion Mountain, was once Shi Cheng – the centre of politics and economics in the eastern province of Zhejiang. shicheng-china-underwater-city-10 So how did it end up underwater? Well in 1959, the Chinese government decided a new hydroelectric power station was required – so they built a man-made lake – which in turn required that they submerge the one time city.