Shicheng — Lion City — lies at depths of twenty to forty metres beneath the emerald surface of Qiandao Lake, a complete ancient city preserved by the cold, sediment-free reservoir water that has barely disturbed it since the flooding in 1959. The city spans an area of roughly one square kilometre and includes five city gates, stone lion carvings, decorative archways, paved streets, and residential buildings in a state of preservation that no surface archaeological site could match. Diving in Shicheng is one of the genuinely unique underwater experiences in Asia.
Licensed dive operators in Chunan town run guided dives to the site, typically covering one or two of the main city gates and the preserved archways that line the approach roads. The visibility in the reservoir can reach fifteen to twenty metres, and the blue-green light filtering through at depth gives the submerged stone a ghostly, otherworldly quality. PADI Open Water certification is the minimum requirement for most operators. The diving season runs April through October; winter water temperatures make diving uncomfortable without a drysuit.