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Past lives in dark waters
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Brilliant discovery in dark waters
A RIDDLE that has long vexed archeologists has finally be solved, thanks to the recent discovery of an ancient city of the old "Yunnan Kingdom" which sank to the bottom of the Fuxian Lake millennia ago.
Divers to the site, which covers an area of more than 2.4 square kilometres and lies 13 to 76 metres below the surface, have found many signs that the well-preserved city had attained an impressive level of development before its fall.
Discovery
Last November, Geng Wei, an amateur diver, told the Yunnan Daily that he frequently came across man-made stone slabs and walls at the bottom of the lake during dives, and took photos of the structures using underwater cameras.
The Yunnan Daily report of Geng's discoveries caused many experts in history, archaeology, and geography to sit up and take notice.
The Fuxian Lake borders three counties, Chengjiang, Jiangchuan and Huaning, in Yunnan Province. According to historical records, a city called Yuyuan, located in Chengjiang County, disappeared mysteriously during the Tang Dynasty. According to Geng's discovery, some of the structures on the bottom of the Fuxian Lake are reminiscent of a city wall, leading experts to believe the ruins do indeed belong to the ancient city of Yuyuan.
To get more information, the Yunnan Daily and the local government jointly conducted an underwater inspection of the site. Some relevant research institutions provided investigators with what is currently one of the most advanced submersibles in the country.
Modern explorers
On March 13 and 15, a team headed by Yu Xixian, famous archaeologist and professor at Beijing University, and two journalists from the Yunnan Daily boarded the "Blue Whale" submarine and plunged deep beneath the lake's dark waters to get a closer look at the ruins.
At 12.20pm, March 15, Professor Yu Xixian, journalist Zhang Changhong and two pilots encountered heaps of stone slabs measuring around 50×60cm scattered across the lake bottom. The stones, which were obviously crafted by human hands, appeared to have sunk during a tremendous disaster.
As the submarine moved forward, they came across a particularly large pile of stones, with the same rough chipping signs as stones used in the Great Wall, which suggested the ruins were very old. Sonar readings depicted a residential area, complete with alleys and streets, including a North-South axis. All the buildings had apparently collapsed, however.
Upon leaving this community, they came to a large stone measuring 2.2m×0.6m×0.8m. The find looked like the remains of an ancient road, or perhaps a stretch of collapsed city wall. The fine masonry led the team to believe they had come across the wealthy part of town.
Continuing on, they discovered what was far from upper-class: a slum, consisting of buildings made of small, roughly-cut stones. The slum had collapsed as thoroughly as the wealthy structures, achieving equality at last — in death.
The explorers examined some of the stones using the submarine's manipulator arm, and at 3.30pm they left the grim site and returned to the surface.
Conclusion
In 79 AD the Roman city of Pompeii was destroyed by the eruption of the Mt Vesuvius volcano. Pompeii continues to amaze visitors due to its astonishing state of preservation, complete with streets, alleys, mansions, shops, even mosaics and paintings.
The Fuxian Lake is not beside a volcano, but it is no stranger to earthquakes. According to historical records, 78 earthquakes of over 4.7 on the Richter scale have jolted the area since 1500 AD.
The ground beneath the town of Yuyuan was soft and wet. A sharp earthquake could have caused the unsteady ground to collapse, suddenly taking what was once a bustling settlement and leaving it immersed in dark waters forever. Only now, centuries later, have experts been able to offer a preliminary idea of the location, scale and formation of the ruins using advanced technology.
To think of how those ancient houses looked, with columns, facades and courtyard gardens, is deeply exciting, yet also sad. It is, after all, the site of an ancient tragedy.
Professor Yu believes that inspections of Yuyuan offer more proof that ancient Yunnan was once home to a unique, advanced civilization. Exploring the ruins and collecting data open a precious window on the vanished "Yunnan Kingdom". This not only will help advance underwater exploration in China, but help keep the past alive as well.(You Chunhui)
About the lake
The Fuxian Lake lies in the suburbs of Yuxi City in central Yunnan Province, 60 kilometres from Kunming, the provincial capital. With a water surface of 211 sqm, and a depth of 151.1 metres, it is the second deepest lake in the province.
Although the lake still reaches the minimum water quality standard set by the government, the lakeshore is polluted by sewage from hotels and restaurants.
In an effort to protect the lake, the local government has started to tear down illegal buildings and hotels that polluted the lake.
The local government will also plant trees and develop parks along the lakeshore to create a more environmentally sensitive form of tourism.
More than 100 families have begun to relocate from their houses along the lake in a move that was supported by villagers.
"More tourists will come here if the lake becomes clearer and more attractive, and we have seen the potential of earning more money and improving our lives," said Pu Guocui, a villager.
About 200 families will be relocated by the end of the year and a lakeside highway will be built for sightseeing, according to local officials.
The local government has set up an overall project of sustainable development of the lake with the advice of European experts and plans to rejuvenate the lake environment within three years, said Li Jiang, the mayor of Yuxi City, where the lake is situated.
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