Culture around Fuxianhu Lake in Yuxi

There prevails a legend about Fuxian Lake. It is said that two fairies descending to the world had passed through here. They were so reluctant to leave the beautiful scenery that they transfer to the stone statues stroking the shoulder. The lake was called Fuxian Lake (literally means Fairy Stroking Lake) therefrom.

In 2001 it was reported that earthenware and stonework covering an area of approximately 2.4–2.7 square kilometres had been discovered beneath the lake.Carbon dating circa 2007 confirmed an age of 1750 years, or approximately 257AD. It is thought that the remains may represent buildings from the ancient Dian Kingdom that slid in to the lake during an earthquake.[6][7]

In 2006, CCTV made an additional survey. Carbon dating in 2007 found relics to be roughly 1,750 years-old. In October 2014 additional research was made on the site by a multidisciplinary team. Portions were mapped and 42 handmade stone artifacts were recovered from a depth of seven metres.