Special Supplement: Footprints of the immortal

When John Woo scouted for a location for the premiere of Red Cliff, Asia's most expensive movie, he settled on the Temple of the Marquis of Wu in Chengdu.

It was a decision made partly to help boost the morale of the earthquake-hit city and also to highlight the connection between the temple, built in memory of Zhuge Liang, and his film in which Zhuge is a main character.

Zhuge Liang (AD 181-234) was prime minister of the Shu Kingdom, which incorporated what is now eastern Sichuan, northern Guizhou and some parts of Shaanxi. The name "Shu" is short for Sichuan.