Special Supplement: Chengdu renowned for leisure - and glittering literati

Many argue that culture springs from the availability of leisure time, and it shows in Chengdu. Residents in the capital of Sichuan province are known for their love of leisure.

For thousands of years, Chengdu has been a magnet for the nation's culturati. Many great writers have sung the praises of the city and its scenic beauty.

Wangjianglou, a 39-m-tall pavilion by a river inside a park downtown, was built in memory of a poetess from the Tang Dynasty (618-907). Xue Tao (768-832) was a courtesan who socialized with the era's biggest poets. Most of her own writing did not survive, but a striking profile of her can be compiled from descriptions by contemporaries.