Life, death and hidden treasure

Su's ancient home is today the Ancestral Temple of the Three Sus.

"Three Sus" refers to Su Dongpo; his father, Su Xun; and his younger brother, Su Zhe-all of whom were celebrated literati and officials.

The temple is next to the renowned Meizhou Dongpo Restaurant, where Dongpo Pork Knuckle is the house specialty.

Meishan has long been a travel destination but has gained greater appeal since the recent excavation of relics in its Pengshan district related to Zhang, who led an uprising of farmers during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

Zhang was a native of Shaanxi province, who captured Chengdu and declared himself emperor in 1644. Two years later, he deserted the city and planned to move to neighboring Hubei province.

His troops were ambushed on the Pengshan section of the Minjiang River by a Ming general, who set Zhang's ships on fire. About 1,000 boats sank with the wealth he'd looted from governments and ordinary people.

For four centuries, a legend had persisted that Zhang's gold and silver sat at the bottom of the Minjiang.