For centuries, West Lake, in the centre of Hangzhou, Zhejiang, has been universally recognised as one of China's most iconic spots, famous not only for its picturesque landscape but also for its rich historical and cultural heritage. It has been a favourite holiday destination for ordinary mainlanders and the leaders alike, including Mao Zedong, who used to live at a state guest house on the lake for weeks, escaping from the harsh winters in Beijing.
So it should come as no surprise that, riding the nationwide property boom in recent years, the real estate around the lake is now the most expensive in China.
Equally, it should come as no surprise that Xu Maiyong, formerly a vice-mayor of Hangzhou and a principal official in charge of urban development in the lake area, went on trial earlier this month for massive corruption involving property development. But Xu's case has become the talk of the internet because of its excessive nature, earning him a notorious nickname as 'Triple Plenty Xu' - referring to his collection of money, flats and women.
According to a Xinhua report at the end of the three-day trial, Xu was accused of soliciting and accepting bribes totalling 160 million yuan (HK$190 million) from 14 companies and individuals from 1995 to 2009, and embezzling 53 million yuan while he headed the Hong Kong-based commercial company controlled by the city government.
Since his arrest in April 2009, many leading property developers in Hangzhou have been questioned by anti-graft investigators, but none of them appeared to be arrested for bribery, an offence which carries a heavy jail sentence.
According to local media reports, Xu and his wife also owned 'plenty of' luxury flats in Hangzhou.
He also maintained intimate relationships with 'plenty of women' - who number in double digits, according to several mainland media reports. Most of them reportedly worked for the West Lake district government, of which Xu was the chief from 2002 to 2008. According to one report, following Xu's arrest, the anti-graft investigators started to question women cadres in the district government, making all the good-looking women there the target of gossip.