A Touch of Zen (1970)
July 10, 1970Release Date
Plot.
Where to Watch.
Currently A Touch of Zen is available for streaming online, rent, buy or watch for free on: Criterion Channel, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Amazon Video, Fandango At Home
Streaming in:🇺🇸 United States
Cast & Crew.
Hsu Feng
Yang Hui-ching
Shih Chun
Ku Shen Chai
Pai Ying
General Shih
Tian Peng
Ouyang Nin
Roy Chiao
Abbot Hui Yuan
Tsao Chien
Magistrate
Ping-Yu Chang
Mrs. Ku the Mother of Shen-Chai
Miao Tian
Mun Ta's Advisor / Assistant Director
Melvin Chang Yun-Wen
Tao Lung
Chung-Shan Wan
Actor
Hsieh Han
General Lu Ting-Yen / Lu Meng the Herbalist
Kao Ming
Actor
Han Ying-Chieh
Chief Commander Hsu Hsien-Chen / Martial Arts Choreographer
Sammo Hung
Commander Hsu's Bodyguard
Chang Ping-Yu
Shen Chai's Mother
Jui Wang
Mun Ta
Wan Chung-Shan
Lu Chiang
Chang Yi-Kuai
East Chamber Guard
Pan Yao-Kun
East Chamber Guard / Martial Arts Choreographer
You Pin Liu
East Chamber Guard
Lam Ching-Ying
East Chamber Guard
Billy Chan
East Chamber Guard
Lung Fei
Guard
Shan Mao
Guard
Hao Li-Jen
Woodcutter
Chu Liu
Magistrate's Man
Kao Ming
Magistrate's Man
Chia Lu-Shih
Yang Lin
Chan Ming-Wai
Monk
Kei Ho-Chiu
Monk
Yeung Sai-Gwan
Monk
Jacky Chen Shao-Lung
Monk
Chui Hing-Chun
Soldier
Men Chu-Hua
East Chamber Guard
Ng Ming-Choi
East Chamber Guard
King Hu
Director / Editor / Screenplay
Liang Fang Hsia-Wu
Producer
Wang Chin-Chen
Editor
Wu Hsu-Ching
Makeup Artist
Shang-Lin Chen
Art Direction
Hua Hui-Ying
Director of Photography
Shen Bu-Hai
Makeup Artist
Yang Hsi-Ching
Executive Producer
Ng Shui-ching
Makeup Artist
Lee Jia-chi
Costume Design
Wu Da-Jiang
Original Music Composer
Pu Songling
Writer
Media.
Details.
Release DateJuly 10, 1970
Original Nameä¿ å¥³
StatusReleased
Running Time3h
Content RatingNR
Genres
Last updated:
This Movie Is About.
Wiki.
A Touch of Zen (Chinese: ä¿ å¥³; pinyin: Xiá NÇš; lit. 'Chivalrous woman') is a two-part wuxia film written, co-edited and directed by King Hu, originally released in 1970 and 1971. Its screenplay is based on a classic Chinese story "Xianü" in the book Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio by Pu Songling. The film is set in the Ming dynasty under the dominance of eunuchs and explores a variety of themes including the transcendence of dichotomies, Zen Buddhism, feminism, conservative female roles, and the ghost story.
The film was produced in Taiwan and funded by the Union Film Company. Because the director Hu was a filmmaker in the Shaw Brothers Studio before moving to Taiwan, the emergence of the film established the international visibility of the Hong Kong New Wave. At the 1975 Cannes Film Festival, the film was nominated for the Palme d'Or and won the Technical Grand Prize award, the second-ever Chinese-language film to win an award at the festival.
Although filming began in 1968, A Touch of Zen was not fully completed until 1971. The original Taiwanese release was in two parts in 1970 and 1971 (filming was still ongoing when the first part was released) with the bamboo forest sequence that concludes Part 1 reprised at the beginning of Part 2; this version has a combined runtime of 200 minutes. In November 1971, both parts of the film were combined into one for the Hong Kong market with a runtime of 187 minutes.