Temptation of Monk

China, early Tang dynasty, during the 7th century. Two princes are plotting against each other in order to succeed the dying emperor. Shi, the great soldier, gets involved in the power struggle and a general makes him betray his master, one of the princes. Yet the general betrays Shi and kills his men. Burdened by guilt Shi flees to become a monk. Temptation in the shape of princess Scarlet turns up in the monastery. In the end Shi has to confront his rival, the general.

COMMENTARY
With Chinese Zen Paintings, empty spaces predominates.
Less is more.
With Taoism, all things spring from nothing and Tao breeds all things.
With Buddhism, return to the origin, and there is nothing.
With Confucianism, human nature is initially good ...
With the present world, where chaos reign, values confused, countries deep in turmoil, where endless desires blur one's vision, when appearance and reality become indistinguishable from each other - and truth too difficult to define, only a return to the origin can lend us clarity.
Return to the origin, and the origin is nothingness ...
With Temptation of a Monk I have attempted a theatrical approach - mask-like make-up,
stiff body movements, stage dialogue delivery. The masks cover the character's faces and expose their thoughts. At the end, with all fasades gone, a tranquil bliss emerges, a sense of nothingness.
Clara Law

Orig. titel
Yòu Seng: Medverkande
Joan Chen, Xing-Guo Wu, Fu-Yi Zhang: Producent
Teddy Robin: Manus
Eddie Fong: Foto
Andrew Lesnie & Arthur Wong: Musik
Tat Lau: Talat språk
Chinese