Taiwan Film and Audiovisual Institute

The story of frivolous and lecherous emperor Qianlong's search for a morally upstanding person is told in a fashion that smartly fuses the puppet proscenium with the conventions of cinematic language. While everything is obviously arranged on a stage, the camera moves freely around in this environment, getting close to the puppets or setting them up in deep focus shots. The result is deeply enchanting, with the puppets soon feeling like living creatures of a very special kind, whose presence and company one cheerfully enjoys.

In this short documentary, actress Hsu Feng discusses her iconic role as Yang Hui-zhen in King Hu's A Touch of Zen.

In this short documentary, actor Shih Chun addresses his longtime collaboration with director King Hu and his performance as Gu Sheng-zhai in A Touch of Zen.

In this short documentary, Academy Award-winning filmmaker Ang Lee describes his appreciation for King Hu's Dragon Inn and A Touch of Zen, and the influence they had on his own acclaimed martial arts film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000).

In this short documentary, film critic Tony Rayns discusses director King Hu and A Touch of Zen.