A Touch of Zen

Set during the Ming dynasty, A Touch of Zen follows Gu Sheng-zhai, a well-educated but unambitious painter and calligrapher who lives with his mother in a quiet provincial town. His life changes when a young woman, Yang Hui-zhen, moves into a nearby abandoned fort said to be haunted by dead soldiers. Gu is drawn to her, but she keeps her distance. She is in fact a fugitive noblewoman, hunted by agents of a powerful eunuch after her father's death. When imperial pursuers close in, Gu becomes involved in her defence, lending his strategic mind to a struggle that also draws in Buddhist monks, among them the abbot Hui-yuan, whose martial skill and spiritual authority match his fighting ability. What begins as a local mystery widens into a confrontation with political power.

King Hu directed and co-wrote the film, following Come Drink with Me and Dragon Inn in his filmography. Hsu Feng plays Yang Hui-zhen and Shih Chun plays Gu Sheng-zhai, with Pai Ying, Tien Peng, Roy Chiao and Tsao Chien among the credited cast of thirty-four.

Released in 1970, the Hong Kong and Taiwan production runs three hours. On IMDb it holds 7.5 out of 10 from around 8,200 votes, while on TMDB it stands at 7.6 from a much smaller electorate. A critics' rating of 8.4 from thirty-eight reviews places it above both audience scores, a pattern that suggests the film's standing among reviewers is higher than its general viewership.