Fiction film triggers friction amid Chinese Taoists

Palme d'Or winning director Chen Kaige's latest Kungfu film "Monk Comes Down the Mountain" has angered a senior Chinese Taoist, who said the film demonized his religion.

The film has tainted the image of the Chinese Taoism, said Meng Chongran, vice chairman of the Chinese Taoist Association (CTA), citing scenes in the fictional film featuring robbery, murder and sex.

The film, based on a best-selling novel, tells the story of an innocent Taoist monk with superb Kungfu who leaves an isolated mountain for the city in the 1920s to discover his role in the secular world, where he becomes involved in conspiracies and encounters strange characters.

The film stars Aaron Kwok, Chang Chen, Lin Chi-ling and Wang Baoqiang.

In a statement posted on the WeChat account of a Taoist association, Meng demanded the film be pulled from all screens nationwide. The director and producers owe the public an apology, he said. The protest looks to be more personal than official, as the CTA has denied issuing any statement on the matter.

The film's producers contacted the CTA before making the film and revised the script on request by the association.

Chen has not responded to Meng's charges, but his gripes inflamed discussion online with many people, including some Taoists, saying Taoists should not be so sensitive about a fictional film.

"Maybe Chen's film is not a precise reflection of Taoism, but it helps the audience get to know the religion," said Liang Xingyang, a Taoist priest and secretary-general of the Taoism Association of Xi'an.

While some may agonize over the depiction of Taoism, others, disappointed by Chen's film "The Promise" in 2005, railed against the film, urging moviegoers to avoid it, due to the bad record Chen has had in his recent films.

Movie critic Maggie Lee said the film "is an uncharacteristically lightweight martial-arts caper with a touch of Zen (and sin)."

Despite the controversy, the film has earned about 400 million yuan (64 million U.S. dollars) since it debuted on July 3.

Described by Chen Kaige as his biggest ever film, "Monk Comes Down the Mountain" took three years for a team of about 1,000 people to complete. It was jointly produced by two mainland entertainment groups and Columbia Pictures.

An iconic figure among China's film directors, Chen is known for his visual flair and epic storytelling. He is the only Chinese director to win the Palme d'Or, for "Farewell My Concubine" in 1993. Endi