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-- Legend of Shaolin Kungfu --
Finally, the wonderful kungfu TV series by Du Xiao, which has been topping viewership ratings across various provinces in China, is available for sales officially on DVD.

This martial arts production features highly authentic martial arts sequences with intricate exchanges, courtesy of Ching Siu Tung who discards his usual highly stylised/beautified choreography for wide shot and long cuts that give ample room to showcase the skills of the martial arts champions Li Yuan, Xie Miao, Ye Jian Wei, Ji Chun Hua, Yu Cheng Hui, Chen Jia Jia, Guo Hui, Li Qi Long, Dai Tian etc, a number of whom are fresh talent. Also starring Bao Guo An, Sun Hui Ning, Yaqi Fatima, Wu Ma, Anthony Wong, Tsui Siu Ming, etc.

Order Legend of Shaolin Kungfu DVD (in Chinese only) from YesAsia.

As a side note, Shaolin Warriors DVD with Sammo Hung in a major supporting role as well as actual Shaolin monks as extras but starring non-martial artists is shipping on August 19, 2008. Shaolin Warriors is an unrelated TV series surrounding Shaolin Temple and its monks helping general Qi Ji Guang fend off marauding pirates. However, with its choppily edited action scenes, perhaps done purposely to mask the inefficiencies of the non-martial artists, genre fans are well advised to steer clear of Shaolin Warriors.

-- Legend of Shaolin Kungfu 2: 13 Cudgel Monks --

On 9 July, Legend of Shaolin Kungfu director Du Xiao, joined by cast members Bao Guo An, Ji Chun Hua, Xie Miao, Sun Hui Ning, attended a chat organised by Sina, whereby they shared their experiences on the set of the 40-part TV series.

A 12-minute trailer to the upcoming Legend of Shaolin Kungfu 2, starring Yuen Biao, Li Yuan, Xie Miao, Leung Kar Yan, Ji Chun Hua, Xu Xiang Dong, Sun Hui Ning, Wu Ma, etc. was also shown then and may now be viewed on Sina.

Based on the trailer, which is interspersed with excerpts from the original from 8th minute onwards, Legend of Shaolin Kungfu 2 looks to be of bigger scale and even more epic. However, being an unfinished product, it's too early to tell if the martial arts scenes would live up to expectations of the original.
 

Legend of Shaolin Kungfu 2 is currently in post-production with a targeted release by early 2009.

-- Legend of Shaolin Kungfu 2: Thirteen Cudgel Monks --

After almost six months of intensive filming, 40-part series Legend of Shaolin Kungfu 2: Thirteen Cudgel Monks has finally wrapped up on June 2. Very few productions today would spend more than 3 months on filming, let alone 6 months. This is a testimony to how meticulous, committed and dedicated the production is, and the amount of time spent on filming the martial arts sequences to ensure quality delivery, just as the first Legend of Shaolin Kungfu.

As Li Yuan says on his blog, June 2 is a memorable day for the production, for they completed the final scene on that day, bidding farewell to the days of sweat and blood brushing against the shoulder. It's not easy to produce a great work, and everyone has made lots of sacrifices, physically and emotionally, for Legend of Shaolin Kungfu 2. They have worked even harder in Legend of Shaolin Kungfu 2 in order to give the audience an even more thrilling show.

On looking back, before doing any action scenes, Li Yuan would say, "Brothers, let's do our best, go for it, and strive to get through with one take." For, in a realistically constructed fight scene with full physical contact, each additional take would mean more risk and injuries. In order to reduce the risk, they would put in all their might, from fist to fist contact, to bodily clashes, to bruises and blood, to eventually a mental contest. As the director says, the last man standing would have become a dehydrated skeleton. And the beastly addresses from the martial arts director have become their catchphrase...

Finally, Li Yuan extends his appreciation and thanks to the director Du Xiao, the martial arts director Yuen Bun and Li Cai, and the brothers and sisters who fight alongside with him as well as all the crew. It's because of them they he has matured a lot. Li Yuan is currently resting in his home in Beijing, enjoying a moment of quietness.

-- Legend of Shaolin Kungfu 2: Thirteen Cudgel Monks --

Filming of Legend of Shaolin Kungfu 2: Thirteen Cudgel Monks is nearing completion. Pan Yuan Jia has posted videos of his two fighting scenes on his blog. Also, there's a news report at Youtube. Finally, various photos, a few of which are high resolution, have been released by cast members Li Yuan, Sun Hui Ning, Leung Kar Yan, Li Chong.

-- Legend of Shaolin Kungfu II: Thirteen Cudgel Monks -- 

Yuen Biao is playing Tan Zong, one who is responsible for assembling 12 other monks to form Thirteen Cudgel Monks to deal with Wang Shi Chong. He is expert in 72 Peerless Arts of Shaolin, his skills unfathomable, having reached the state of union of Zen and Kungfu. He is pensive, collected, and doesn't exhibit his emotions. He has the bearings of a grandmaster of his times, caring for the affairs of the world.

Leung Kar Yan plays the antagonist Wang Shi Chong, a cunning, greedy, vicious, merciless general of Sui who later usurps the throne. He throws his weight about in the court and oppresses the populace. He bans martial arts practice in order to forestall any future threats.

Have Perseverance, Will Succeed

李渊 Li Yuan was born on August 7, 1982 in Shangdong to an impecunious peasant family of over 10 members, at the time when Jet Li's Shaolin Temple took the nation by storm. Growing up being a fan of martial arts films, Li Yuan started formal training in martial arts at the age of 12. When he was in primary 4, he made a bold decision to quit school in order to learn wushu. He was subsequently punished by his parents. But on considering that he wasn't doing very well in his academic studies, Li Yuan's parents finally relented.

Li Yuan was raised mostly by his wushu champion brother 李炳雷 Li Bing Lei, who also teaches him martial arts. Li Bing Lei is 8 years his senior. Li Yuan was brought up under very strict upbringing, and he matured earlier than most people. In his youth, he got only one rest day on Lunar New Year; on other days, he would train for four to five hours daily. There were times when thoughts of skiving did occur to Li Yuan, but on thinking of how hard his parents were toiling in the fields in his hometown, even in bitter winters, Li Yuan cast aside all weariness.

-- Legend of Shaolin Kungfu II: Thirteen Warrior Monks --

Anecdote: Li Yuan says that pertaining to this training scene, he had a little dream when he was very young. Back then, when he just started training in swordplay, he hoped that one day, he would have the chance to using his own interpretation to perform swordplay on the screen. And finally, after ten years of hard work, here's the result...

Video of Li Yuan doing something similar to Drunken Swordplay: Li Yuan's Blog

-- Legend of Shaolin Kungfu 2: Thirteen Warrior Monks --

Li Yuan Plays Wang Ren Yi, Wang Shi Chong's adopted son, whose father's death was actually caused by Wang Shi Chong and he's but a tool trained by Wang Shi Chong to help him get rid of dissidents. Unaware of all these, and being covetous of his daughter as well as blinded by fame and power, Wang Ren Yi serves Wang Shi Chong with undivided loyalty, killing anyone who stands in his way.

In this demanding scene, Li Yuan is pursuing Xie Miao, who plays Zhang Tian Bao, whose whole family was framed by Wang Shi Chong and massacred. Zhang Tian Bao manages to escape and masters the art of darts throwing under the tutelage of Ghostly Hand, and returns to avenge for his family.

This scene was shot in four days during Lunar New Year. The production did not even get a break during the important festive season to the Chinese. The director is very particular about this sene, so it's quite taxing for both Li Yuan and Xie Miao. A makeup artist helped capture this scene on video. It's later put together by both Li Yuan and Xie Miao.

You may view the video at Li Yuan's blog.

Xie Miao and Yaqi Talk about Legend of Shaolin Kungfu

《少林寺传奇》 A Legend of Shaolin Kungfu TV series, a trilogy directed by 都晓 Du Xiao, consists of  《乱世英雄》 Heroes in Troubled Times, 《十三棍僧救唐王》 Thirteen Warrior Monks and Prince Li Shimin, and  《十八小铜人》 Eighteen Arhats. A Legend of Shaolin Kung Fu I: Heroes in Troubled in Times is currently being aired in China to great success and high viewership ratings while the second part Thirteen Warrior Monks has begun production since January 2008.

It features an impressive cast consisting of veteran actors like 鲍国安 Bao Guo An, 午马 Wu Ma, 郭达 Guo Da, 王刚 Wang Gang, 吴京安 Wu Jing An, etc. and most importantly, large number of martial artists such as 计春华 Ji Chun Hua, 于承惠Yu Cheng Hui, 李渊 Li Yuan, 叶剑卫 Ye Jian Wei, 谢苗Xie Miao, 陈佳佳 Chen Jia Jia, 王雪 Wang Xue, 郭辉Guo Hui, 袁新东 Yuan Xin Dong, 阴海龙 Yin Hai Long, 刘子威 Liu Zi Wei etc. for the main leads and their opponents to deliver martial arts sequences that are jaw-droppingly realistic, beautiful, yet without being too violent, as choreographed by  程小东 Tony Ching Siu Tung. To add more colour to the series, 孙卉凝 Sun Hui Ning, 法提麦·雅琦 Yaqi Fatima, 乔乔 Qiao Qiao are invited to play the leading ladies.

A press conference, attended by Kelly Chen and Guo Xiao Dong, was held on February 1 for An Empress and the Warriors, which is heading for release in Asia on March 20. Ching Siu Tung directed this film and worked with Ma Yuk Sing choreograph the action, which tips on the more realistic side of the scale. Kelly Chen, who plays a princess of a fallen kingdom who seeks to restore it, says that the armours they wore was very heavy. It was made of metal and the film was made in summer when it was the hottest in Beijing. It was already tiring wearing armours, they were already sweating a lot, and had to do action scenes, resulting in loss of appetite. All they wanted was to finish filming quickly. Even then, Kelly Chen did not slack, not only was she praised by Leon Lai, but gave quite a bit of pressure on Guo Xiao Dong, "Seeing Kelly Chen's action scenes gave me a shock. It didn't occur to me that she could fight so well. I thought to myself, I mustn't lose out to her."