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-- 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 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.

-- A Legend of Shaolin Kung Fu II: Thirteen Warrior Monks --

Production has begun quietly on January 4 for second part of 《少林寺传奇》 A Legend of Shaolin Kungfu Trilogy. Du Xiao continues to helm this martial arts series revolving around Shaolin Temple. The majority of the martial arts cast members are also back, including Xie Miao, Li Yuan, Ye Jian Wei, Pan Yuan Jia, Li Chong, Wang Xiao Long and actress Sun Hui Ning. This time around Yuen Biao will play Tan Zong, leading thirteen warrior monks in aiding Prince Li Shimin. Yuen Bun will handle the martial arts choreography. The story, similar to Jet Li's Shaolin Temple, is as follows:

In the twilight years of Sui Dynasty, the emperor is tyrannical, fatuous and debauched, and the commoners lead a very hard life. People begin to rise in revolt. To fulfil his ambitions, General Wang Shi Chong, who views Shaolin Temple as his biggest threat, outlaws martial arts.

In order to defend Shaolin Temple as well as protect the commoners, Tan Zong, the head monk of martial arts, formed the Arhat Enigmatic Cudgel Formation. Tan Zhong takes in eight different people into the order, and together with 5 original Shaolin warrior monks including himself, they risk their lives to rescue to sagacious Prince Li Shi Min, and wage a final battle against Wang Shi Chong.  Shangdu News

-- Seven Swords of Mt Tian: Additional Filming--

Currently, some actors from Seven Swords of Mt Tian 《七剑下天山》 TV series have been called back to do additional filming. When this reporter went to set, they were working busily late into the night, until it was nearly dawn on the next day. Director Clarence Fok explains that they have already finished editing, with a total of 38 episodes being put together in the final cut.

However, after going through it, Tsui Hark thought that the villain characters were neglected, so he hold a meeting with Clarence Fok, martial arts director Yuen Bun, producer Wang Yong, etc, through which they agreed on doing additional shoot. On the set were Yu Cheng Hui, Sun Jian Kui, Sang Wei Lin, Luo Er Yang, etc.

-- Seven Swords of Mt Tian --

When Tsui Hark went ahead with his adaptation for the Seven Swords of Mt Tian, many new elements were introduced, including four brand new characters that will be cameoed by the key production members. Callous, Vicious, Devious and Shameless, known collectively as The Four Perils of the Underworld, are being played respectively by martial arts director Yuen Bun, director Clarence Fok, a production manager, and producer Wang Yong.

Among The Four Perils, Callous possesses the most sublime skills and hence, the choice for Yuen Bun, who hails from the same Peking opera troupe as Sammo Hung, Jackie Chan, Yuen Wah et al. To commemorate his first role in a TV series, Tsui Hark has crafted a special weapon for Yuen Bun, a weapon that only Yuen Bun is able to wield. The character Wang Yong is playing always carries a rose in the hand and is often ridiculed by others due to his flowery behaviour.  Business Times

On December 2, novelist Liang Yusheng, who is over 80 years of age, was appointed by Hong Kong's Lingnan University to be its Honorary Professor. He received congratulations from both the movie and TV productions of The Seven Swords, as well as from many of his fans. He said that he won't be publishing any new works and for the time being, would not be revising his past wuxia novels. He expressed confidence in both adaptations of Seven Swords of Mt Tian.

While he has not been in direct contact with Tsui Hark, he has, since pre-production stages, a very thorough knowledge of the progress of both productions, as his close friend Cheung Sing Yim and him often keep touch with each other, keeping him updated of the filming status. In the meantime, plans are being made to proceed with the shooting of the second half of Seven Swords of Mt Tian TV series as well as the second instalment of The Seven Swords film hexaology sometime next year.  Chengdu Daily

-- Seven Swords of Mt Tian TV Series --

On October 20, this reporter visited the set of Seven Swords of Mt Tian TV series in Hengdian. Yuen Bun, the new martial arts director, would demonstrate every stunt himself and was particularly demanding.

When interviewed in the evening, he said that he was facing tremendous pressure. While he understands what kind of action he has to choreograph and the visuals, he wasn't exactly sure of what Tsui Hark wants. He says this is the most difficult job he has ever done.

-- Seven Swords of Mt Tian --

On the evening of October 15, Yuen Bun arrived at Urumqi, Xinjiang, to meet Tsui Hark to discuss about the martial arts choreography of the later portion of Seven Swords of Mt Tian Part I TV series. The two were brimming with overflowing enthusiasm as they devised, explored and enacted different moves, and Tsui Hark also had the moves drawn. Seven Swords of Mt Tian series is bucking the trend by hiring two completely different choreographers.

The first portion has action done by Billy Chan, who is noted for practical, realistic choreography, and was a partner of Bruce Lee, was behind the martial arts sequences in King Hu's A Touch of Zen, Yuen Biao's The Prodigal Son and Jackie Chan's Heart of Dragon, etc. He has outstandingly completed the action scenes for the Xinjiang portion, which is about the growth of the Seven Swords, and is handing over the remaining job to Yuen Bun, who's noted for his beautiful style and crisp movements.

Yuen Bun has had many felicitous collaborations with Tsui Hark, but how to meet the demands of Tsui Hark, who's forever on the quest for novelty, became the major issue in this meeting. The crux of Seven Swords of Mt Tian lies in the relations between the sword and the owner, the swordplay and the heart and mind of the swordmaster. To be able to have both heavyweight martial arts directors, as well as such wushu virtuosi as Yu Cheng Hui, Sun Jian Kui, Ji Chun Hua, Xu Xiang Dong, etc, on board, Seven Swords of Mt Tian can be considered as the TV series in Mainland that has the most luxurious ensemble of wushu masters.  Chengdu Daily

-- Seven Swords of Mt Tian TV Series --

Seven Swords of Mt Tian TV series 《七剑下天山》 spent 1 week filming in Mt Tian. This was also the toughest time the production had in Xinjiang. Despite all the hardships, director Clarence Fok was very happy with the result. Much of the time were wasted in the journey travelling to and fro between the set at Mt Tian and their lodging, leaving little time for filming.

They had to set off before sunrise and could only reach they lodging late in the night. On the second day, on their way to Mt Tian, they met with an avalanche, and their path was blocked by fallen boulders. Few vehicles passed by the vicinity and there was no phone reception. So, the crew and the cast had to clear the road themselves with the spades and hammers, and were delayed by a few hours. Fortunately, no one was hurt and filming proceeded as per normal.