The Silk Road
敦煌
Synopsis
In 1026, students in western China are shanghaied into the forces of crown prince Li Yuanhao of Xi Xia, who wants to control the length of the Silk Road. One student is Zhao Xingde, who becomes the favorite of his commander, Zhu Wangli. While sacking a fortress, Xingde discovers Tsurpia, princess of the Uighur. He hides her; they fall in love. When he's sent away to study Xixian, he leaves Tsurpia in Zhu's care, but returns to find her engaged to Li. Tragedy follows, and he and Zhu enter a pact to take revenge when Li arrives at Dun-Huang, the region's seat of learning and culture. Against overwhelming odds, they find a surprising way to leave a monument to their life and love.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Saul Bass title sequence - Tonkô / Dun Huang / Silk Road (1988)
Type: Clip • Published 2013-02-23
Top Cast
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Toshiyuki Nishida
Zhu Wangli
Koichi Sato
Zhao Xingde
Anna Nakagawa
Tsurpia
Tsunehiko Watase
Li Yuanhao
Takahiro Tamura
Tsao Yanhui
Akira Emoto
Daijirō Harada
Weichi Kuang
Yoshiko Mita
Woman of Xixia
Yukio Ninagawa
Eisaku Shindo
Mizuho Suzuki
Katsuhiko Watabiki
Kazunaga Tsuji
Takao Zushi
Yoshitaka Zushi
Toshiya Ito
Haruhiko Takemura
Fuyukaze Matsumura
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
Undisclosed
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$74.1M
Total global ticket sales
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Junya Satō
- Screenplay & Story
- Junya Satō, Takeshi Yoshida
- Original Score
- Masaru Satō
- Original Title
- 敦煌
- Country of Origin
- Japan, China
- Spoken Languages
- Japanese
- Runtime
- 2h 23m
- Worldwide Gross
- $74.1M
- Production Studios
- Daiei Co. Ltd., IMAGICA, Tokuma Shoten, New Century Producers, China Film Export and Export Corp
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Junya Satō
Junya Satō, Takeshi Yoshida, Yasushi Inoue
Masaru Satō
Akira Shiizuka, 松橋亮
Akira Suzuki
Atsushi Takeda, Kazuo Haruna, Yasuyoshi Tokuma, Yoshihiro Yūki
Department Leadership Roster
Junya Satō
Director
Atsushi Takeda
Producer
Akira Suzuki
Editor
Masaru Satō
Original Music Composer
Kazuo Haruna
Producer
Yoshihiro Yūki
Producer
Junya Satō
Screenplay
Takeshi Yoshida
Screenplay
Akira Shiizuka
Director of Photography
柳生悦子
Costume Design
田代洋子
Costume Design
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Silk Road.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Silk Road.
Asian Cinema
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Kinema Junpo - Best Japanese Films (1926-2024) [Imported]
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Silk Road
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Silk Road about?
In 1026, students in western China are shanghaied into the forces of crown prince Li Yuanhao of Xi Xia, who wants to control the length of the Silk Road. One student is Zhao Xingde, who becomes the favorite of his commander, Zhu Wangli. While sacking a fortress, Xingde discovers Tsurpia, princess of the Uighur. He hides her; they fall in love. When he's sent away to study Xixian, he leaves Tsurpia in Zhu's care, but returns to find her engaged to Li. Tragedy follows, and he and Zhu enter a pact to take revenge when Li arrives at Dun-Huang, the region's seat of learning and culture. Against overwhelming odds, they find a surprising way to leave a monument to their life and love.
Who directed The Silk Road?
The Silk Road was directed by Junya Satō.
Who stars in The Silk Road?
The principal cast of The Silk Road includes Toshiyuki Nishida, Koichi Sato, Anna Nakagawa, Tsunehiko Watase, Takahiro Tamura.
When was The Silk Road released and how long is it?
The Silk Road was released in 1988 with a total runtime of 2h 23m.
How much did The Silk Road make at the box office?
The Silk Road grossed $74.1M in worldwide ticket sales.
Who composed the musical score for The Silk Road?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Silk Road was composed by Masaru Satō.
Is The Silk Road based on a book or true story?
The Silk Road is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Yasushi Inoue".