Temptation of a Monk
誘僧
Synopsis
Near the beginning of the Tang dynasty, in 7th century China, General Shi Yan-sheng is tricked into leaving the crown prince unguarded. The crown prince is murdered by one of his brothers who then becomes emperor. Shi retreats to a monastery, perhaps to hide, perhaps to plan a coup. When his loyal troops as well as the princess he desires are slain, he seeks refuge in a remote, abandoned monastery where an aged abbot schools him with practical, earthy teachings. The emperor's forces pursue Shi: first a woman, then a general seek to overpower him with lust and might. Over the course of the film, the reds of battle give way to blues of meditation.
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Release History & Theatrical Window
Toronto International Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
December 16, 1994
Wide Cinema Exhibition
August 25, 1995
Physical Home Media
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Clara Law
- Screenplay & Story
- Lilian Lee Bik-Wah, Eddie Fong Ling-Ching
- Original Score
- Tats Lau Yee-Tat, Tommy Wai Kai-Leung
- Original Title
- 誘僧
- Country of Origin
- Hong Kong
- Spoken Languages
- Cantonese, Mandarin
- Runtime
- 1h 58m
- Production Studios
- Long Shong International, Tedpoly Films
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Clara Law
Lilian Lee Bik-Wah, Eddie Fong Ling-Ching
Tats Lau Yee-Tat, Tommy Wai Kai-Leung
Arthur Wong Ngok-Tai, Andrew Lesnie
Jill Bilcock
Teddy Robin
Department Leadership Roster
Lilian Lee Bik-Wah
Screenplay
Teddy Robin
Producer
Eddie Fong Ling-Ching
Screenplay
Jill Bilcock
Editor
Tats Lau Yee-Tat
Original Music Composer
Arthur Wong Ngok-Tai
Director of Photography
Clara Law
Director
Andrew Lesnie
Director of Photography
Cai Pei-Xin
Costume Design
Tommy Wai Kai-Leung
Original Music Composer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NR: Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
Suitable only for adults 18 years and over.
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Temptation of a Monk.
Featured In Curated Collections
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Discover HK Cinema
Hong Kong Cinema
Hong Kong films (Chinese-language, country=HK) enumerated from Wikidata, verified against TMDb. Excludes Western co-productions.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Temptation of a Monk
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Temptation of a Monk about?
Near the beginning of the Tang dynasty, in 7th century China, General Shi Yan-sheng is tricked into leaving the crown prince unguarded. The crown prince is murdered by one of his brothers who then becomes emperor. Shi retreats to a monastery, perhaps to hide, perhaps to plan a coup. When his loyal troops as well as the princess he desires are slain, he seeks refuge in a remote, abandoned monastery where an aged abbot schools him with practical, earthy teachings. The emperor's forces pursue Shi: first a woman, then a general seek to overpower him with lust and might. Over the course of the film, the reds of battle give way to blues of meditation.
Who directed Temptation of a Monk?
Temptation of a Monk was directed by Clara Law.
Who stars in Temptation of a Monk?
The principal cast of Temptation of a Monk includes Wu Hsing-Guo, Joan Chen, Michael Lee Ming-Yeung, Lisa Lu, Zhang Fengyi.
When was Temptation of a Monk released and how long is it?
Temptation of a Monk was released in 1993 with a total runtime of 1h 58m.
Who composed the musical score for Temptation of a Monk?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Temptation of a Monk was composed by Tats Lau Yee-Tat, Tommy Wai Kai-Leung.
Is Temptation of a Monk based on a book or true story?
Temptation of a Monk is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Lilian Lee Bik-Wah".
What is the age rating and content advisory for Temptation of a Monk?
Temptation of a Monk holds official age classifications: GB: 18 (Suitable only for adults 18 years and over.); US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).