A Touch of Zen ( ) is a 1971 wuxia film directed by King Hu, and made in Taiwan. The movie won significant critical acclaim and became the first Chinese action film ever to win a prize at the Cannes Film Festival, winning the Technical Grand Prize award.
Although filming began in 1969, A Touch of Zen wasn't completed until 1971 and has a running time of over three hours, making it an unusually epic entry in the Wuxia genre.
An artist, Ku, lives with his mother near an abandoned fort, reputed to be haunted. One night, investigating strange noises, he meets the beautiful Yang who is living there. She is being pursued by agents of an Imperial noble who have murdered her family. Ku finds himself caught up in her struggle to survive, and many fierce battles take place before all is resolved. Action adventure with a lyrical feel, this is a kung fu film with a strong spiritual element. Written by Richard Hills
