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 ...
See full summary »
Get a quick look at the the week's big trailers, including The Lighthouse, Gretel & Hansel, Doctor Sleep, Jojo Rabbit, and Jexi.
User Lists
Related lists from IMDb users
Share this Rating
Title: Temptation of a Monk (1993)
Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below.
6 wins & 13 nominations.
See more awards »
Learn more
More Like This
Fatal Past
(1993)
Drama
|
Thriller
Directors:
Clive Fleury,
Richard Ryan
Stars:
Costas Mandylor,
Katarzyna Figura,
Terence Cooper
Temptress Moon
(1996)
Drama
|
Romance
Director:
Kaige Chen
Stars:
Leslie Cheung,
Li Gong,
Kevin Lin
Golden Gate
(1993)
Crime
|
Drama
Director:
John Madden
Stars:
Matt Dillon,
Joan Chen,
Elizabeth Morehead
The Goddess of 1967
(2000)
Comedy
|
Drama
|
Romance
Director:
Clara Law
Stars:
Rose Byrne,
Rikiya Kurokawa,
Nicholas Hope
Farewell My Concubine
(1993)
Drama
|
Music
|
Romance
Director:
Kaige Chen
Stars:
Leslie Cheung,
Fengyi Zhang,
Li Gong
Drama
Director:
Clara Law
Stars:
Joey Wang,
Eric Tsang,
Wilson Lam
Turtle Beach
(1992)
Drama
|
Thriller
Director:
Stephen Wallace
Stars:
Greta Scacchi,
Joan Chen,
Jack Thompson
Spider & Rose
(1994)
Comedy
Director:
Bill Bennett
Stars:
Ruth Cracknell,
Simon Bossell,
Max Cullen
Floating Life
(1996)
Comedy
Director:
Clara Law
Stars:
Annette Shun Wah,
Annie Yip,
Anthony Brandon Wong
Autumn Moon
(1992)
Comedy
|
Drama
Director:
Clara Law
Stars:
Masatoshi Nagase,
Pei-Hui Li,
Siu Wan Choi
The Blood of Heroes
(1989)
Action
|
Sci-Fi
|
Sport
Director:
David Webb Peoples
Stars:
Rutger Hauer,
Joan Chen,
Delroy Lindo
Edit
Cast
| Credited cast: | |||
| Joan Chen | ... | Princess Hong-e - Scarlet / Qing-shou - Violet | |
| Hsing-Kuo Wu | ... | General Shi Yan-sheng / Jing-yi | |
| Fengyi Zhang | ... | General Huo Da | |
 |
Ming-Yang Li | ... | The Abbot |
| Lisa Lu | ... | Shi's Mother | |
| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Teddy Robin Kwan | ... | Soldier | |
Edit
Plot Summary
|
Add Synopsis
Storyline
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. Written by <jhailey@hotmail.com>
Certificate:
See all certifications »Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
Edit
See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
Hong KongRelease Date:
25 August 1995 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Temptation of a Monk See more »Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
DolbyColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1Frequently Asked Questions
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.Contribute to This Page
On IMDb TV, you can catch Hollywood hits and popular TV series at no cost. Select any poster below to play the movie, totally free!
Explore popular and recently added TV series available to stream now with Prime Video.
Though a little slow at times, Clara Law's Temptation of a Monk is a beautiful and well-acted epic, at times achieving a Kurosawa-esque level of stunning imagery and battle scenes. Joan Chen has two roles, one as a vibrant princess the other as a mysterious assassin. She is very good in both roles. This film is not perfect. The story ultimately doesn't go anywhere, for one. I must recommend it on the basis of its sheer beauty, however. And one battle scene in particular is terrifyingly beautiful. For fans of Kurosawa this is worth seeing. Others might grow restless, though.