Tsui Hark(Chinese:Từ khắc,Vietnamese:Từ Khắc,born 15 February 1950), bornTsui Man-kong(Vietnamese:Từ Văn Quang), is a Hong Kong filmmaker. Tsui has directed several influential Hong Kong films such asZu Warriors from the Magic Mountain(1983), theOnce Upon a Time in Chinafilm series(1991–1997) andThe Blade(1995). Tsui also has been a prolific writer and producer;[1]his productions includeA Better Tomorrow(1986),A Better Tomorrow II(1987),A Chinese Ghost Story(1987),The Killer(1989),The Legend of the Swordsman(1992),The Wicked City(1992),Iron Monkey(1993) andBlack Mask(1996). He is viewed as a major figure in the Golden Age ofHong Kong cinemaand is regarded by critics as "one of the masters of Asiancinematography".[2]

Tsui Hark
Từ khắc
Tsui Hark at theNew York Asian Film Festival,10 July 2011
Born
Tsui Man-kong ( từ văn quang )

(1950-02-15)15 February 1950(age 74)
Occupation(s)Film director, producer, presenter, screenwriter, actor
Spouse
(m.1996;div.2014)
Chinese name
ChineseTừ văn quang
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinXú Wénguāng
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationChèuih Mahn Gwōng
JyutpingCeoi4 Man4gwong1
Alternative Chinese name
ChineseTừ khắc
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinXú Kè
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationChèuih Hāk
JyutpingCeoi4 Hak1

In the late 1990s, Tsui had a short-lived career in the United States, directing theJean-Claude Van Damme–led filmsDouble Team(1997) andKnock Off(1998). He returned to Hong Kong to continue his career, where he found commercial and critical success with blockbusters such as theDetective Deefilm series,Flying Swords of Dragon Gate(2011), andThe Taking of Tiger Mountain(2014).

Early life

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Tsui was born and raised inSaigon,Vietnam,to a large Chinese (Hoa) family with sixteen siblings.[3]Tsui showed an early interest in show business and films; when he was 10, he and some friends rented an8 mmcamera to film a magic show they put on at school. He also drew comic books, an interest that would influence his cinematic style. By the age of 13, he and his family immigrated to Hong Kong.[4]

Tsui started his secondary education in Hong Kong in 1966. He proceeded to study film inTexas,first atSouthern Methodist Universityand then at theUniversity of Texas at Austin,graduating in 1975. He claims to have told his parents he wanted to follow in his father's footsteps as apharmacist,and that it was here he changed his given name to Hark ( "overcoming" ).

After graduation, Tsui moved toNew York City,where he worked onFrom Spikes to Spindles(1976), a noted documentary film byChristine Choyon the history of the city's Chinatown. He also worked as an editor for a Chinese newspaper, developed acommunity theatregroup and worked in a Chinese cable TV station. He returned to Hong Kong in 1977.

Career

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1977-1981: New Wave period

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Tsui returned to Hong Kong in 1977 and worked for TVB,[5]the dominant local television station, then moved to its rival, CTV, lured by its general manager Selina Chow. Viewed as having an eye for talent (numerous future New Wave directors got their first directing gigs under Chow)[6]she put Tsui in charge of the martial arts drama,The Gold Dagger Romance,which marked him as a talent to watch.[7]

Producer Ng See-yuen sawGold Dagger Romanceand hired Tsui to direct his first feature,The Butterfly Murders(1979),[8]a technically challenging blend ofwuxia,murder mystery and science fiction / fantasy elements. His second film,We're Going to Eat You(1980), was a blend of cannibal horror, black comedy and martial arts. He was quickly typed as a member of Hong Kong's "New Wave" of directors.

Tsui's third film,Dangerous Encounters of the First Kind(1980), was a nihilistic thriller about delinquent youths on a bombing spree. Heavily censored by theBritish colonial government,it was released in 1981 in a drastically altered version titledDangerous Encounter – 1st Kind(or alternatively,Don't Play with Fire). The movie out-grossed Tsui's previous two films, however and made him a darling of film critics with writers describing it as "one of those very rare films in the history of Hong Kong cinema that brims with accusation and subversion" and saying that it described "man as trapped animals — this is the popular theme of the New Wave and the one enduring image in their narratives."[9]

1980s-2000s: Golden era

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In 1981, Tsui joinedCinema City & Films Co.,a production company founded by comediansRaymond Wong,Karl MakaandDean Shek.Cinema City & Films Co. was instrumental in codifying the slick Hong Kong blockbuster films of the 1980s.[citation needed]Tsui played his part in the process with pictures like the crime farceAll the Wrong Clues(1981), his first hit, andAces Go Places 3(1984), part of the studio's long-running spy spoof series.

In 1983, Tsui directed thewuxiafantasy filmZu Warriors from the Magic Mountain(1983) for the studioGolden Harvest.Tsui imported Hollywood technicians to help create special effects whose number and complexity were unprecedented in Chinese-language cinema.[citation needed]

In 1984, Tsui formed the production companyFilm WorkshopwithNansun Shi.He also developed a reputation as a hands-on and even intrusive producer of other directors' work, fuelled by public breaks with major filmmakers likeJohn WooandKing Hu.His most longstanding and fruitful collaboration has probably been withChing Siu-tung.[citation needed]As action choreographer and/or director on many Film Workshop productions, Ching made a major contribution to the well-known Tsui style.

Film Workshop releases became consistent box office hits in Hong Kong and around Asia, drawing audiences with their visual adventurousness, their broad commercial appeal, and hectic camerawork and pace. With Tsui having been called the 'Steven Spielberg of Asia', Film Workshop became the 'Amblin of Hong Kong'.[10]He producedJohn Woo'sA Better Tomorrow(1986), which launched a craze forHeroic bloodshedmovies, and Ching Siu-tung'sA Chinese Ghost Story(1987), which did the same for period ghost fantasies.Zu Warriors from the Magic MountainandThe Swordsman(1990) birthed the modern-day special effects industry in Hong Kong.

In fact, Tsui's "movie brat" nostalgia is one of the main ingredients in his work. He often resurrects and revises classic films and genres: the murder mystery inThe Butterfly Murders(1979); the Shanghai musical comedy inShanghai Blues(1985).Peking Opera Blues(1986) plays with and pays tribute to the traditions of thePeking operathat his mother took him to see as a small boy and which had such a strong influence on Hong Kong action cinema.The Lovers(1994) adapts a retold, cross-dressing period romance, best known from Li Han-hsiang's 1963 opera filmThe Love Eterne.A Chinese Ghost Storyremakes Li's supernatural romanceThe Enchanting Shadow(1959) as a special effects action movie.

The pattern is also seen in perhaps Tsui's most successful work to date, theOnce Upon a Time in Chinafilm series(1991–97).Jet Liplayed the role of Chinese folk heroWong Fei-hungin the first three films and the sixth,Once Upon a Time in China and America.This series is the clearest expression in his oeuvre of Tsui's Chinese nationalism and his passionate engagement with the upheavals of Chinese history, particularly in the face of Western power and influence.

Tsui also dabbled in acting, mostly for other directors. Notable roles include one-third of the comic relief trio inCorey Yuen's filmYes, Madam!(1985) and a villain inPatrick Tam's darkly comic crime storyFinal Victory(1987), written byWong Kar-wai.He also made frequent cameo appearances in his own productions, such as a music judge inA Better Tomorrowand a phony FBI agent inAces Go Places II.

In the face of an industry downturn in the '90s, he produced two expensive movies.Green Snake(1993) was a poetic and lyric movie based on a favourite Chinese fairy tale.The Blade(1995) was a gory, deliberately rough-hewn revision of the 1967wuxiaclassicThe One-Armed Swordsman.

In the mid-to-late '90s, Tsui tried Hollywood with two films starringJean-Claude Van Damme:Double Team(1997) andKnock Off(1998). In 2002, he madeBlack Mask 2: City of Masks,an American market sequel to Jet Li's1996 film.It was releaseddirect-to-videoin the United States in December of that year before being theatrically released the next month in Hong Kong.

2000s-Now: China-Hong Kong co-productions

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Tsui Hark in 2008

Tsui returned to directing at home in 2000 after not having made a local film since 1996.Time and Tide(2000) andThe Legend of Zu(2001) were action extravaganzas with lavish computer-generated imagery that gained cult admirers but no mass success.

Tsui continues to push technical boundaries and revise old favourites.Master Q 2001was Hong Kong's first combination of live action andPixar-style3D computer animation.Era of Vampires(2002; US title, "Tsui Hark's Vampire Hunters" ) reworked a subgenre popular in the '80s, hybrid martial arts / supernatural horror films featuring the "hopping corpses" of Chinese folk legend.

In 2005, Tsui launched the multimedia productionSeven Swords,a film adaptation ofLiang Yusheng's novelsSaiwai Qixia ZhuanandQijian Xia Tianshan.The film came with a television series counterpart (Seven Swordsmen), a comic book series, a cellphone game, clothing brand, and an online multi-player video game. The film was relatively successful, and in February 2006 Tsui announced plans to begin filming the second late in the year. As of 2008, Tsui continues to work on the script forSeven Swords 2in between filming projects. In 2011 there has been no news nor plans about aSeven Swords 2.Rumors has it that due to lack of interest by the filmmakers of finishing the hexalogy lead the project into being cancelled.

In August 2008, Tsui provided art direction for thedirect-to-videoanime feature titledKungfu Master(a.k.a.Wong Fei Hong vs Kungfu Panda), an apparent unofficial sequel toKung Fu Panda,featuring Chinese folk heroWong Fei-hung.[11]He also directed the 2008 thrillerMissingstarringAngelica Leeand the 2008 romantic comedy filmAll About Womenfeaturing comic graphics and extensive ADR dubbing.

Tsui's latest work in 2010 isDetective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame,a rare but successful blend of wuxia, suspense-thriller, mystery, and comedy, which was in competition for the Golden Lion award and was also nominated and won numerous other awards.

In 2010 he announced his first 3-D film,The Flying Swords of Dragon Gate,which is a re-imagining of his 1992 filmNew Dragon Gate InnstarringTony Leung Ka-Fai,Maggie CheungandBrigitte Lin.In 2011Huayi Brothersannounced that Tsui will be making a prequel toDetective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame;shot in 3-D, it was released in 2013 asYoung Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon.

In October 2011, Tsui received the Asian Filmmaker of the Year Award at the 16thBusan International Film Festivalfor his contributions to Hong Kong cinema. He is the fifth Chinese filmmaker to receive this award at Busan.[12]

His filmThe Taking of Tiger Mountainpremiered in China in December 2014.[13]

Tsui worked on a film withMilkyway ImagealongsideAnn Hui,Ringo Lam,Patrick Tam,Johnnie To,Sammo HungandYuen Woo-Ping.Each director created a segment based on Hong Kong history.[14]The completed film,Septet: The Story of Hong Kong,was shown at the Busan International Film Festival on 21 October 2020 and at the annual Hong Kong International Film Festival in April 2021.[15]

In 2021 Tsui co-directedThe Battle at Lake ChangjinwithChen KaigeandDante Lam.The film is the most expensive film ever produced in China, thehighest-grossing Chinese film of all time,and thehighest-grossing non-English film.

Personal life

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Tsui Hark has been married twice. He was briefly married during his time studying in the U.S. in the 1970s, but the marriage ended in divorce. In 1977, he metNansun Shiwhile working atCommercial Television,Hong Kong and they began dating a year later. In 1984, they founded a film studio, where Shi was responsible for financing, distribution, and promotion. The couple co-produced over a hundred films. In 1993, rumors circulated about Tsui's affair withSally Yeh,allegedly causing a temporary split with Shi. In 1996, Tsui and Shi married inBeverly Hills,California.In 2008, Tsui was reported to have been living withSeven Swords(2005) actress Chen Jiajia inBeijing.When asked about their status of marriage, Shi then responded, "Let me give you a standard answer. I've been saying this for years: what happens between two people is private and doesn't concern a third party."[16]By 2011, Tsui began dating his assistant, Lele, whom he had met online during the filming ofFlying Swords of Dragon Gate(2011).[17][18]Shi announced their divorce in 2014, adding that Tsui and Lele had been together for some time.[19][20]

Filmography

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Year Title Director Writer Producer Notes
1979 The Butterfly Murders Yes No No
1980 We're Going to Eat You Yes Yes No Also known asHell Has No Gates
Dangerous Encounters of the First Kind Yes Yes No
1981 All the Wrong Clues for the Right Solution Yes Yes No
1983 Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain Yes No No
Search for the Gods Yes No No Short film
1984 Shanghai Blues Yes No Yes
Aces Go Places 3 Yes No No Also known asMad Mission 3
1985 Working Class Yes No Yes
1986 A Better Tomorrow No No Yes
Peking Opera Blues Yes No Yes
1987 A Chinese Ghost Story No No Yes
A Better Tomorrow II No Yes Yes
1988 The Big Heat Uncredited No Yes
I Love Maria Uncredited Uncredited Yes Also known asRoboforce
1989 A Better Tomorrow III: Love & Death in Saigon Yes Yes Yes
The Killer No No Yes
1990 Fight and Love with a Terracotta Warrior No No Yes
The Swordsman Uncredited No Yes
Spygame No No Yes
A Chinese Ghost Story II No No Yes Also editor
1991 Once Upon a Time in China Yes Yes Yes
The Raid Uncredited Yes Yes
A Chinese Ghost Story III Uncredited Yes Yes
King of Chess Uncredited No Executive
The Banquet Yes[a] Yes No
1992 Twin Dragons Yes[b] Yes No Also known asShuang long hui
andBrother vs. Brother
Once Upon a Time in China II Yes Yes Yes
The Master Yes Yes Yes Filmed in 1989
Swordsman II No Yes Yes Also known asThe Legend of the Swordsman
New Dragon Gate Inn No Yes Yes Also known asDragon Inn
The Wicked City No Yes Yes
1993 Iron Monkey No Yes Yes
The East Is Red No Yes Yes Also known asSwordsman III
Once Upon a Time in China III Yes Yes Yes
Green Snake Yes Yes Yes
Once Upon a Time in China IV No Yes Yes
1994 Burning Paradise No No Yes
The Lovers Yes Yes Yes
Once Upon a Time in China V Yes Yes Yes
1995 The Chinese Feast Yes Yes Yes
Love in the Time of Twilight Yes Yes Yes
The Blade Yes Yes Yes Also editor and production manager
1996 Tristar Yes Yes Yes
Shanghai Grand No No Yes
Black Mask No Yes Yes
1997 Once Upon a Time in China and America No No Yes
Double Team Yes No No American and English-language debut
A Chinese Ghost Story: The Tsui Hark Animation No Yes Executive Also editor
1998 Knock Off Yes No No
2000 Time and Tide Yes Yes Yes
2001 The Legend of Zu Yes Yes Yes Also known asZu Warriors
Old Master Q 2001 No No Yes
2002 The Era of Vampires No Yes Yes Also known asTsui Hark's Vampire Hunters
Black Mask 2: City of Masks Yes No Yes
2003 1:99 Shorts Yes No No 1 segment
2004 Xanda No Yes Yes Also known asSanda
2005 Seven Swords Yes Yes Yes
2006 The Warrior No Yes Yes Also action director
2007 Triangle Yes[c] Yes Yes
2008 Missing Yes Yes Yes
All About Women Yes Yes Yes Also editor
2010 Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame Yes No Yes
2011 Flying Swords of Dragon Gate Yes Yes Yes
2013 Sheng dan mei gui No No Yes
Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon Yes Yes Yes
2014 The Taking of Tiger Mountain Yes Yes No
2016 Sword Master No Yes Yes
2017 Journey to the West: The Demons Strike Back Yes Yes Yes
The Thousand Faces of Dunjia No Yes Executive
2018 Detective Dee: The Four Heavenly Kings Yes Story Yes
2019 The Climbers No No Yes
2020 Septet: The Story of Hong Kong Yes Yes No 1 segment, also acted as editor
2021 The Battle at Lake Changjin Yes No Yes Also editor
2022 The Battle at Lake Changjin II Yes No Yes
2024 Legend of the Condor Heroes: The Great Hero Yes Yes No
2025 Shih, Queen of the Sea No No Yes

Television

Year Title Director Writer Producer Notes
1986 Spirit Chaser Aisha Yes No Yes Lost media
1995–1996 Wong Fei Hung Series Yes Yes Yes Episodes "The Final Victory" and "The Ideal Century"
2005–2006 Seven Swordsmen No Yes Yes

Acting roles

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Year Title Role Notes
1980 Dangerous Encounters of the First Kind Interpol Officer Uncredited cameo
1982 Aces Go Places Ballerina Director Also known asDiamondfingerandMad Mission
Yi jiu ling wu de dong tian Li Shutong
1983 Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain Blue Army soldier fighting Fat Man
Aces Go Places 2 FBI Also known asMad Mission II
Wo ai Ye Laixiang Japanese Ambassador
1984 Shanghai Blues Pedestrian Who Gets Soaked
Aces Go Places 3 Police Officer in Computer Room Also known asMad Mission 3
Run, Tiger, Run Grandpa Steak
1985 Kung Hei Fat Choy Gold Grabber
Working Class Sunny
Yes, Madam Panadol
1986 A Better Tomorrow Music Judge
Happy Ghost III Reincarnation Director
1987 Final Victory Big Bo
1988 The Big Heat Inspector Yiuming Butt Uncredited
I Love Maria Whiskey Also known asRoboforce
1989 A Better Tomorrow III: Love & Death in Saigon Police Officer in Computer Room
1992 The Wicked City Card player
1997 A Chinese Ghost Story: The Tsui Hark Animation Solid Gold (voice)
2000 Time and Tide Narrator (voice) Uncredited cameo
2008 All About Women Taxi driver Uncredited cameo
2011 A Simple Life Director Tsui Also known asSister Peach
The Great Magician Warlord
2016 The Mermaid Uncle Rich Credited under the name "Ke Xu"
The Bodyguard Old Man
2017 Journey to the West: The Demons Strike Back Theater employee

Other credits

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Year Title Role Notes
1983 All the Wrong Spies Production designer
1986 Righting Wrongs Action choreographer Also known asAbove the Law

Awards and nominations

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Golden Horse Awards

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Year Category Film Result
1981 Best Director All the Wrong Clues for the Right Solution Won
1992 Best Adapted Screenplay Swordsman II Nominated
1994 Best Adapted Screenplay The Lovers Nominated
1997 Best Adapted Screenplay A Chinese Ghost Story: The Tsui Hark Animation Nominated
2005 Best Adapted Screenplay Seven Swords Nominated
2014 Best Director The Taking of Tiger Mountain Nominated

Hong Kong Film Awards

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Year Category Film Result
1985 Best Film Shanghai Blues Nominated
Best Director Nominated
1987 Best Film A Better Tomorrow Won
Best Action Choreography Righting Wrongs Nominated
1988 Best Film A Chinese Ghost Story Nominated
Best Supporting Actor Final Victory Nominated
1990 Best Film The Killer Nominated
1992 Best Film Once Upon a Time in China Nominated
Best Director Won
1993 Best Film Once Upon a Time in China II Nominated
Best Director Nominated
1995 Best Director The Lovers Nominated
2006 Best Film Seven Swords Nominated
Best Director Nominated
2011 Best Film Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame Nominated
Best Director Won
2012 Best Film Flying Swords of Dragon Gate Nominated
Best Director Nominated
2016 Best Director The Taking of Tiger Mountain Won

Explanatory notes

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  1. ^Co-directed withAlfred Cheung,Joe CheungandClifton Ko
  2. ^Co-directed withRingo Lam
  3. ^Co-directed withRingo LamandJohnnie To

Citations

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  1. ^Hendrix, Grady (26 April 2020)."Tsui Hark – Senses of Cinema".Retrieved10 October2020.
  2. ^Phil Mills (26 October 2011)."Interview: Tsui Hark".Far East Films.
  3. ^"Online Exclusive: An Annotated* Tsui Hark Interview".Film Comment.
  4. ^"Online Exclusive: An Annotated* Tsui Hark Interview (Part II, aka Annotation Overload)".Film Comment.
  5. ^"Tsui Hark: Filmography – Senses of Cinema".17 December 2013.
  6. ^"Hong Kong New Wave cinema: The directors and their ground-breaking movies".25 June 2023.
  7. ^"Online Exclusive: An Annotated* Tsui Hark Interview (Part II, aka Annotation Overload)".
  8. ^"Online Exclusive: An Annotated* Tsui Hark Interview (Part II, aka Annotation Overload)".
  9. ^The Cinema of Tsui Hark.McFarland. January 2001.ISBN978-0-7864-0990-7.
  10. ^CORLISS, Richard (2 July 2001)."He makes movies move That's why Tsui Hark is the Hong Kong Spielberg".Time.Retrieved8 August2021.
  11. ^"Kungfu Master".Product listing.Sensasian. Archived fromthe originalon 14 September 2008.Retrieved1 September2008.
  12. ^"Tsui Hark to receive Asian Filmmaker of the Year Award at Busan".Asia Pacific Arts.9 February 2011.
  13. ^Stephen Cremin (18 April 2014)."John Woo's Crossing joins 3-D December".Film Business Asia.Archived fromthe originalon 29 April 2014.Retrieved20 May2014.
  14. ^Shackleton, Liz (6 February 2015)."Johnnie To assembles top Hong Kong talent".Screen Daily.Retrieved9 February2015.
  15. ^"Must-watch Chinese film premieres at the 2021 Hong Kong International Film Festival".igafencu.com. 2021-04-07
  16. ^"Từ khắc 22 tuế tiểu nữ hữu bộc quang xuất diễn 《 thất kiếm 》 thụ lực phủng ( đồ )_cctv.com đề cung".news.cctv.com.Archivedfrom the original on 4 April 2024.Retrieved4 April2024.
  17. ^"Từ khắc vi tân hoan phóng khí “Tối hảo đích nữ nhân” tằng dữ nhạc đàn thiên hậu truyện phi văn truyện kích điểu thi nam sinh ách phân thủ ".Sing Tao Canada tinh đảo gia nã đại(in Chinese (Taiwan)). 16 March 2023.Archivedfrom the original on 4 April 2024.Retrieved4 April2024.
  18. ^"Từ khắc bị bộc bán niên tiền kết thúc 30 niên hôn nhân kịch tổ nhân viên mặc nhận - sưu hồ ngu nhạc".yule.sohu.com.Archivedfrom the original on 4 April 2024.Retrieved4 April2024.
  19. ^Tự do thời báo điện tử báo (4 July 2014)."Từ khắc thi nam sinh chung kết 18 niên hôn - tự do ngu nhạc".ent.ltn.com.tw(in Chinese (Taiwan)).Archivedfrom the original on 4 April 2024.Retrieved4 April2024.
  20. ^"Từ khắc cao điều ước hội niên khinh nữ trợ lý tiền thê: Tối cận dĩ ly hôn ( đồ )- trung tân võng".www.chinanews.com.cn.Archivedfrom the original on 4 April 2024.Retrieved4 April2024.

General and cited references

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Further reading

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  • Ho, Sam, ed.The Swordsman and His Juang Hu: Tsui Hark and Hong Kong Film.Hong Kong University Press, 2002.ISBN962-8050-15-X.
  • Schroeder, Andrew.Tsui Hark's Zu: Warriors from the Magic Mountain.Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press, 2004.ISBN962-209-651-4.
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