Chapter 66 He Plays Shaolin, I Play Tai Chi

The so-called western-style swordsman naturally referred to *The Arrow.*

That film was quite artistic; the characters could draw their swords and finish a fight without even blinking, emphasizing a certain poetic mood. That approach would definitely not work in the mainland. Chen Qi wanted to enrich the action sequences while keeping the narrative structure faithful to the original film.

After listening, Wang Yang asked, "Are you planning to shoot on location in the Northwest?"

"Exactly! You can think of it as China's western. The desolation and weight of the Loess Plateau, combined with the rugged and unrestrained nature of the Guanzhong swordsmen—Hong Kong audiences will definitely find it fresh, and foreigners will find it even fresher."

"That sounds a bit mysterious. What about the second story?" Wang Yang prompted.

Chen Qi then began to talk about Swallow Li San.

Thanks to the dissemination of Hong Kong film and television dramas, southern martial arts masters such as Wong Fei-hung, Hung Hei-gun, Fong Sai-yuk, and Ip Man were extremely well-known in the mainland. However, northern masters were few and far between, with only Huo Yuanjia, Broadsword Wang Wu, and a few others having any real fame.

Swallow Li San was one of them. In 1999, a high-rating television series starring Zhang Li, Lin Fangbing, and Li Qi would be broadcast by CCTV.

Chen Qi designed him as a folk hero and righteous thief who robbed the rich to give to the poor, resisting both the imperial government and foreign powers—the image that would later become widely familiar to future generations. Hearing this, Wang Yang's eyes lit up brightly, and he said repeatedly, "This one works. Let's keep it as a backup. Go on!"

"The third one is about Yang Luchan. This man was a historical martial arts master whose descendants are still alive today. To avoid unnecessary complications, we can use a pseudonym and call him Yang Yuqian."

"Yang Yuqian is a native of Hebei from a well-to-do family. He practiced martial arts from a childhood, and upon hearing that there was a master named Chen Zhengying in Chenjiagou, he rushed there to seek apprenticeship. However, the Chen family's Tai Chi was never taught to outsiders, so he tried every possible means to secretly learn the art. During this time, he met Chen Zhengying's daughter, who is our female protagonist."

"The female lead falls for him at first sight and starts favoring him over her own family. We can add some comedic elements to this dynamic, making it a bit more lighthearted."

"The two of them can enjoy the scenery around Chenjiagou, playing cat-and-mouse and laughing together. We'll make the cinematography as beautiful as possible, and it would be even better to have a dedicated musical score and a written song to enhance the effect..."

"Chen Zhengying discovers this affair and flies into a furious rage, intending to cripple Yang Yuqian's martial arts. Just then, old enemies show up to settle scores. In the chaotic brawl, Yang Yuqian saves the female protagonist, prompting Chen Zhengying to let bygones be bygones and make an exception by accepting him as an apprentice."

"Yang Yuqian is exceptionally talented and progresses with astonishing speed."

"Chen Zhengying's enemies are based in the capital, and one day they strike again, using poisoned hidden weapons to injure Chen Zhengying."

"Yang Yuqian travels north to the capital to seek the antidote. It is during the Daoguang Emperor's reign, an era of opium dens everywhere, foreign powers invading China, and a bizarre, kaleidoscopic spectacle. The enemies possess considerable influence, but through a prince fond of martial arts who acts as a mediator, the enemies agree to set up a fighting stage and settle the score through a martial arts duel."

"Yang Yuqian defeats several top masters one after another, making a name for himself. Finally, he takes on disciples in the capital, aiming to use martial arts to strengthen the body and thereby strengthen the nation, while also spreading Tai Chi far and wide so it could be passed down to the present day!"

"..."

After listening, Wang Yang remained silent for a moment. He paced around the room a few times before saying, "You rascal, you really know how to play to people's preferences. The national leaders love this sort of thing. Elder Liao loves practicing Tai Chi, and Elder Deng loves it even more. Your intentions are far too obvious."

"Comrade Fu Qi came last time and told the story of Elder Liao. Elder Liao said that Chinese martial arts are divided into two major schools: one is Shaolin, and the other is Tai Chi. Since someone is already making a film about Shaolin, we should make one about Tai Chi!"

Chen Qi shrugged and said, "There's no help for it. We must first consider the censorship issue. If it can't pass censorship, shooting anything is completely useless. Even if it passes, there are bound to be nitpickers looking for trouble, so we have to cater to the tastes of those in charge."

"Besides, Tai Chi is even more representative of Chinese martial arts. It has history, a story, and culture—why shouldn't we make a film about it?"

"Can you guarantee that it will sell overseas?"

"Are you asking me to sign a pledge in blood? Old factory director, I'm only nineteen years old and just want to earn some foreign exchange for the country. You shouldn't dump all the responsibility on my shoulders, should you?"

"Get lost! If anything goes wrong, I'll naturally take the blame; it's not your turn yet!"

Wang Yang scolded him with a smile, then said, "I just get a bit impatient whenever I think about foreign exchange. All right, tell me the specifics about this Tai Chi project!"

"Your connections are strong; you should go and sound out whether the prototype of Yang Luchan can be filmed. I heard that their family tombs were bulldozed."

"This film will be pure martial arts action. As long as the narrative logic holds up, the focus should be on two things: showcasing magnificent scenery and delivering breathtaking fight choreography. I suggest inviting a martial arts director from Hong Kong; they have extensive experience and are much better at designing action sequences."

"That will be difficult! Do you have any other ideas?"

"Lastly, to what extent will you allow me to participate?" Chen Qi suddenly asked.

Hmm?

Wang Yang was taken aback, then immediately reacted, looking at him with growing interest.

The film studio was a place governed by seniority. Newcomers had to spend three years doing odd jobs, three years as assistants, and three years as assistant directors, grinding it out for a decade before finally getting the chance to direct a film—with the exception of scions of prominent families, like Tian Zhuangzhuang, who had already directed four short films while still in school.

"You rascal want to be a director? Forget about it. Even if you had heaven-sent talent, and even if I had supreme authority, I couldn't possibly let you direct. There are hundreds of people in the studio watching!"

"No, no, I don't want to be a director at all..."

Chen Qi had wanted to say "producer," but upon second thought, the mainland did not yet have the title of producer. Instead, he said, "If possible, could you give me the position of planner? I'd be more than satisfied just offering suggestions during the production process."

"A planner?"

Wang Yang clicked his tongue appreciatively. This kid still harbored quite an ambition, but since he intended to use him, he also had to bear the corresponding risks and responsibilities—something he was entirely capable of handling.

However, for now, he didn't make promises, only saying, "Go write your script first, and I'll sound out the other matters. Oh, and by the way, I think the Swallow Li San idea is also good. Write that one up as well when you have time."

"You can't just squeeze people like this; I already have more work on my hands than I can handle. Anyway, I think we need to move as fast as possible, ideally debuting the Tai Chi film before *The Shaolin Temple* comes out, so no one can accuse us of following a trend."

Having finished the discussion, Chen Qi made his exit.

He clattered down the stairs, feeling a stirring excitement in his chest.

This story of Yang Yuqian was largely derived from Wuzhi's television series *Tai Chi Master*. He had picked and chosen elements, woven together a main plotline, added a few touches of his own, and condensed it into a feature film.

Elder Liao's remark was entirely correct.

Although Chinese martial arts were vast and numerous, the most renowned were none other than Shaolin and Tai Chi.

Tai Chi also enjoyed a considerable following overseas, with many foreigners traveling specifically to China to study Taoism and martial arts. Keanu Reeves had even directed and starred in *Man of Tai Chi*, flawed though that film might be.

Compared to Shaolin kung fu, there were far fewer film and television productions dedicated to Tai Chi, but the subject matter had always maintained a steady market overseas. This aligned perfectly with Chen Qi's goal of earning foreign exchange: it could actually be sold abroad!

As for how much it would sell for—the national foreign exchange reserve was only 840 million US dollars, so if his single film could pull in 3 million US dollars, he would practically be the nation's benefactor!

Back at the guesthouse.

Chen Qi finally felt a trace of work-related pressure. *Tai Chi Master* needed to be written, and *Lushan Romance* was still in production. Fortunately, he had already finished the first half of *Invincible Mandarin Duck Kicks* and thrown the second half to Liang Xiaosheng, otherwise, he would literally be worked to death.

"Write away, write away! Fatigue self-inflicted!"

"Who told us to have such a devoted red heart?"

Chen Qi stretched his neck, instantly shifting back into the mindset of a dedicated worker.

(End of chapter)