Two Of The 21st Century’s Best Martial Arts Movies Owe Debts To This 3-Hour 1971 Epic

by

Many consider Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and other top martial arts films from the 2000s to be influenced by A Touch of Zen, a classic two-part epic released in 1971. This film helped define the wuxia genre, which is known for its fantastical depictions of ancient China and spectacular sword fighting with acrobatic wirework.

Ang Lee’s film, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, became incredibly popular and inspired a wave of similar martial arts movies, including The House of Flying Daggers, which is now considered one of the best of the 21st century. While these films launched a new trend in the early 2000s, they weren’t the very first of their kind – they built on a long tradition of wuxia cinema.

Instead of starting a new trend, films like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and The House of Flying Daggers actually brought back the popularity of a classic style of martial arts movies. A key film that initially helped wuxia films succeed was A Touch of Zen.

A Touch Of Zen Was A Two-Part Wuxia Adventure Directed By King Hu

I’ve always been captivated by King Hu’s films, especially those early wuxia classics like Come Drink With Me and Dragon Inn. It’s amazing to me that after those hits in the mid-60s, he created A Touch of Zen in 1970. I recently learned that it actually had to be released in two parts, in 1970 and 1971, because of money issues – it’s incredible he still managed to bring his vision to life despite those challenges!

Since its initial release, A Touch of Zen is now widely considered a single film and has been re-released and broadcast as such, resulting in a total runtime of three hours. The film features an expansive story about a kind scholar and a skilled swordswoman who are both fugitives, and who find adventure and romance together.

Though lengthy, A Touch of Zen carefully establishes its characters and their relationships before reaching its exciting battles. The film slowly builds tension as the heroes confront the villainous eunuch who drives the story.

Despite not being successful in theaters, the story was highly praised by critics and remains a fan favorite within the wuxia genre, as evidenced by its impressive 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

A Touch Of Zen Had A Major Influence On Other Wuxia Films

Both critics and viewers praised A Touch of Zen, but it also deeply influenced other filmmakers. Ang Lee, director of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, is among those who admire both the film and its director, King Hu.

The film’s beautiful, movie-like quality and its introduction of wuxia elements have made it very influential. A prime example of this influence is the fight scene in the bamboo forest, which cleverly used the environment as cover during combat. This inspired similar action sequences in films like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Jet Li’s Hero, and House of Flying Daggers.

The film also explores feminist ideas, and notably features a strong female character who drives the story – a common element in the work of director King Hu.

When it was first released, A Touch of Zen was notable for its strong, independent female lead, which was widely praised. It paved the way for other wuxia films with female protagonists, most notably House of Flying Daggers and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

Read More

2026-02-12 05:58