Sex and Zen
Encyclopedia
Sex and Zen is a 1991
Hong Kong
erotic comedy film
directed by Michael Mak
and starring Lawrence Ng
and Amy Yip
.
The film is loosely based on The Carnal Prayer Mat, a Chinese
erotic novel by 17th century author and playwright Li Yu
.
transcends the passions of the flesh but the scholar, who enjoys women, naturally doesn't agree. However, the most powerful man in the town marries his daughter, played by Amy Yip, to the Scholar. The daughter is a virgin and has been taught that sex is dirty.
The scholar, after a disastrous yet humorous wedding night, soon initiates his bride into the pleasures of sex, aided greatly by the illustrations of a copy of said sex manual that he owns. But soon, the amorous husband goes about his 'scholastic travels' where he meets the greatest thief known to man. The thief is able to sneak into people's houses undetected, and the scholar wants to learn this skill so that he can sleep with other men's wives. The thief was initially willing to help him, until he catches the scholar one day and discovers that the scholar is not very well-endowed.
The thief tells the scholar that stealing other men's wives requires both good lovemaking skills and equipment. The thief promises to help the scholar only if he has a horse's penis. Of course, the thief didn't think it was possible, until the scholar returned one day, indeed, with a horse's penis attached as his own. Apparently, the scholar met a doctor who was able to replace anatomical parts
(a scene with a cameo
by Hong Kong comedian Kent Cheng
).
The doctor managed to transplant a horse's penis to replace the scholar's meager one. Armed with his new 20-inch penis, the scholar goes on a sexual rampage, not caring if he is seducing other men's wives, or is nearly caught in the process. Meanwhile, the scholar's wife, after experiencing the joys of sex, becomes sexually frustrated. She tried masturbating with paintbrushes but is left unsatisfied until she has an affair with the gardener, the husband of one of the wives the scholar seduced. She becomes pregnant and runs away with the man, who persuades her to have an abortion. She soon finds solace in a brothel
where she perfects her sexual skills to become the top courtesan
.
Meanwhile, the scholar husband has become frail and sick due to too much sex (involving 2 sisters-in-law who are bisexual and into S&M). He goes to the brothel for treatment, where he is offered the top courtesan. At first, both husband and wife cannot recognize each other; she looked at his penis and thought it couldn't be her husband's because his was small; he couldn't recognize her because his eyesight was failing. While they were having sex, he takes a close look at her figure and nipple and recognizes her. To her dismay, he screams, shouts and calls her a disgrace. To his dismay, she runs off and hangs herself. The man, completely broken, goes back to the monk to ask for forgiveness.
rating (the Hong Kong equivalent of NC-17).
and Sex and Zen III
. These are not sequels in plot, as each movie illustrates a different story also based on the sex manual.
The movies were also budding platforms for former Category III actresses such as Shu Qi
who has since made it as an A-list Hong Kong movie star. However, even the stigma of having been a sex symbol
actor cannot be completely erased. Lawrence Ng once mentioned in an interview that he was embarrassed for having made the film and wishes that he instead be known for his serious character roles in modern and period drama TV series.
Hong Kong films of 1991
A list of films produced in Hong Kong in 1991:.-1991:-External links:* * Hong Kong films of 1991 at...
Hong Kong
Cinema of Hong Kong
The cinema of Hong Kong is one of the three major threads in the history of Chinese language cinema, alongside the cinema of China, and the cinema of Taiwan...
erotic comedy film
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
directed by Michael Mak
Michael Mak
Michael Mak Kwok-fung is a Hong Kong politician. He is a Hong Kong pro-democratic political organization, and an elected member of Wan Chai District. He was the founding deputy chairman of the League of Social Democrats, and was elected to the Advisory Council of the party in 2010...
and starring Lawrence Ng
Lawrence Ng
Lawrence Ng Kai Wah is a popular TV actor in Hong Kong. His more famous works include the television series Healing Hands and the films Fate Twisters and Sex and Zen.-Career:...
and Amy Yip
Amy Yip
Amy Yip is an actress who was one of the leading sex symbols of Hong Kong cinema in the late 1980s and early 1990s. -Career:Amy Yip is best known for her roles in Hong Kong Category III films such as Sex and Zen and Erotic Ghost Story...
.
The film is loosely based on The Carnal Prayer Mat, a Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
erotic novel by 17th century author and playwright Li Yu
Li Yu (author)
Li Yu , also known as Li Liweng was a Chinese playwright, novelist and publisher. Born in Rugao, he lived in late-Ming and early-Qing dynasties....
.
Plot
The story is about a lustful scholar (played by Lawrence Ng) who dares to challenge the moral teachings of the Sack Monk. The monk attempts to lecture the scholar that spiritual enlightenmentEnlightenment (spiritual)
Enlightenment in a secular context often means the "full comprehension of a situation", but in spiritual terms the word alludes to a spiritual revelation or deep insight into the meaning and purpose of all things, communication with or understanding of the mind of God, profound spiritual...
transcends the passions of the flesh but the scholar, who enjoys women, naturally doesn't agree. However, the most powerful man in the town marries his daughter, played by Amy Yip, to the Scholar. The daughter is a virgin and has been taught that sex is dirty.
The scholar, after a disastrous yet humorous wedding night, soon initiates his bride into the pleasures of sex, aided greatly by the illustrations of a copy of said sex manual that he owns. But soon, the amorous husband goes about his 'scholastic travels' where he meets the greatest thief known to man. The thief is able to sneak into people's houses undetected, and the scholar wants to learn this skill so that he can sleep with other men's wives. The thief was initially willing to help him, until he catches the scholar one day and discovers that the scholar is not very well-endowed.
The thief tells the scholar that stealing other men's wives requires both good lovemaking skills and equipment. The thief promises to help the scholar only if he has a horse's penis. Of course, the thief didn't think it was possible, until the scholar returned one day, indeed, with a horse's penis attached as his own. Apparently, the scholar met a doctor who was able to replace anatomical parts
Organ transplant
Organ transplantation is the moving of an organ from one body to another or from a donor site on the patient's own body, for the purpose of replacing the recipient's damaged or absent organ. The emerging field of regenerative medicine is allowing scientists and engineers to create organs to be...
(a scene with a cameo
Cameo appearance
A cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
by Hong Kong comedian Kent Cheng
Kent Cheng
Kent Cheng Jak-si is a Hong Kong film and television actor. He has won twice the best actor award in the Hong Kong Film Awards.-Biography:...
).
Brothel
Brothels are business establishments where patrons can engage in sexual activities with prostitutes. Brothels are known under a variety of names, including bordello, cathouse, knocking shop, whorehouse, strumpet house, sporting house, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, and bawdy house...
where she perfects her sexual skills to become the top courtesan
Courtesan
A courtesan was originally a female courtier, which means a person who attends the court of a monarch or other powerful person.In feudal society, the court was the centre of government as well as the residence of the monarch, and social and political life were often completely mixed together...
.
Meanwhile, the scholar husband has become frail and sick due to too much sex (involving 2 sisters-in-law who are bisexual and into S&M). He goes to the brothel for treatment, where he is offered the top courtesan. At first, both husband and wife cannot recognize each other; she looked at his penis and thought it couldn't be her husband's because his was small; he couldn't recognize her because his eyesight was failing. While they were having sex, he takes a close look at her figure and nipple and recognizes her. To her dismay, he screams, shouts and calls her a disgrace. To his dismay, she runs off and hangs herself. The man, completely broken, goes back to the monk to ask for forgiveness.
Box office
In Hong Kong, the film grossed $18,424,224 HKD. This was enormous business considering the film was saddled with the restrictive Category IIIHong Kong motion picture rating system
The Hong Kong motion picture rating system is a legal system of movie screening and rating. An official government agency issues ratings for any movie that will be shown in Hong Kong movie theatres.-History:...
rating (the Hong Kong equivalent of NC-17).
Sequels
Sex and Zen went on to spin off two sequels, Sex and Zen IISex and Zen II
Sex and Zen II is a 1996 Hong Kong film directed by Chin Man Kei. The film is a sequel to Sex and Zen , and it was followed by Sex and Zen III .-Synopsis:...
and Sex and Zen III
Sex and Zen III
Sex and Zen III is a 1998 Hong Kong comedy erotic film following Sex and Zen and Sex and Zen II .-Synopsis:...
. These are not sequels in plot, as each movie illustrates a different story also based on the sex manual.
The movies were also budding platforms for former Category III actresses such as Shu Qi
Shu Qi
Shu Qi is the stage name of a Taiwanese actress born Lin Li-Hui . Her stage name is occasionally romanized as Hsu Chi or Shu Kei . Her name is sometimes seen in the Western order as Qi Shu.-Early life:...
who has since made it as an A-list Hong Kong movie star. However, even the stigma of having been a sex symbol
Sex symbol
A sex symbol is a celebrity of either gender, typically an actor, musician, supermodel, teen idol, or sports star, noted for their sex appeal. The term was first used in the mid 1950s in relation to the popularity of certain Hollywood stars, especially Marilyn Monroe and Brigitte...
actor cannot be completely erased. Lawrence Ng once mentioned in an interview that he was embarrassed for having made the film and wishes that he instead be known for his serious character roles in modern and period drama TV series.
Cast
- Lawrence NgLawrence NgLawrence Ng Kai Wah is a popular TV actor in Hong Kong. His more famous works include the television series Healing Hands and the films Fate Twisters and Sex and Zen.-Career:...
- Mei Yeung-Sheng - Kent ChengKent ChengKent Cheng Jak-si is a Hong Kong film and television actor. He has won twice the best actor award in the Hong Kong Film Awards.-Biography:...
- Dr. Tin Chan - Lo LiehLo LiehLo Lieh was a Hong Kong actor in martial arts films. His real name is Wang Lap Tat. After his parents sent him back to China he attended acting school in Hong Kong. He began his martial arts training in 1962 and joined the Shaw Brothers Studio in the same year and went on to become one of the...
- Chor Kun-Lun - Amy YipAmy YipAmy Yip is an actress who was one of the leading sex symbols of Hong Kong cinema in the late 1980s and early 1990s. -Career:Amy Yip is best known for her roles in Hong Kong Category III films such as Sex and Zen and Erotic Ghost Story...
- Huk-Yeung/Chau-Yin - Isabella Chow - Shui Chu
- Carrie NgCarrie NgCarrie Ng is a Hong Kong actress best known for cult CAT III films Naked Killer and Sex and Zen. She won Best Supporting Actress at the Hong Kong Film Awards for her performance in The Kid and Best Actress at the Golden Horse Film Festival awards for her performance in Remains of a Woman.-Awards...
- Mistress Ku - Tim Wong - Emil Wu
- Mari AyukawaMari Ayukawais a former Japanese AV idol and pink film actress.-Life and career:Mari Ayukawa was born in Tokyo on December 2, 1969. Ayukawa had nurse education in high school and she was a medical school student when she made her AV debut in the July 1988 Arena release, ....
- Wong Chut's wife - Tomoko InoRena Murakamiis a Japanese actress and former AV idol.- Life and career :After beginning her career as a gravure idol, Murakami made her AV debut in the March 1988 h.m.p. Miss Christine release, . In December of her debut year she had a role in Toei's mainstream drama release, . She had another role in a...
- Fa Sun - Tien FengTien FengTien Feng is a Hong Kong actor for 60 years. He left for Hong Kong from Taiwan and started his career...
- Master Iron Doors (uncredited) - Elvis TsuiElvis TsuiElvis Tsui , also known as Tsui Kam-kong, is a Hong Kong-based Chinese film and television actor.-Biography:...
- Wong Chut (uncredited)