The Mad Monk
Encyclopedia
Ji Gong is a 1993
Hong Kong
comedy film
directed by Johnny To
, and starring Stephen Chow
as the "Mad Monk" Ji Gong, a popular Chinese folklore figure from the Southern Song Dynasty. The film follows "Dragon Fighter Luohan" as he accepts a challenge from the gods to change the fate of a beggar, a prostitute, and a villain in three heavenly days. He is reborn on earth as a mere mortal and ultimately battles an evil demon to stave off hell
on earth.
about the malicious practical jokes played on them by Dragon Fighter Lohan
. The Emperor summons Dragon's sworn-brother, Tiger Fighter Lohan (Ng Man Tat
), in order to find his location. Dragon eventually appears and "swims" through the crowd to rebuke the gods for their horrible judgments on mankind. He goes on to tell the gods he can do a better job and, right when the Emperor is about to banish him to a reincarnation of an animal, the Bodhisattva
Guan Yin (Anita Mui
) stays his hand and, instead, issues Dragon a challenge. If he can change the fates of three people—a beggar, a prostitute, and a villain—doomed to nine incarnations as their current position in life within three heavenly days (thirty years), without heavenly powers, he will be upgraded in heavenly status. If he fails, he will be downgraded from an arhat to an animal.
The Bodhisattva gives him a magical fan that can only be used three times a day for sleight-of-hand
-like magic tricks to help him in his mission. However, heavenly soldiers force him from paradise before he has the fan in hand. When his future parents visit a Buddhist temple to pray for a child, the religious statue of Dragon Fighter Lohan
leaps from a wall containing the major arhats, thus signaling his rebirth on earth. While he grows into manhood (only a few moments in heavenly time), Tiger enlists the aid of a heavenly soldier (Wong Yut Fei) to help him reincarnate on earth so he can bring Dragon the magical fan. However, a mistake by the heavenly soldier causes Tiger to be born to an extremely old woman and the fan to a much younger woman. He then uses his magic breath to cause Tiger to rapidly grows to his proper age, the only problem being it leaves him in the body of a man, but with the brain of a baby. Dragon's earthly parents later adopt the "idiot" and treat him like an infant son.
Dragon eventually regains the memories of his former life after being struck by lightning and soon encounters the beggar (Anthony Wong), the prostitute (Maggie Cheung
), and the villain (Kirk Wong). Tiger gains his memories back when clouds block the moon (the time when heavenly security is the most relaxed) and gives Dragon his magic fan before being forced to return to heaven. Dragon uses his magic to influence the thoughts and behaviors of each of his targets. For instance, he turns himself into the likeness of the beggar's father and tells him to stop begging. However, that doesn't work so he turns himself into a host of other beings, including a large pink, marshmallow-like ghost who gets beaten up by the townsfolk. He later uses his magic to save the prostitute from being burnt at the stake. And he transforms himself into Shaolin's patriarch, Damo
, to combat the aggressive attacks of the villain. However, unbeknownst to Dragon, the villain is a fervent devotee of a soul-stealing demon who was once an acquaintance of the Shakyamuni Buddha.
When Dragon reaches the three wish limit of his fan (for that day) and the power has been exhausted for the day, the villain murders the beggar and forces Dragon to watch while he brutally rapes the prostitute. The beggar, before dying, regained his dignity and recognised himself by his own name and not as a beggar. A defeated Dragon rushes to the temple that houses the holy golden-skeleton of his body from a former life so he can travel to the underworld to retrieve the beggar's soul. Once there, he confronts the aforementioned demon and trades his golden body for the beggar's soul, but the demon keeps both and kicks Dragon back to the land of the living. Dragon takes the beggar's corpse back to the temple and learns that all of the local gods and arhats housed there are leaving the temple as they do not want to be associated with Dragon, who has made a deal with a demon. The statue of Guan Yin wept when Dragon enters the temple and then subsequently collapse. Dragon waves his magic fan to repair it, only to have it disintegrate into a million pieces (thus symbolizing that all the gods and the Bodhisattva has forsaken him in his time of need).
Thinking he had failed to change the fate of the beggar before his death, Dragon immediately seeks out the prostitute and promises to marry her if she gives up the sex trade. She agrees, but when Dragon begins to transform into a tree because of a prohibition against gods marrying mortals, she thinks he is playing a joke on her and disfigures her face with a hair pin so no one would ever love her.
Meanwhile, the villain slaughters all the prostitutes in his brothel
and his henchmen so he could acquire the blood of 49 people and immerse Dragon's Golden Skeleton in it to rid it of its power. Dragon goes to the brothel to confront the villain and, with the help of Tiger and the heavenly soldier, is able to regain his proper form. He then takes out a pair of brass knuckles
to beat the villain, only to find he has been given an invincible heart and hence body by the demon. The arhat reaches inside of the villain's chest to show him that the demon has only turned his heart into stone. Feeling betrayed, the villain revealed that the demon has schemed to force all the gods and arhats out of the temple so it can retrieve his scepter of power, which was hidden under the statue of Guan Yin by the Buddha
. He then
crushes the stone heart in his hand and wishes to be an animal in his next life.
Dragon was given a chance to return to heaven but with a three rank demotion if he admitted defeat. However, he gave up the chance to prevent the demon from retrieving it scepter and brings destruction on Earth. Dragon imbues his power into his golden skeleton and pounds it into powder and made into golden paint. He then use it to write protective talismans on the windows of the temple housing the demon's scepter. However the demon blew away the talisman which forces Dragon and a priest to run away with the scepter as the evil beast demolishes the town looking for it. When the demon tries to squish them under foot, the priest admits that he had stolen two of the skeletons golden teeth to substitute his own. Dragon devises a plan where the priest makes the demon laugh by boasting of his false demon-exorcising powers, while the arhat jumps into the beast's gaping mouth with the golden teeth. This kills Dragon, but ultimately destroys the demon.
The gods begin to celebrate in heaven because Dragon seemingly lost the bet and was going to be demoted to an animal. But Guan Yin interrupts the festivities and shows them how he succeeded in changing the fates of the three people: The beggar is reborn into the house of a rich family, the prostitute opens up a bean curd restaurant and no longer sells her body, and the villain is reborn a pig. Instead of being demoted to become an animal, Dragon was promoted to a senior arhat. The movie ends with a parody of the Miss America Pageant, where Dragon receives a Tiara and a scepter to signify his higher rank.
Hong Kong films of 1993
A list of films produced in Hong Kong in 1993:.-1993:-External links:**Hong Kong films of 1993 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...
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 Johnny To
Johnnie To
Johnnie To Kei-Fung, born 22 April 1955, is a Hong Kong film director and producer. Popular in his native Hong Kong, To has also found acclaim overseas...
, and starring Stephen Chow
Stephen Chow
Stephen Chow Sing-Chi is a Hong Kong actor, comedian, screenwriter, film director and producer.- Professional career :Stephen Chow began as a temporary actor for TVB. He entered TVB in early 1980s, and was trained there, although he had few opportunities to appear in films. Chow graduated from...
as the "Mad Monk" Ji Gong, a popular Chinese folklore figure from the Southern Song Dynasty. The film follows "Dragon Fighter Luohan" as he accepts a challenge from the gods to change the fate of a beggar, a prostitute, and a villain in three heavenly days. He is reborn on earth as a mere mortal and ultimately battles an evil demon to stave off hell
Hell
In many religious traditions, a hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as endless. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations...
on earth.
Plot
The movie starts out with all of the gods in heaven complaining to the Jade EmperorHuang Di
Huang Di can refer to:*The Yellow Emperor, a legendary figure from Chinese history*Qin Shi Huang, also known as Shi Huangdi, a Chinese emperor of the 3rd century BC*The title of the Emperor of China...
about the malicious practical jokes played on them by Dragon Fighter Lohan
Mahakasyapa
Mahākāśyapa or Kāśyapa was a brahman of Magadha, who became one of the principal disciples of Śākyamuni Buddha and who convened and directed the first council. Mahākāśyapa is one of the most revered of the Buddha's early disciples, foremost in ascetic practices...
. The Emperor summons Dragon's sworn-brother, Tiger Fighter Lohan (Ng Man Tat
Ng Man Tat
Ng Man Tat was born on 2 January 1952. He is a veteran actor in the Hong Kong film industry, with dozens of awards under his belt, including Best Supporting Actor at the 10th Hong Kong Film Awards for his role in A Moment of Romance.-Biography:...
), in order to find his location. Dragon eventually appears and "swims" through the crowd to rebuke the gods for their horrible judgments on mankind. He goes on to tell the gods he can do a better job and, right when the Emperor is about to banish him to a reincarnation of an animal, the Bodhisattva
Bodhisattva
In Buddhism, a bodhisattva is either an enlightened existence or an enlightenment-being or, given the variant Sanskrit spelling satva rather than sattva, "heroic-minded one for enlightenment ." The Pali term has sometimes been translated as "wisdom-being," although in modern publications, and...
Guan Yin (Anita Mui
Anita Mui
Anita Mui Yim-fong was a popular Hong Kong singer and actress. During her prime years she made major contributions to the cantopop music scene, while receiving numerous awards and honours. She remained an idol throughout most of her career, and was generally regarded as a cantopop diva...
) stays his hand and, instead, issues Dragon a challenge. If he can change the fates of three people—a beggar, a prostitute, and a villain—doomed to nine incarnations as their current position in life within three heavenly days (thirty years), without heavenly powers, he will be upgraded in heavenly status. If he fails, he will be downgraded from an arhat to an animal.
The Bodhisattva gives him a magical fan that can only be used three times a day for sleight-of-hand
Sleight of hand
Sleight of hand, also known as prestidigitation or legerdemain, is the set of techniques used by a magician to manipulate objects such as cards and coins secretly....
-like magic tricks to help him in his mission. However, heavenly soldiers force him from paradise before he has the fan in hand. When his future parents visit a Buddhist temple to pray for a child, the religious statue of Dragon Fighter Lohan
Mahakasyapa
Mahākāśyapa or Kāśyapa was a brahman of Magadha, who became one of the principal disciples of Śākyamuni Buddha and who convened and directed the first council. Mahākāśyapa is one of the most revered of the Buddha's early disciples, foremost in ascetic practices...
leaps from a wall containing the major arhats, thus signaling his rebirth on earth. While he grows into manhood (only a few moments in heavenly time), Tiger enlists the aid of a heavenly soldier (Wong Yut Fei) to help him reincarnate on earth so he can bring Dragon the magical fan. However, a mistake by the heavenly soldier causes Tiger to be born to an extremely old woman and the fan to a much younger woman. He then uses his magic breath to cause Tiger to rapidly grows to his proper age, the only problem being it leaves him in the body of a man, but with the brain of a baby. Dragon's earthly parents later adopt the "idiot" and treat him like an infant son.
Maggie Cheung
Maggie Cheung Man yuk is a Chinese actress from Hong Kong. Raised in England and Hong Kong, she has over 70 films to her credit since starting her career in 1983...
), and the villain (Kirk Wong). Tiger gains his memories back when clouds block the moon (the time when heavenly security is the most relaxed) and gives Dragon his magic fan before being forced to return to heaven. Dragon uses his magic to influence the thoughts and behaviors of each of his targets. For instance, he turns himself into the likeness of the beggar's father and tells him to stop begging. However, that doesn't work so he turns himself into a host of other beings, including a large pink, marshmallow-like ghost who gets beaten up by the townsfolk. He later uses his magic to save the prostitute from being burnt at the stake. And he transforms himself into Shaolin's patriarch, Damo
Bodhidharma
Bodhidharma was a Buddhist monk who lived during the 5th/6th century AD. He is traditionally credited as the transmitter of Ch'an to China, and regarded as the first Chinese patriarch...
, to combat the aggressive attacks of the villain. However, unbeknownst to Dragon, the villain is a fervent devotee of a soul-stealing demon who was once an acquaintance of the Shakyamuni Buddha.
When Dragon reaches the three wish limit of his fan (for that day) and the power has been exhausted for the day, the villain murders the beggar and forces Dragon to watch while he brutally rapes the prostitute. The beggar, before dying, regained his dignity and recognised himself by his own name and not as a beggar. A defeated Dragon rushes to the temple that houses the holy golden-skeleton of his body from a former life so he can travel to the underworld to retrieve the beggar's soul. Once there, he confronts the aforementioned demon and trades his golden body for the beggar's soul, but the demon keeps both and kicks Dragon back to the land of the living. Dragon takes the beggar's corpse back to the temple and learns that all of the local gods and arhats housed there are leaving the temple as they do not want to be associated with Dragon, who has made a deal with a demon. The statue of Guan Yin wept when Dragon enters the temple and then subsequently collapse. Dragon waves his magic fan to repair it, only to have it disintegrate into a million pieces (thus symbolizing that all the gods and the Bodhisattva has forsaken him in his time of need).
Thinking he had failed to change the fate of the beggar before his death, Dragon immediately seeks out the prostitute and promises to marry her if she gives up the sex trade. She agrees, but when Dragon begins to transform into a tree because of a prohibition against gods marrying mortals, she thinks he is playing a joke on her and disfigures her face with a hair pin so no one would ever love her.
Meanwhile, the villain slaughters all the prostitutes in his brothel
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...
and his henchmen so he could acquire the blood of 49 people and immerse Dragon's Golden Skeleton in it to rid it of its power. Dragon goes to the brothel to confront the villain and, with the help of Tiger and the heavenly soldier, is able to regain his proper form. He then takes out a pair of brass knuckles
Brass knuckles
Brass knuckles, also sometimes called knuckles, knucks, brass knucks, or knuckledusters, are weapons used in hand-to-hand combat. Brass knuckles are pieces of metal, usually steel despite their name, shaped to fit around the knuckles...
to beat the villain, only to find he has been given an invincible heart and hence body by the demon. The arhat reaches inside of the villain's chest to show him that the demon has only turned his heart into stone. Feeling betrayed, the villain revealed that the demon has schemed to force all the gods and arhats out of the temple so it can retrieve his scepter of power, which was hidden under the statue of Guan Yin by the Buddha
Gautama Buddha
Siddhārtha Gautama was a spiritual teacher from the Indian subcontinent, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. In most Buddhist traditions, he is regarded as the Supreme Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit: सिद्धार्थ गौतम; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual teacher from the Indian...
. He then
crushes the stone heart in his hand and wishes to be an animal in his next life.
Dragon was given a chance to return to heaven but with a three rank demotion if he admitted defeat. However, he gave up the chance to prevent the demon from retrieving it scepter and brings destruction on Earth. Dragon imbues his power into his golden skeleton and pounds it into powder and made into golden paint. He then use it to write protective talismans on the windows of the temple housing the demon's scepter. However the demon blew away the talisman which forces Dragon and a priest to run away with the scepter as the evil beast demolishes the town looking for it. When the demon tries to squish them under foot, the priest admits that he had stolen two of the skeletons golden teeth to substitute his own. Dragon devises a plan where the priest makes the demon laugh by boasting of his false demon-exorcising powers, while the arhat jumps into the beast's gaping mouth with the golden teeth. This kills Dragon, but ultimately destroys the demon.
The gods begin to celebrate in heaven because Dragon seemingly lost the bet and was going to be demoted to an animal. But Guan Yin interrupts the festivities and shows them how he succeeded in changing the fates of the three people: The beggar is reborn into the house of a rich family, the prostitute opens up a bean curd restaurant and no longer sells her body, and the villain is reborn a pig. Instead of being demoted to become an animal, Dragon was promoted to a senior arhat. The movie ends with a parody of the Miss America Pageant, where Dragon receives a Tiara and a scepter to signify his higher rank.
Cast
- Stephen ChowStephen ChowStephen Chow Sing-Chi is a Hong Kong actor, comedian, screenwriter, film director and producer.- Professional career :Stephen Chow began as a temporary actor for TVB. He entered TVB in early 1980s, and was trained there, although he had few opportunities to appear in films. Chow graduated from...
- Ji Gong / Dragon-Fighter LohanMahakasyapaMahākāśyapa or Kāśyapa was a brahman of Magadha, who became one of the principal disciples of Śākyamuni Buddha and who convened and directed the first council. Mahākāśyapa is one of the most revered of the Buddha's early disciples, foremost in ascetic practices... - Maggie CheungMaggie CheungMaggie Cheung Man yuk is a Chinese actress from Hong Kong. Raised in England and Hong Kong, she has over 70 films to her credit since starting her career in 1983...
- the prostitute - Anthony WongAnthony Wong Chau SangAnthony Wong Chau-sang is a Hong Kong Film Award-winning Hong Kong actor, screenwriter and film director. He is regarded as one of the most notable actors in Hong Kong.-Biography:...
- the beggar - Kirk Wong - the villain
- Ng Man-tat - Tiger Fighter Lohan
- Anita MuiAnita MuiAnita Mui Yim-fong was a popular Hong Kong singer and actress. During her prime years she made major contributions to the cantopop music scene, while receiving numerous awards and honours. She remained an idol throughout most of her career, and was generally regarded as a cantopop diva...
- bodhisattvaBodhisattvaIn Buddhism, a bodhisattva is either an enlightened existence or an enlightenment-being or, given the variant Sanskrit spelling satva rather than sattva, "heroic-minded one for enlightenment ." The Pali term has sometimes been translated as "wisdom-being," although in modern publications, and...
Guan Yin - Wong Yut-Fei - Heavenly soldier
- Philip ChanPhilip ChanPhilip Chan Yan-Kin is a Hong Kong actor, film director, producer, screenwriter and music composer of Taishan area origin.He worked as a Royal Hong Kong Police Force police inspector before entering the entertainment industry...
- Michael Chan
- Paw Hee-chingPaw Hee-ChingNina Paw Hee-Ching is a Hong Kong-based actress. She was born on July 20, 1949. Her parents are famous Chinese actor Bao Fong and Liu Su. Her younger brother Peter Pau is Academy Awards-winning and five-times Hong Kong Film Awards-winning cinematographer...