Entertainment

Chinese film The Yin-Yang Master: Dream of Eternity pulled after writer's plagiarism apology


Popular Chinese novelist and screenwriter Guo Jingming may have finally apologised for plagiarising another writer’s work on the last day of 2020 – some 14 years after a court ordered him to do so – but has he been forgiven?

A recent blockbuster film directed by him was abruptly pulled from cinemas across China this week. While the reason for its withdrawal is unknown, those in the industry suspect it has something to do with Guo’s now tarnished reputation.

Based on the Japanese fantasy novel Onmyōji , The Yin-Yang Master: Dream of Eternity was taken out of cinema schedules on Tuesday, despite having taken about 450 million yuan (US$70 million) at the box office in the 11 days since its release on December 25.

Those who bought tickets for screenings on or after January 5 are entitled to a refund.

Meanwhile, streaming giant Netflix, which holds the distribution rights to the film outside China, confirms the costumed suspense drama will be released on its platform as scheduled on February 5.

Guo made a public apology on December 31 for copying fellow writer Zhuang Yu’s In and Out of the Circle for his bestselling novel Never Flowers in Never Dreams in 2003. He wrote on Weibo, China’s equivalent of Twitter, that his “vanity at a rather young age” – Guo was born in 1983 – lay behind his earlier refusal to admit to his mistake and apologise (as a court had ordered him to do back in 2006).

 
 

Last month, 156 Chinese TV and film industry figures signed a joint letter saying they would boycott Guo and another high-profile screenwriter, Yu Zheng, if they failed to admit their plagiarism.

The fact that all information about The Yin-Yang Master: Dream of Eternity has been withdrawn from the country’s leading film ticket distribution platforms suggests the film may have been banned in China altogether.

It’s not clear who decided the film should be pulled from cinemas. The movie’s account on Weibo did not explain the reason for its disappearance from cinemas. The China Film Administration, the industry regulator, could not be reached by phone for comment for this article.

Olivia Wang as the Princess in The Yin-Yang Master: Dream Of Eternity (2020).

Some cinema operators said on social media that speculation had begun circulating last weekend that Guo’s film would be pulled. According to Global Times, a tabloid newspaper affiliated with Communist Party mouthpiece People’s Daily, some scenes in The Yin-Yang Master: Dream of Eternity bear close resemblance to scenes from the 2016 Marvel superhero blockbuster Doctor Strange.

Li Sheng, general manager of Qingdao Liqun Huayi Culture Investment Company, which operates five cinemas in Shandong province, confirmed to the Qingdao Daily newspaper that the Guo-directed film had been taken off big screens there.

“[I guess] the government wants to make sure that intellectual property rights are [not being infringed],” he was quoted as saying.

Allen Deng as Boya in The Yin-Yang Master: Dream Of Eternity (2020).

“The government is firmly determined here. It took about two or three days before the official notification [of withdrawal of the film] arrived after [negotiations with] cinemas, film investors and film distributors.”

Some internet users supported the withdrawal of The Yin-Yang Master: Dream of Eternity. One wrote: “A creator shooting to fame and gaining his wealth through plagiarism should be despised by the industry.”

But many people lamented they could not have a chance to see the film – which stars Mark Chao, Deng Lun and Olivia Wang – any more. Those who have seen it lauded the production for its high quality – the acting, beautiful scenery, delicate costume and props, and stunning special effects.

Duo Wang as Heshouyue in The Yin-Yang Master: Dream Of Eternity.

“It’s a pity to abandon such a good film because of Guo Jingming. After all, it’s the work of hundreds of people,” wrote one person on Weibo. “I still expect it could be shown in cinemas.”

Another wrote: “If a person makes a mistake before, and all the things he did after that, no matter good or bad, are the price for that mistake, it will be doomsday not only for Xiao Si [Guo’s nickname among his fans], but also for every one of us.”

Li Daoxin, a professor from the School of Arts at Peking University, said the saga surrounding Guo’s plagiarism scandal had generated buzzed in cultural, TV and film circles.

Jessie Li as Longye in The Yin-Yang Master: Dream Of Eternity (2020).

“But his previous plagiarism mistake and now his film being withdrawn are two different matters. The authorities shouldn’t … take down his film because of his record of copying [another’s work],” he told the Post.

“This would make the film industry’s management chaotic and add uncertainty to the industry’s development.”

This article was first published in South China Morning Post.



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