A Chinese Tall Story 2005

Tang Sanzang, Nicholas Tse Ting-Fung, and his three disciples Sun Wukong, Chen Bolin, Zhu Wuneng, Kenny Kwan, and Sha Wujing, Steven Cheung, arrive in Shache city to a hero’s welcome that feels almost ceremonial, as if the world itself expects a monumental achievement from them. The mood is charged with anticipation because Tang Sanzang’s greatest challenge—achieving deification and proving worthy of it—seems within reach, a test only he can endure.

Yet peace proves fleeting. While the companions enjoy the city’s bustle, they are suddenly captured by a band of eerie Tree Spirits. Faced with this sudden danger, Tang Sanzang borrows the Golden Pole and heads into a perilous path to rescue his three students. On this unexpected detour, he encounters Meiyan, a striking young lizard imp whose rough appearance and fierce presence belie a surprising strength. Charlene Choi brings Meiyan to life as a proud, formidable figure who develops a swift, even obsessive, fascination with Tang Sanzang. She follows him relentlessly, and in a dramatic turn she orchestrates a trap meant to win his heart. Tang Sanzang, unsuspecting, falls into her scheme, and in the process breaks the Heavenly Code.

The world around them is teeming with monsters, marvels, and beings of unknown origins, including the radiant Princess Xiaoshan, Fan Bingbing, and her formidable forces. When they cross paths on a journey to Earth, Princess Xiaoshan offers aid that promises new possibilities for Tang Sanzang. Tempted by her presence, he contemplates leaving with the Princess, choosing a path that could defy the vows he has upheld.

Meiyan’s heartbreak runs deep. She confronts Princess Xiaoshan and, though she loses the confrontation, she undergoes a powerful transformation, discovering her own identity as a galactic warrior. This awakening fuels her courage, and she steps forward to aid the princess in the battles that follow, ultimately helping to defeat the enemy and securing the rescue of Tang Sanzang and his disciples.

After the dust settles, Meiyan submits herself to judgment at the Temple of Heaven. Torn between passion and righteousness, Tang Sanzang makes a bold move: he defies the heavens in a bid to rescue the gallows-bound Meiyan. A compassionate Buddha, Michael Chan Wai-Man, is moved by their plight and offers a pardon—but with a heavy condition. They must embark on a westward journey to complete the Eight-One Tasks, a mission designed to redeem themselves and, in doing so, save the world from looming peril.