Dee, the detective serving Chinese empress Wu Zetian, is called upon to investigate a series of strange events in Loyang, including the appearance of mysterious warriors wearing Chiyou ghost masks, foxes that speak human language and the pillar sculptures in the palace coming alive.
Visual Effects
Chiyou masks and living statues — unhinged CGI ambition.
Direction
Tsui Hark at peak 'I have zero chill and no notes.'
Production
Tang Dynasty sets so ornate they fight for attention.
Director
Tsui Hark
Mark Chao
Detective Dee
William Feng
Yuchi Zhenjin
Carina Lau
Wu Zetian
Lin Gengxin
Shatuo Zhong
Ma Sichun
Shui Yue
Ethan Juan
Master Yuan Ce
Tiger Xu
Yi An
Sun Jiaolong
Phantom Blade
Chen Weiran
Hong Yuanyu
Zhang Aoyue
Huan Tian Zhenren
Sheng Chien
Emperor Gaozong
Yang Yiwei
Ding Xun
Li Binglei
Huo Geng
Wang Xichao
Flying Smoke
Tie Nan
Bao Qianzhang
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Tsui Hark invented this Dee prequel trilogy purely because he loved the character — the 2010 original wasn't even based on existing novels, he made it up.
Chiyou is a legit mythological war deity in Chinese legend, not just cool mask design — Tsui's mining deep folklore here.
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