Returning to the 82 Mountain Village: An Encounter with the Journey to the West Film Crew at the Beg

The scrutiny in Master Wang's eyes gradually softened, transforming into a complex expression that mixed astonishment with a hint of indescribable interest.

He suddenly understood.

What this production team brings is not a dismissive illustration of a certain faith, but a devout recreation of a vast, self-consistent fantasy world.

They are not "evaluating" Taoism, but rather "acting out" a mythological story that incorporates Taoist elements.

All the “outrageous remarks” and all the “disrespect” are logical behaviors of the characters in that fictional world.

And this production team is using amazing detail and dedication to unfold that world on paper, inch by inch, within the real landscape of mountains, rivers, and palaces.

This "seriousness" itself has a power that cannot be underestimated.

It transforms what might otherwise be offensive writing into a fine performance that can be calmly observed and even appreciated for its nuanced details.

The filming was briefly paused to adjust the positioning.

When Master Wang saw Director Yang quickly step forward, he personally demonstrated the angle of the boy's side to her, instructing her to look at the words "Heaven and Earth" with reverence.

He saw the young man named Zhou Fangyuan assisting Xun Gao in the monkey's play.

He realized that this was not nonsense, but a form of spiritual practice.

The word inexplicably flashed through Master Wang's mind, but the crew was cultivating the "performance" of the play and the "art" of the play.

"continue!"

Filming resumed.

This time, Tongzi's performance was even smoother, and his arrogance, which relied on "heaven and earth," had a more solid foundation.

When Director Yang finished saying the last sentence, "Please rest, Master," and then called out "Cut," the tense atmosphere on set immediately eased.

As darkness fell, the last scene was finally filmed.

Director Yang's voice when he called "Cut!" again was noticeably more relaxed.

Although everyone packed up the equipment quickly, they all had smiles on their faces, unlike the tense atmosphere they had the day before yesterday.

Master Wang walked over from the side hall corridor. This time, instead of standing far away, he went straight to Director Yang Jie and Zhou Fangyuan.

"Director Yang, young friend Zhou." He bowed slightly, his face bearing the same peaceful expression he had when watching the play during the day.

"Today's filming went smoothly, everyone worked hard."

There's some vegetarian food prepared in the dining hall. It's simple, but it's warm. If you don't mind, please have some with us. It's a small token of our appreciation from the temple.

These words sounded natural, but they surprised both Yang Jie and Zhou Fangyuan.

Last night, they even felt that eating in the dining hall was disturbing the peace and quiet of the other people.

Director Yang quickly returned the greeting: "Oh dear, I can't accept this, it's too much trouble for you, Daoist Master."

"It's no trouble at all."

Master Wang waved his hand, his tone very sincere.

"It's just a matter of starting a fire, cooking, and adding a few more bowls of rice."

Watching everyone filming, it must have been hard work. Make sure you're well-fed so you can continue tomorrow.

These words are simple and sincere, yet full of human warmth.

Director Yang glanced at Zhou Fangyuan, and both of them saw a smile in each other's eyes.

This is not just a simple dinner invitation; it's a signal that another section of that invisible wall has crumbled.

"Then... I'll gladly accept your offer. Thank you, Daoist Master!" Yang Jie replied.

The atmosphere in the dining hall was indeed different in the evening.

The same long tables were still there, but the Taoist priests no longer deliberately avoided looking at them. Some of the younger ones even glanced at them curiously.

The crew members are no longer as afraid to breathe as they used to be.

They chatted quietly about today's play, and when they got to the funny parts, they would smile knowingly.

Ma Dehua removed her makeup, but her honest and simple nature remained.

The way he slurped his food made even a young Taoist priest who was secretly watching him cover his mouth in amusement.

After the meal, the moon had already climbed up to the eaves.

Zhou Fangyuan didn't rush back to his house. He strolled slowly in the courtyard to digest the moment and also took another look at the Taoist temple in the night.

The nights in the mountains are so quiet, with only the sound of the wind and the faint chirping of insects in the distance.

"Young friend Zhou, are you still not resting?"

Zhou Fangyuan turned around and saw that Master Wang was also walking over, holding a small cloth bag in his hand.

"Master Wang," Zhou Fangyuan greeted him hastily.

"I came out for some fresh air. Thank you for the hospitality at the Taoist temple today."

You're too kind.

Master Wang stopped beside him and looked up at the moon.

"Seeing you film that boy boasting today reminded me of something."

"Please speak."

"The book says that later on, your Great Sage Sun Wukong tried to steal my Zhenyuan Daozu's ginseng fruit?"

Master Wang's tone carried a hint of curiosity, without any sense of blame.

Zhou Fangyuan's heart tightened, but he still told the truth.

"Yes, that scene is in the script."

But rest assured, we will definitely use props for filming and will not damage the ancient trees in the Taoist temple.

It's about... figuring out how to capture the magical power of that divine fruit in the film.

Master Wang smiled and nodded; he wasn't surprised by the script.

"That fruit, in the book, 'falls when it encounters gold, withers when it encounters wood, dissolves when it encounters water, burns when it encounters fire, and enters when it encounters soil,' which is quite mysterious."

How exactly do you plan to portray "falling when encountering gold" on your TV show?

This is a very specific question, and even Zhou Fangyuan himself wasn't sure.

He could only explain based on what he knew about the preparations:

"Our props teacher came up with several options, such as suspending it with thin lines and adding special effects during filming."

Or it could be made of a special material that makes it fall off at the slightest touch...

He sounded a bit uncertain, after all, special effects were a challenge at the time.

Master Wang listened but didn't comment on whether it was good or bad. Instead, he took out a small item from the cloth bag in his hand and handed it over.

Under the moonlight, it looked like a shriveled wild fruit, but its shape was somewhat peculiar.

"These are seeds from an old vine in the mountains. They are extremely light, and when the wind blows, they fall off on their own, swirling down as they fall."

Master Wang said earnestly, "When I watch you film, you emphasize the word 'realism'."

Perhaps... seeing how the real thing ended up might offer some inspiration? Of course, a play is a play, and these are two different things.

Zhou Fangyuan accepted the vine seeds, feeling a surge of emotion.

The Taoist priest was not just providing material, but also giving a subtle endorsement and help, acknowledging the crew's "truth-seeking" attitude.

"Thank you so much, Master Wang! This inspiration is so important. I will definitely talk to the props and camera crew about it tomorrow."

"As long as it works."

Master Wang smiled slightly.

"It's getting late, young friend, you should rest early. Tomorrow will likely be even busier."

After he finished speaking, he turned around and, bathed in moonlight, quietly went to the back of the palace.

Zhou Fangyuan held a few vine seeds in his hand, standing in the clear moonlight.

The mountain breeze was cool, but his heart was warm.

He looked back and saw dim light shining from the windows of the row of side rooms where the film crew was staying, with low voices and sporadic laughter coming from inside.

At an even higher elevation, a window in a secluded chamber behind the main hall, which had never been lit, seemed to make a soft sound, like the sound of a window closing.

There, it seemed, was an even calmer gaze, quietly watching everything that happened in the courtyard tonight.