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

Master Chen laughed and said, "Fellow Daoist Wu plays the patriarch of my Xuanmen sect. His demeanor is that of a great master of a major sect. Very good!"

With this sutra by your side, perhaps it can help you get a little closer to the Tao. ~Say~

Wu Guiling was both surprised and delighted, thanking him repeatedly and accepting the gift with great care.

The next morning, sunlight bathed the courtyard of the ancient temple.

The entire crew and the Taoist priests of the temple took a group photo in front of the magnificent main hall.

Wearing blue shirts and work clothes side by side, their serene faces intertwined with radiant smiles, capturing this precious moment where art and faith, creation and spiritual practice converge in a wondrous way.

"The cast and crew of 'Journey to the West' posed for a group photo at Qingcheng Mountain!"

With the click of the shutter, this period of time spent in the mountains came to a perfect end.

The convoy slowly drove away from the misty Qingcheng Mountain and headed towards Chengdu city...

Outside the car window, the mountain scenery receded.

Zhou Fangyuan held the gifts from the Taoist priests in his arms, and stroked the warm, smooth stone engraved with the words "Far Away" in his hand, his heart filled with gratitude and strength.

He knew that what he gained in Qingcheng Mountain was far more than just job skills.

Those quiet strengths, simple wisdoms, and sincere feelings have taken root in my heart like seeds.

Ahead lies the increasingly popular Qingyang Palace.

It presents him with more complex shooting challenges, but also a broader stage for him to continue growing and gradually put what he has learned into practice.

The wheels rolled on, carrying a group of people full of stories and ideals, heading towards a new chapter.

As we drove into Chengdu, the misty chill of Mount Qingcheng still lingered, while the bustling activity of Qingyang Palace came into view.

The vermilion palace walls stand alongside the bustling streets and alleys, and on the bluestone path at the entrance, scattered local pilgrims carrying cloth bags descend the steps to enter.

Several groups of tourists were pointing and commenting on the stone lions at the palace gate.

Occasionally, passersby wearing blue overalls would stop and look around.

The lingering sound of the Taoist temple bells mingled with the shouts of street vendors, a stark contrast to the serene emptiness of the ancient Changdao Temple.

The film crew entered the palace gates.

Instead of the winding paths and secluded spots of mountain temples and Taoist monasteries, there are spacious courtyards.

Beneath the green tiles and flying eaves, the gilded plaque of the Sanqing Hall gleams warmly in the sunshine.

In the open space in front of the hall, several worshippers were stroking and praying around two bronze sheep, their fingertips tracing the patterns on the sheep's bodies as they whispered their wishes.

An old Taoist priest walked slowly by, holding a whisk. He did not avoid the tourists, but simply nodded and smiled. The mundane world and the Taoist tranquility blended harmoniously here.

Unlike the Taoist priests in the ancient Changdao Temple who were quiet and serene, the Taoists here had a gentler air about them, showing a connection with the common people.

When the crew members in work clothes appeared at the palace gate, it did not cause much of a disturbance.

Pilgrims and tourists only cast a few curious glances before turning back to their own business.

Only Ma Hongyun, the leader of the art design team 2, and a middle-aged Taoist priest came forward and led everyone to the empty courtyard on the side of the hall.

Zhou Fangyuan was amazed and looked around.

The bluestone slabs underfoot have been worn smooth by time, and along the way, one can smell the faint scent of incense mixed with the fragrance of grass and trees.

It's a unique flavor that belongs to this place, a flavor that's both vibrant and peaceful.

but……

As Li Hongchang walked along, his brows furrowed slightly in a habitual manner, a conditioned reflex when faced with new coordination challenges.

He looked around the spacious but well-organized courtyard and said to the on-site producer beside him:

"Immediately put up the signs for our filming area. They need to be eye-catching, but not block the main passage for pilgrims."

We need to coordinate with the staff at the temple management office again to confirm the specific closing times and areas for the next few days. This must be precise down to the hour, so as not to disrupt their normal educational activities and visitor access.

Master Zhao, who was leading the way, had a warm smile on his face, clearly having heard about the series of arrangements.

Speaking in an organized manner: "Director Yang, Director Li, the rooms here have been arranged for the film crew as previously agreed."

The filming area is mainly in the east courtyard of the third section and the ancient tree area behind the hall. We also have no problem with the schedule.

Just one point I must emphasize to all the experienced craftsmen and colleagues: those ancient trees and the bronze sheep in front of the hall are key protected cultural relics, and you must not bump or damage them.

All the hanging and leaning props need to be supervised by our personnel.

"Don't worry, Master Zhao, we will strictly abide by the rules."

Director Li immediately expressed his opinion and then called a meeting with the heads of various departments to convey the important points.

Zhou Fangyuan followed the others to settle their luggage, but kept an eye on the sounds coming from all directions.

He also noticed the challenges here: the space is open, the flow of people is dynamic, and the rules are specific.

Unlike in the mountains, where behind closed doors you're mostly "one of our own."

Here, the film crew works within a fully functional, multi-functional public space, requiring a high degree of self-discipline and meticulous communication.

Sure enough, problems arose as soon as the lights and tracks were set up.

Several tourists who came to see the bronze sheep curiously approached the photo-taking sign, wanting to see what was going on inside.

A young staff member stepped forward to dissuade them, his tone a little urgent, and the tourist's expression immediately turned sour.

Another group of state-owned enterprise tour guides were explaining the history of Qingyang Palace in a loud voice, which subtly interfered with the assistant director's instructions.

Looking at this group of tourists, Xun Gao and Ren Fengbo felt a little uneasy.

Director Li saw all of this.

He called Zhou Fangyuan aside:

"Fang Yuan... the situation here is really not optimistic. You have experience dealing with Taoist priests on the mountain, and you are a steady person."

Master Zhao needs a designated contact person to handle minor coordination issues during filming, such as needing a power outlet temporarily or requiring absolute silence during certain periods.

You're very experienced in this field. I saw you communicated with Master Zhao a few times earlier. Would it be alright if you took on this task as well?

The key point is that anything involving the temple's artifacts or grounds, no matter how minor, must first be approved by Master Zhao or a Taoist priest he appoints.

"Understood, Director Li, I will handle this carefully."

Looking into those eager eyes, Zhou Fangyuan solemnly accepted the task.

This is not just about running errands; it's about placing a heavy trust in someone.

He became an important safety valve between the film crew and this new "home ground".

He first approached Master Zhao and respectfully explained Director Li's arrangements.

Master Zhao also remembered him and nodded in approval: "Comrade Xiao Zhou is very thoughtful."

For everyday matters, you can either contact me or Fellow Daoist Liu, who is on duty in front of the hall. Let's all do each other a favor.

For the next half day, Zhou Fangyuan acted as a flexible link, shuttling between the film crew and the temple.

When tourists curiously peek inside, he will politely step forward and explain, "Sorry, they are filming a TV series inside, and they are afraid of revealing any mistakes in the shots. Please understand."

You can take a walk around from this side to visit; it's the same.

When he needed to move an incense burner or borrow a secluded corner, he would first find Fellow Daoist Liu to explain the purpose and duration, and then go to the scene together to oversee the process.

For the film crew, this retreat in the mountains was more like a kind of "worldly" spiritual practice.