EDITOR'S PICK
Journey to paradise: remembering renowned director Yang Jie
(China Daily App)
Updated: 2017-04-17 17:23

On April 15, the director of the 1986 TV drama Journey to The West, Yang Jie, passed away eight days after celebrating her 88th birthday.

The series, which became an instant classic in China, took six years to produce and shoot using just one camera.

The director Yang Jie guides actors how to perform well at the shooting site. [Photo/Mtime]

Yang had to overcome tremendous technicial difficulties while making Journey to the West. The special effects that we are all used to seeing in Hollywood movies today didn't exist in the 1970s, when the only way to depict monsters and demons, a character's magical transformation, or acrobatic stunts, was to rely on actors' performances, physical props and the use of wires.

Yet Yang was not only able to bring the main characters of this ancient novel to life, she also gifted the world a classic soundtrack and epic scenes, the likes of which have not been seen since. Thanks to Yang and all those outstanding actors, a legendary TV series was born.

A classic scene from the drama Journey to the West [Photo/Mtime]

Many Chinese can still remember watching Journey to The West every afternoon during the holidays. Some would even cosplay the characters and go on their own  journey to "the West" with their friends in their gardens at home.

A classic scene from the drama Journey to the West [Photo/Mtime]

The series' plot points and characters are still remembered fondly to this today. Sun Wu Kong, the Monkey King character who disrupts the status quo of heaven's hierarchy, is a hero for children, as he is brave and loyal to both his master and his fellow travelers.

A classic scene from the drama Journey to the West [Photo/Mtime]

Journey to the West was a big part of many Chinese people's childhoods, serving as a shared, formative experience that would stay with them forever.

So it’s with great sorrow that we mark the passing of such a great director as Yang Jie. She is on the journey to paradise now, but her stories and work will always be with us. We hope her spirit rests in peace.

A classic scene from the drama Journey to the West [Photo/Mtime]

What do you remember most fondly about Journey to The West and how many times have you watched this classic drama? Share your stories with us.

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