Romance and wisdom

The blockbuster movie Red Cliff (released July 2008) directed by John Woo and starring Tony Leung, Chiu-Wai, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Zhang Fengyi and Lin Chi-ling has revived Chinese people's interest in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

Although the Hong Kong director's interpretation differs from the widely accepted Chinese tale and may disappoint loyal fans of the original novel by Luo Guanzhong, the star-studded cast, the spectacular battle scene and people's admiration for Woo still helped make the movie a box-office hit this summer.

The movie has inspired the National Center for the Performing Arts (NCPA) to create a Peking Opera adaptation to celebrate its first anniversary.