{ "id": "ep2fmqxssh", "slug": "the-white-haired-witch-of-lunar-kingdom", "title": "The White-haired Witch of Lunar Kingdom (白发魔女传之明月天国)", "updated": "2026-11-01", "topic_path": [ { "id": "culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture" }, { "id": "culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films", "label": "Films and standalone screen works", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works", "label": "Individual films by title and year", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.science-fiction-fantasy", "label": "Science fiction and fantasy films (individual works)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.science-fiction-fantasy" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.science-fiction-fantasy.science-fiction-and-fantasy-films-of-the-5", "label": "Science fiction and fantasy films of the 2010s", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.science-fiction-fantasy.science-fiction-and-fantasy-films-of-the-5" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.science-fiction-fantasy.science-fiction-and-fantasy-films-of-the-5.fantasy-films-of-the-2010s", "label": "Fantasy films of the 2010s", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.science-fiction-fantasy.science-fiction-and-fantasy-films-of-the-5.fantasy-films-of-the-2010s" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.science-fiction-fantasy", "label": "China · 2001 to 2020: Science fiction and fantasy films (individual works)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.science-fiction-fantasy", "path": [ { "id": "geo.chn", "label": "China", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t2001", "label": "China · 2001 to 2020", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t2001" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t2001.culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t2001.culture" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance.screen.films", "label": "Films and standalone screen works", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance.screen.films" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works", "label": "Individual films by title and year", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.science-fiction-fantasy", "label": "Science fiction and fantasy films (individual works)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.science-fiction-fantasy" } ] } ], "excerpt": "The White-haired Witch of Lunar Kingdom (白发魔女传之明月天国, White Haired Witch) is a 2014 Chinese 3D wuxia film by Jacob Cheung, adapted from Liang Yusheng's novel, starring Fan Bingbing and Huang Xiaoming; it topped its opening week with 226 million yuan but scored poorly with critics.", "snippet": "The White-haired Witch of Lunar Kingdom (白发魔女传之明月天国, White Haired Witch) is a 2014 Chinese 3D wuxia film by Jacob Cheung, adapted from Liang Yusheng's novel, starring Fan Bingbing and Huang Xiaoming; it topped its opening week with 226 million yuan but scored poorly with critics.", "node": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.science-fiction-fantasy.science-fiction-and-fantasy-films-of-the-5.fantasy-films-of-the-2010s", "markdown": "# The White-haired Witch of Lunar Kingdom (白发魔女传之明月天国)\n\n**The White-haired Witch of Lunar Kingdom** (白发魔女传之明月天国, also written 白发魔女传之明月天国) is a 2014 Chinese 3D wuxia fantasy film directed by Jacob Cheung Chi-leung, adapted from [Liang Yusheng](https://www.edgepedia.org/liang-yusheng)'s novel *Baifa Monü Zhuan* (白发魔女传), starring [Fan Bingbing](https://www.edgepedia.org/fan-bingbing) as the white-haired swordswoman Lian Nishang and [Huang Xiaoming](https://www.edgepedia.org/huang-xiaoming) as the Wudang disciple Zhuo Yihang.[1](https://wellgousa.com/films/white-haired-witch) • [2](https://www.people.com.cn/24hour/n/2014/0328/c25408-24764502.html) It was produced by Huang Jianxin with Tsui Hark as artistic consultant, and opened in mainland China on August 1, 2014.[2](https://www.people.com.cn/24hour/n/2014/0328/c25408-24764502.html) • [3](https://www.chinanews.com/yl/2014/07-14/6382524.shtml)\n\n| Key fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Chinese title | 白发魔女传之明月天国 (White Haired Witch: Lunar Kingdom)[1](https://wellgousa.com/films/white-haired-witch) |\n| Director / producer | Jacob Cheung Chi-leung; produced by Huang Jianxin; Tsui Hark as artistic consultant[1](https://wellgousa.com/films/white-haired-witch) • [2](https://www.people.com.cn/24hour/n/2014/0328/c25408-24764502.html) |\n| Stars | Fan Bingbing as Lian Nishang (Jade Raksha, 玉罗刹); Huang Xiaoming as Zhuo Yihang; Vincent Zhao as Jin Duyi (金独异)[4](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-white-haired-witch-of-lunar-kingdom) • [2](https://www.people.com.cn/24hour/n/2014/0328/c25408-24764502.html) |\n| Source | Liang Yusheng's wuxia novel *Baifa Monü Zhuan*; screenplay revised more than 20 drafts[2](https://www.people.com.cn/24hour/n/2014/0328/c25408-24764502.html) • [5](https://www.chinawriter.com.cn/2014/2014-07-29/212917.html) |\n| Release | Mainland China August 1, 2014, in 2D, 3D, IMAX, and China Film Giant Screen; Hong Kong public release July 31, 2014[3](https://www.chinanews.com/yl/2014/07-14/6382524.shtml) • [6](https://wmoov.com/movie/details/21424) • [5](https://www.chinawriter.com.cn/2014/2014-07-29/212917.html) |\n| Running time | About 104 minutes[1](https://wellgousa.com/films/white-haired-witch) |\n| Opening week | 226 million yuan in mainland China, leading its first week, against broadly negative reviews[7](https://culture.people.com.cn/n/2014/0807/c22219-25420029.html) |\n\n## Spoilers\n\n### Plot\n\nThe story is set in the twilight of the [Ming dynasty](https://www.edgepedia.org/ming-dynasty), when the imperial court is plagued by corruption and the Manchurian ([Later Jin](https://www.edgepedia.org/later-jin)) threat looms. In the famine-stricken northwest, the sorceress Jade Raksha, whose given name is Lian Nishang, fights government soldiers who oppress the people, and officials retaliate by framing her for the murder of Governor Zhuo Zhonglian, turning her and her cult into wanted fugitives for a crime they did not commit.[1](https://wellgousa.com/films/white-haired-witch) • [6](https://wmoov.com/movie/details/21424)\n\nMeanwhile Ziyang, the elder of the Wudang sect, names his disciple Zhuo Yihang as the new sect leader and sends him to the capital with red pills as tribute. The emperor dies after taking one of the pills, and the imperial guards hunt Zhuo Yihang as a suspect. He reaches the northwest, meets Lian Nishang in a fight, and follows her to the Mingyue (Lunar) Fort, which officials call a \"demon lair\" but is in truth an idyllic refuge. The two fall in love and pledge themselves to each other.[6](https://wmoov.com/movie/details/21424)\n\nThe imperial guards storm the fort and accuse Lian Nishang of killing Zhuo Zhonglian, Zhuo Yihang's grandfather; the accusation is false, as officials framed her for the murder. Zhuo leaves, is thrown into prison, and his master Ziyang kills himself by leaping from a cliff to protect him. Zhuo then leaves Wudang, joins the corrupt faction, and marries a treacherous minister's daughter; Lian Nishang storms the wedding and drives her sword toward his heart. In that night her black hair turns white, the signature image of the source novel.[6](https://wmoov.com/movie/details/21424) • [8](https://culture.people.com.cn/n/2014/0808/c172318-25430489.html)\n\n## Production\n\nFilming began in November 2012 and wrapped at a press conference on April 3, 2013, after the production endured severe cold, snowstorms, and an on-set injury to Huang Xiaoming. Bona Film Group was the lead producer, alongside Happy Blue Ocean and Youku Tudou.[9](https://news.hndaily.cn/html/2013-04/04/content_7_7.htm) • [10](https://www.cnxw.com.cn/system/2014/06/30/011705862.shtml) Huang Xiaoming broke his foot during shooting; according to Fan Bingbing and producer Huang Jianxin, he returned to the set one month after surgery and filmed for a month and a half on crutches, which the producers credited with keeping the over-schedule production from going over budget.[9](https://news.hndaily.cn/html/2013-04/04/content_7_7.htm)\n\nCheung said in an interview that the script went through more than 20 drafts during several years of preparation, and that the crew included art director Tim Yip (叶锦添), action choreographer Stephen Tung (董玮), and editor Kwong Chi-leung.[5](https://www.chinawriter.com.cn/2014/2014-07-29/212917.html) For the title realm, the crew traveled to six provinces to shoot background footage; for the mass-battle scenes the production had 400 performers on set daily for a period of a month and a half. The film contains close to a thousand effects shots produced with live-action and CG compositing, with the effects team spending one year and four months on them.[5](https://www.chinawriter.com.cn/2014/2014-07-29/212917.html) A separate hair-and-makeup team collected waist-length real hair and used hair-grafting techniques to build the white wigs for Fan Bingbing's character.[10](https://www.cnxw.com.cn/system/2014/06/30/011705862.shtml)\n\n## Difference from earlier versions and from the novel\n\nThe best-known earlier adaptation is Ronny Yu's 1993 film *The Bride with White Hair*, starring [Leslie Cheung](https://www.edgepedia.org/leslie-cheung) and [Brigitte Lin](https://www.edgepedia.org/brigitte-lin), which Cheung acknowledged as a classic that cannot be replaced; he said he wanted to keep the story alive with elements modern audiences could accept.[11](https://media.people.com.cn/n/2014/0709/c14677-25257343.html)\n\nTwo departures define the 2014 version. First, Cheung restored the historical setting the novel describes, setting the romance against the Late-Ming crisis, with figures such as [Wei Zhongxian](https://www.edgepedia.org/wei-zhongxian) (played by Ni Dahong), Huang Taiji, and the red-pill case; Zhuo Yihang is made the red-pill suspect, a role held historically by Li Kezhuo.[12](https://www.yesasia.com/us/the-white-haired-witch-of-lunar-kingdom-2014-vcd-hong-kong-version/1037048447-0-0-0-en/info.html) Second, Cheung replaced the misunderstanding that separates the lovers in the 1993 version with trust: he said he wanted the two leads to trust each other unconditionally, and the film keeps the two set-pieces that earlier versions built on, Zhuo naming Lian Nishang and the turning of her hair white from love and grief.[2](https://www.people.com.cn/24hour/n/2014/0328/c25408-24764502.html) • [8](https://culture.people.com.cn/n/2014/0808/c172318-25430489.html)\n\n## Reception\n\nThe film earned 226 million yuan in its mainland opening week, topping the weekly box office, but drew nearly uniform negative reviews online.[7](https://culture.people.com.cn/n/2014/0807/c22219-25420029.html) A People's Daily Overseas Edition roundup gave its Douban score as 4.1, against 5.9 for *The Breakup Guru* and 7.0 for a same-season comparison title.[13](https://paper.people.com.cn/rmrbhwb/page/2014-08/06/05/rmrbhwb2014080605.pdf) Later aggregated ratings put it at 34 percent on Rotten Tomatoes and 5.3 on IMDb.[4](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-white-haired-witch-of-lunar-kingdom)\n\nCritics identified the same central problem from different angles. A [People's Daily](https://www.edgepedia.org/peoples-daily) culture commentary argued the film tried too hard to distance itself from the 1993 version: the plot was made complicated by adding [Yuan Chonghuan](https://www.edgepedia.org/yuan-chonghuan), Huang Taiji, two undercover plots, and a \"humanized\" Wei Zhongxian, and the result was story-structure holes and stiff narration despite genuine creative effort.[8](https://culture.people.com.cn/n/2014/0808/c172318-25430489.html) The LoveHKFilm review called it an average fantasy wuxia, praising Fan Bingbing's conveyance of Lian Nishang's pride, passion, and heartbreak while criticizing Huang Xiaoming's performance, and judged the action choreography from Stephen Tung fast-paced with solid impact.[14](https://www.lovehkfilm.com/reviews_2/white_haired_witch_lunar_kingdom.html) The EasternKicks review noted that the film packs politics, intrigue, and warring factions into only about 104 minutes, which made the storytelling breathless and confusing in places, while crediting its 100 million yuan budget with better CGI and solid action set pieces than many of its peers.[12](https://www.yesasia.com/us/the-white-haired-witch-of-lunar-kingdom-2014-vcd-hong-kong-version/1037048447-0-0-0-en/info.html) A YesAsia review of the [Cantonese](https://www.edgepedia.org/cantonese) release summarized the consensus as a film that \"won the box office but lost the reputation,\" a pattern commentators noted among Chinese remakes of that period.[7](https://culture.people.com.cn/n/2014/0807/c22219-25420029.html)\n\n## References\n\n1. [White Haired Witch, official movie site, Well Go USA](https://wellgousa.com/films/white-haired-witch)\n2. [范冰冰黄晓明主演电影《白发魔女传之明月天国》，新华网 via 人民网](https://www.people.com.cn/24hour/n/2014/0328/c25408-24764502.html)\n3. [《白发魔女传》8月1日公映，大连晚报 via 中新网](https://www.chinanews.com/yl/2014/07-14/6382524.shtml)\n4. [The White Haired Witch of Lunar Kingdom streaming, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-white-haired-witch-of-lunar-kingdom)\n5. [《白发魔女传》七夕营造魔幻爱情，北京日报 via 中国作家网](https://www.chinawriter.com.cn/2014/2014-07-29/212917.html)\n6. [白髮魔女傳之明月天國，WMOOV電影](https://wmoov.com/movie/details/21424)\n7. [《白发魔女传》影评：从没有一朵奇葩似这般华丽，人民网文化频道](https://culture.people.com.cn/n/2014/0807/c22219-25420029.html)\n8. [白发魔女传之明月天国：逃不开翻拍片魔咒，人民网文化频道](https://culture.people.com.cn/n/2014/0808/c172318-25430489.html)\n9. [海南日报：3D武侠电影《白发魔女传之明月天国》杀青](https://news.hndaily.cn/html/2013-04/04/content_7_7.htm)\n10. [范冰冰如何炼成\"白发魔女\"，新华网 via 苍南新闻网](https://www.cnxw.com.cn/system/2014/06/30/011705862.shtml)\n11. [《白发魔女》——张之亮：文艺 武侠 我的菜不变，京华时报 via 人民网](https://media.people.com.cn/n/2014/0709/c14677-25257343.html)\n12. [The White Haired Witch of Lunar Kingdom (2014) review, EasternKicks via YesAsia](https://www.yesasia.com/us/the-white-haired-witch-of-lunar-kingdom-2014-vcd-hong-kong-version/1037048447-0-0-0-en/info.html)\n13. [人民日报海外版文化视点，2014年8月6日](https://paper.people.com.cn/rmrbhwb/page/2014-08/06/05/rmrbhwb2014080605.pdf)\n14. [The White Haired Witch of Lunar Kingdom review, LoveHKFilm](https://www.lovehkfilm.com/reviews_2/white_haired_witch_lunar_kingdom.html)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Science fiction and fantasy films (individual works) › Science fiction and fantasy films of the 2010s › Fantasy films of the 2010s*\n\n*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/the-white-haired-witch-of-lunar-kingdom", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/the-white-haired-witch-of-lunar-kingdom.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"The White-haired Witch of Lunar Kingdom (白发魔女传之明月天国)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/the-white-haired-witch-of-lunar-kingdom. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[The White-haired Witch of Lunar Kingdom (白发魔女传之明月天国)](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-white-haired-witch-of-lunar-kingdom)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/the-white-haired-witch-of-lunar-kingdom](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-white-haired-witch-of-lunar-kingdom). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"The White-haired Witch of Lunar Kingdom (白发魔女传之明月天国)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/the-white-haired-witch-of-lunar-kingdom. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "The White-haired Witch of Lunar Kingdom is a 2014 Chinese 3D wuxia film by Jacob Cheung, adapted from Liang Yusheng's novel, starring Fan Bingbing and Huang Xiaoming; it topped its opening week with 226 million yuan but scored poorly with critics." }