The Eye of the Dragon Princess

Lore & Background

The film follows Hai Lanzhu, the dragon princess, who possesses the power to command the waters of the Tianhe to bring rain. She comes to the human world tasked with causing rainfall during a drought in Xinzhou. At the Dragon King Temple, she meets Lu Haisheng, a detective investigating a case, and the two fall in love. However, her precious eyes become a target for others in a selfish world, and her lover is drawn into a conspiracy because of her. Despite these challenges, she ultimately defies the odds.

Reader's Guide

The Eye of the Dragon Princess is a 2020 Chinese fantasy film that adapts a classic tale from Pu Songling's 'Strange Tales from a Liaozhai'. It explores themes of love, sacrifice, and betrayal within a supernatural framework. The film's significance lies in its continuation of the Chinese fantasy genre, drawing on traditional folklore to tell a story of a dragon princess navigating human greed and conspiracy. Its legacy is tied to its adaptation of a well-known literary source and its cast, including Zhu Sheng Yi and Peer Zhu. The film is noted for its plot involving the dragon princess's loss of her eyes and her eventual triumph over adversity.

Did You Know?

• The dragon princess, Hai Lanzhu, has the power to order the water of the Tianhe to rain.
• The film's Chinese title, Long Wu Mu, literally means 'dragon without eyes'.
• The cast includes Nicole Zhu as the dragon princess and Peer Zhu as the detective Lu Haisheng.

Literary Roots & Adaptation

The Eye of the Dragon Princess draws its narrative foundation from Pu Songling's celebrated collection Strange Tales from a Liaozhai, a body of classical Chinese short fiction that has shaped the country's mythological imagination for centuries. Specifically, the 2020 film weaves together elements from tales concerning a devastating drought in Xinzhou, the legendary Sea Dragon Ball associated with summoning rainfall, and the romantic entanglements between a dragon princess and a government official named Lu Haisheng. This adaptation was helmed by director Liu Tao and brought to the screen through Beijing Oriental Feiyun International Film and Television Co., Ltd., which served as the production company. By translating Pu Songling's literary world into a modern fantasy film format, the project bridges centuries-old Chinese folklore with contemporary cinematic storytelling, allowing a new generation of audiences to encounter the mythological archetypes that have defined Chinese cultural imagination since the Qing dynasty.

Plot & Central Conflict

At the heart of the film is Hai Lanzhu, a dragon princess endowed with the extraordinary ability to command the waters of the Tianhe to bring rain. She descends into the human world carrying a singular mission: to end a drought by causing rainfall. It is within the Dragon King Temple that her path crosses with Lu Haisheng, a government official who has arrived to investigate a case. What begins as a professional encounter blossoms into a deep romantic bond between the two. However, the narrative takes a darker turn when Hai Lanzhu's precious eyes become a coveted target in a world driven by selfish ambition. Even Lu Haisheng, her beloved, is swept into a web of conspiracy as a direct consequence of their connection. Despite these overwhelming adversities, the dragon princess ultimately defies the odds, refusing to be reduced to a mere object of desire in the eyes of those who would exploit her celestial power for personal gain.

Cast & Character Ensemble

The film assembles a diverse ensemble of performers to bring its mythological world to life. Nicole Zhu takes on the central role of Hai Lanzhu, the dragon princess whose celestial powers and vulnerable humanity drive the story forward. Peer Zhu portrays Lu Haisheng, the detective and government official whose investigation brings him into the dragon princess's orbit. Supporting the central duo is a cast of fantastical and human characters: Sherman Ye appears as Xie Yun, a crab; Meng Ziye plays a Rabbit Demon; Olivia Yan is cast as Yu He; He Yin takes on the role of Mother Lu; Xu Xiaoqin embodies the Tree God; Chen Yue plays Qing Qing; and Yang Qiyu appears as the Official. This blend of supernatural beings—crabs, rabbits, tree deities—alongside human figures creates a richly layered world that reflects the eclectic spirit of Pu Songling's original tales, where the boundary between the human and the mythical is perpetually porous.

Production Context & Distribution

Released in 2020, The Eye of the Dragon Princess (known in Chinese as Long Wu Mu, a title that literally translates to 'dragon without eyes') is a fantasy film that emerged from the Chinese production landscape. The project was directed by Liu Tao and produced by Beijing Oriental Feiyun International Film and Television Co., Ltd., a company specializing in film and television content. The film's title itself carries symbolic weight, referencing the dragon princess's eyes as both her greatest power and her most vulnerable asset. Following its release, the film found audiences through multiple digital distribution channels, including iQiyi, 37OU Film Network, Xiaohei Cinema, and Qifei Cinema, all of which offered streaming access to viewers. The film is also catalogued on IMDb under its English title. Its availability across several platforms suggests a strategy aimed at reaching a broad domestic audience through accessible online viewing rather than relying solely on a traditional theatrical release.

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