Talent show in 2008 to cast Monkey King remake
11/11/2007 11:46
Although Chinese audience might have become tired of the stereotyped
talent shows that have been flooding the TV scene in recent years, a new one
produced by Zhejiang Satellite TV station will soon debut in 2008, a show to
cast the TV remake of "Journey to the West", this time directed by Zhang
Jizhong.
An official with the station told Metro Express newspaper on
Friday that the show has just been approved by the national authorities to be
aired after the Spring Festival on late nights. It will be the first of its kind
to appear on the small screen in 2008.
In the first round of
competition, which will be held in ten cities across the country, anyone
interested can apply for any role he likes. But the runoff will focus on the
selection of the four main characters: Tang Dynasty (618-907) Buddhist monk
Xuanzang, a real historical person, and his three legendary disciples, the
Monkey King, the Pig and Friar Sand.
Director Zhang Jizhong will be the
chief judge for the competition.
"Journey to the West", or "Monkey King",
is a classical Chinese novel written by Wu Cheng'en during the Ming Dynasty in
the 16th Century. The novel tells of the adventure of Xuanzang and his disciples
as they traveled west in search of Buddhist texts.
The story was adapted
into TV series in 1983 by China's largest national TV network, China Central
Television. The drama became an immediate smash hit and has been broadcasted
every year in the past quarter of a century.
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