Raining in The Mountain

King Hu  |  121 min  |  Hong Kong, Taiwan  |  1979  |  Action  |  12   

A secluded mountaintop monastery becomes the stage for betrayal, philosophy, and silent warfare. Raining in the Mountain is a stunning wuxia fable by King Hu that fuses ceremonial grace with thrilling conspiracy in equal measure.

Set during the Ming dynasty, the film centres on a secluded Buddhist temple where the retiring Abbot plans to appoint his successor. Meanwhile, a corrupt general, a scheming aristocrat, and hidden martial artists converge with their own agendas to steal a sacred handwritten sutra. As deception ripples through candlelit halls and echoing courtyards, tension builds in elegant stillness until the furious clashes erupt amid the temple’s serene beauty.

Directed by King Hu, a legendary figure in martial arts cinema and a master of the wuxia genre, known for stories of superhuman warriors set in ancient, often fantastic China, Raining in the Mountain was filmed at Korea’s breathtaking Bulguksa Temple and is widely regarded as one of Chinese cinema’s greatest achievements. This 1979 Hong Kong-Taiwanese co-production blends Buddhist philosophy with a tense heist plot, wrapped in Hu’s signature visual elegance. Its recent restoration brought renewed acclaim, with The New York Times calling it “spectacular, exhilarating entertainment.” It was also selected as Hong Kong’s entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the 52nd Academy Awards. Perfect for fans of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and House of Flying Daggers.

In Mandarin with English Subtitles

Doors open at 7.15pm and the film starts at 7.30pm