Shadow

Shadow is a 2018 Chinese wuxia film directed by Zhang Yimou. It was screened at the 75th Venice International Film Festival, the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival, and the 2018 BFI London Film Festival. It was released in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States in 2019. Plot Years ago, the kingdom of Pei lost the important city of Jingzhou to the kingdom of Yang after the popular and brilliant Commander Ziyu (Deng Chao) lost a duel to the infamously unbeatable Yang Cang (Hu Jun). The King of Pei (Zheng Kai) is enraged after discovering that Ziyu has challenged Yang Cang to a rematch without authorization. The King demands Ziyu and his wife, Xiao Ai (Sun Li), give him a performance on the guzheng (a Chinese plucked zither). Ziyu refuses to play and instead cuts off his hair. He is then allowed to leave. The king decides to marry his beloved sister Qingping (Guan Xiaotong) to Yang Cang's son Yang Ping (Leo Wu) to maintain peace between the two kingdoms.