Sex and Zen (1991): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1991, Sex and Zen is a comedy, drama, adventure and horror film directed by Michael Mak, running about 99 minutes. “Banned for 400 years! The most notorious of China's three great erotic sagas – revealed on the screen for the first time.” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. A recently married scholar goes on a quest for knowledge of other people's wives, based on his philosophical differences with the Sack Monk. He encounters the Flying Thief, who agrees to help him find women, but only if he attains a penis as big as a horse's. The scholar has a surgeon attach said unit, and he's off and running on his mission, only to find that there are obstacles to his new lifestyle, such as jealous husbands and treacherous females.

Who’s in it. Sex and Zen stars Lawrence Ng Kai-Wah as Wei Yang Sheng / Yan Ching, Kent Cheng Jak-Si as Tian Can Zi / Tin Chan, Elvis Tsui Kam-Kong as Wang Qi / Wong Chut and Amy Yip Chi-Mei as Yu Xiang / Chou Yin, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 6.2/10, Sex and Zen has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response. It went on to earn $396K at the box office.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Sex and Zen page.

If you liked it. Fans of Sex and Zen tend to enjoy Forrest Gump, Parasite, Life Is Beautiful and Fight Club.