I wonder what the original title "Yu pu tuan zhi: Tou qing bao jian" means, but the English title "Sex and Zen" sums the movie up nicely, if you translate Zen as "you know, Asian stuff: drinking tea, silly daggers, eating rice, kicking the stuffing out of your opponent". Sex and Zen is an interesting and genuine Asian twist on your average softcore / erotic skin flick, a tasty offering of steamy sex scenes which are loosely tied together by an story. For my taste, the storytelling was a bit too loose and erratic as I'm a big fan a of plot, narration and development. I found myself wondering somewhere in between the rape scene in the fabrics warehouse and the calligraphy-by-shoving-a-brush-up-your-unspeakables segment how it all fits together. Overall it's well worth a viewing, but because of the surreal and incongruent storytelling it didn't really grab me.

This is a Category Three film from Hong Kong, and it is explicit in its nudity, carnal desires and all around perversion. What sets it apart from similar films is the production values. The cinematography is very good, the movie is vividly colorful. The film has a general good rhythm to it. It is unabashedly erotic, both with the male and female characters. At the time, this film had to be a revelation, but it still holds up today as a sexually charged drama/comedy. The rating I gave can be anything, meaning it all depends on what you're looking for in this genre. Suffice to say, everyone looks great (especially the beautiful Amy Yip) and the film was a deserved success when it was released. If you're adventurous, check it out.

"Sex and Zen" is trully a gem. It combines beautifully good looking women with gorgeous bodies, humor, plot, and ending with a moral. I think it inspired after copycat movies to follow, but then none that came after it could achieve the climax "Sex and Zen" had achieved.Without giving too much away, watching "S&Z" is like watching a Hong Kong swordsplay movie but this is on the topic of sex. A trully unique experience that can only come out of Hong Kong movies.A 8/10 on my book.

Keep in mind: this isn't some second rate snuff film. Sex and Zen has a story, has good acting, great costumes and setting. And also, sex.The scholar in the film tries to fulfill his sexual appetites. Lucky guy, right? However, as the story progresses, I kind of felt sympathy for him. There is humor in this one which keeps the film lively. I winced during the operation scene with a funny cameo by Kent Cheng. The thief who helps the scholar adds some comedy as well.Amy Yip really stands in this one. She is unbelievably sexy and her character is played nicely. The other beautiful ladies Isabella Chow and Carrie Ng also light up the screen. The sex scenes aren't too explicit, but there are some parts where you'd watch in disbelief. The whole scene in the end, S&M, "musical appreciation"...original concepts you'd probably only find in Hong Kong cinema.Overall, the film doesn't take itself too seriously. It's erotic, funny, and there's a moral to be learned! Watch it for my hon Amy!!