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The Eye of The Dragon Princess

Name: The Eye of The Dragon Princess
Director: Liu Tao
Released: 2020

Representation Score

7.4/10

Good

2020

Director

Liu Tao

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

The film succeeds as a piece of non-Western narrative reclamation, effectively replacing Western fantasy clichés with rich, indigenous folklore. By centering East Asian mythology, it offers a culturally specific perspective that challenges standard storytelling structures. However, the film remains tied to conventional romantic frameworks. The reliance on straight relationships and traditional jealousy limits its exploration of diverse relationship structures and identities. While the female lead displays a significant role in driving the story, the treatment of physical and cognitive disabilities remains superficial. These elements serve the plot's mystery rather than offering deeper, character-driven representations of disability.

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Category Breakdown

Does The Eye of The Dragon Princess have LGBTQ+ representation?

Limited

The story focuses on a traditional romance between Hailanzhu and Lu Haisheng, which assumes everyone is straight or cisgender. There is no indication of non-binary identities or same-sex relationships, and the plot revolves around typical romantic jealousy.

How does The Eye of The Dragon Princess portray gender?

Fair

Hailanzhu avoids being portrayed as a passive damsel in distress by taking an active role as an investigator. She plays a significant part in driving the story and assists the magistrate in solving criminal cases.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Eye of The Dragon Princess?

Excellent

The film stands out by centering East Asian mythology and the Liao Zhai tradition, which breaks away from Western fantasy clichés by incorporating local folklore and cultural aesthetics.

How does The Eye of The Dragon Princess represent religion and culture?

Good

The narrative explores moral dilemmas through personal and systemic struggles. It uses traditional structures like temples and magistrates to emphasize individual truth over rigid institutional rules.

Does The Eye of The Dragon Princess include disability representation?

Fair

The loss of the Dragon Eye serves mainly as a plot device, while amnesia is used as a narrative tool rather than a detailed exploration of living with disabilities.

Present on Screen

Strong centering of East Asian mythological frameworks and indigenous folklore.
Avoids the passive female cliché through Hailanzhu's investigative role.
Effective use of non-Western narrative structures to challenge fantasy norms.

Limited or Absent

No explicit representation of LGBTQ+ identities or non-cisgender characters.
Superficial treatment of disability, used primarily as a magical plot device.
Reliance on traditional, straight-focused romantic conflict and jealousy clichés.

Official Synopsis

Аnother Pu Songling’s fairytale from classic Liao Zhai collection. Romantic story based on "Dragon Without Eyes" and produced by Dongfang Feiyun. The film is about the daughter of the Dragon King of the East China Sea, Hailanzhu, who comes to earth to spread rain and encounters Lu Haisheng, a magistrate of the Yizhou government, in the Dragon King Temple. Hailanzhu pretended to have amnesia and stayed beside Lu Haisheng to assist in investigating the murder case. In order to get a pair of eyes that won't decay, the villainous forces are eyeing Longanzhu, and they use a series of tricks to cause a deep misunderstanding between the man and the woman, meanwhile, Yuhe of Lu's residence is also jealous of Hailanzhu's arrival, hoping to get rid of her so that she can resume her life and have a chance to be with Lu Haisheng. Will Hailanzhu be able to get her Dragon Eye back? And how will their feelings for each other be broken in the midst of the crisis?

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