济公 之降龙降世

Master Ji Gong is a 2021 Chinese animated film directed by Liu Zhijiang and Qiao Yu, with Jin Dong as the executive producer. The film tells the story of the Arhat of Dragon Subduing, reincarnated as the mortal Li Xiuyuan, who later battles the Golden Winged Roc and saves the human world. The movie focuses on a young Ji Gong, aiming for a contemporary expression of traditional folk tales, exploring themes of family relationships and personal growth. Despite high production efforts, including the involvement of Liu Zhijiang, director of 'Monkey King: Hero is Back', the film received poor reviews upon release, with a 4.8 rating on Douban. Some critics pointed out its illogical plot, biased themes, and traces of imitation from other Chinese animations like 'Ne Zha'. However, some comments also suggested the film is not a complete copy, but has similarities in themes and creative approaches. Writer Zhang Ting mentioned that the creative goal was to restore Ji Gong from legend to a human, allowing his story to resonate with modern audiences and reflect each family's story. The film was nominated for Best Animated Film at the 34th Golden Rooster Awards, but the final result is yet to be determined.