Movie sta Mark Chao. [Photo provided to China Daily]

The major characters are loosely based on real historical figures. Wu was China's first and only empress who reigned around 1,300 years ago, and Dee (Di in Mandarin－but Dee in English as per Dutch writer Robert van Gulik's 1940s book Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee which was translated from an ancient Chinese novel) was a well-known politician revered by the empress.

But being faithful to history has never been a goal for Hark, who is famous for reshaping Chinese martial arts films since the late 1970s through his use of fantasy scenes set in ancient China.

From his directorial debut The Butterfly Murders to Flying Swords of Dragon Gate, the first Chinese Imax 3D movie, up to his recent blockbuster Journey to the West: The Demons Strike Back, Hark has established his status as an iconic figure behind the rise of lavish homegrown special-effects-driven films－a sector that Chinese filmmakers have long hoped to shrink the gap with the world's top movie player, Hollywood.

"As a filmmaker, I always hope to bring something new to the audience," says Hark, during a recent interview.

Speaking about his formula to entertain and excite the audience with the 8-year-old Detective Dee franchise, Hark says he has tried to seek inspiration from some yet-to-be-explained mysteries from ancient times.