Detective Chinatown Pursues the “Tao” First: An Interview with Director Chen Sicheng

Abstract This interview was conducted between Chen Sicheng, a Chinese actor, director, and screenwriter, who is known for his leading roles in the films A Young Prisoner’s Revenge (Faguan mama, 2001) and Spring Fever (Chunfeng chenzui de yewan, 2009) as well as his directorial blockbuster comedy film series Detective Chinatown, and Wang Haizhou, a professor of Film Studies at Beijing Film Academy. In this interview, drawing on his own artistic experience and creative practice, director Chen Sicheng focuses on the themes, genre, scriptwriting, performance, production values and other aspects of the Detective Chinatown series. He expresses his artistic views and creative thought at length and expounds the exploratory significance of the Detective Chinatown series for China’s film industry. He emphasizes that creative works should have both “Tao” and “Technique,” and that “Tao” should be located first to clarify the theme and value of the work. He also discusses the intention behind the Detective Chinatown series to create a subgenre in which mystery, suspense, detective work, and comedy combine, and gives a multifaceted analysis of the actors’ performance in Detective Chinatown 3. All of this will enlighten the audience and enable a deeper appreciation of Detective Chinatown 3.