The Yin-Yang Master: Two Films, One Name

The first time I watched The Yin-Yang Master: Dream of Eternity, I became fully absorbed in the adventures of the main character Qingming. Unfortunately, when I decided to search up “the yin yang master,” the first film that popped up was definitely not the film with my beloved Qingming. It turns out that there are two separate films both titled “The Yin-Yang Master.” The first film came out in 2020 and is named The Yin-Yang Master: Dream of Eternity, directed by Guo Jingming. The second, from 2021, is simply titled The Yin Yang Master, directed by Li Weiran. Confused yet?

Other than sharing a name, both Yin-Yang Master films are Chinese historical-based fantasy films based on the Japanese novel series Onmyōji and its game version. Both films even have the same two main characters! However, they aren’t meant to be set in the same universe or series. The two films are very distinct and independent from each other. In general, I enjoyed both of the movies immensely, but there’s one I believe is more worth the watch.

I watched The Yin-Yang Master: Dream of Eternity (2020) first. It tells a story centred on the rise of an evil snake demon who threatens the safety of the world. Eons ago, four masters of magic were able to trap the snake within the Imperial City, the home of the emperor’s family. Now, when the snake threatens to break out again, four new masters, including the main character Qingming, must journey to the Imperial City to seal it in.

However, the real story is much more complex than that. While the rise of the snake demon kickstarts the plot, this gives way to subtler and more original side plots.

Few if any strings are left untied; tiny details are woven to create surprising conclusions. Still, the film has a good hold on the balance between heavy and light, which is a relief for me.

What really stood out to me in this film were the characters and their dynamics. From rivalries to love stories, I found myself invested. The main character Qingming is a compelling character to watch. His foil Boya is more hot-headed. However, they share quiet similarities and can understand each other, which eventually solidifies a rivalry into a solid partnership. 

At the same time, though, certain parts of the plot were difficult to follow despite the other genius parts of it, and the worldbuilding, while not bad, wasn’t explained well or established quickly. I couldn’t really figure out what a Yin-Yang Master was for the entire film, and it took me half the film to understand what a “spirit guardian” was. Also, I feel like some of the side characters could have been developed a little more. They had so much potential!

On the other hand, The Yin Yang Master (2021) subverted my expectations when I watched it a few days later. In this world, Yin Yang Masters of the Yin Yang Bureau guard magical artifacts and hold demon spirits captive. The main character Qingming was once a half-demon Yin Yang Master — until he was framed for murder and driven away. Hunted at once by the Bureau and a disgraced officer Yuan Boya, Qingming is put in a very sticky situation.

It’s fascinating when not everything about Qingming is revealed at once. New characters are introduced and established gradually. The scenes bounce between a more emotion-heavy arc that follows Qingming through his increasingly complicated relationship with the Bureau, and a more light-hearted plotline with Boya exploring the demon realm.

Another part of the film that had me in awe was the excellent worldbuilding and the stunning visuals that add to it. Whether it’s the Yin Yang Bureau being police for demons, or the jaw-dropping scene that introduces the audience to the demon realm, this film amazed me with its elaborate worldbuilding. It was evident that this film was inspired by a video game; it really had that energy — like it was a universe you could walk into and explore.

But this film falls a little short for me with the characters and relationships. I feel like many of the characters could have been better developed. Shen Le and Boya’s storyline didn’t have enough deep moments to build a meaningful relationship. Another weak point is that I felt like the latter half of the plot took off in a direction that didn’t make much sense. Also, Boya’s storyline didn’t seem to have much impact overall.

The two films really are radically different, but they still share some common ground.

Personally, I feel like The Yin-Yang Master: Dream of Eternity did a better job with the characters. Generally, I liked all the main characters in this film, whether they were protagonists, antagonists, or side characters.

Though I liked Qingming’s character in The Yin Yang Master, his personality seemed a little flat. In The Yin-Yang Master: Dream of Eternity, he showed a side that added a lot of humor and interest to his character. I felt Boya’s character development was a little rushed in The Yin Yang Master because less time was spent on his arc. On the other hand, in The Yin-Yang Master: Dream of Eternity, Boya and Qingming interacted more, so their characters progressed in tandem.

The overall worldbuilding of The Yin Yang Master was easier to understand and more interesting to me. In particular, the scenes introducing the demon realm and demon side characters were super cool. They did a good job easily explaining the concept of “spirit guardians,” while a similar idea in The Yin-Yang Master: Dream of Eternity was never fully spelled out, much to my confusion.

The Yin-Yang Master: Dream of Eternity pulls through for me with its plot and character dynamics. The storyline isn’t split into specific different arcs, instead it weaves together to add layers and complexity to existing arcs. It had me laughing in some scenes and teary-eyed in others. The character relationships developed in the film had the same effect on me. The different relationships felt believable, emotional, and compelling, even in more humorous scenes.

While The Yin Yang Master was also a good movie with incredible designs and characters, The Yin-Yang Master: Dream of Eternity is my pick. Next movie night, I’d recommend heartily that you get a pack of tissues and open Netflix to click on Yin-Yang Master: Dream of Eternity. You will be pleasantly surprised by what you find.