Buddha Mountain is a 2010 drama film directed by Li Yu and starring Sylvia Chang, Fan Bingbing, and Chen Bolin. It was produced by Laurel Films, a small independent production company owned by Fang Li and located in Beijing. Laurel Films also produced Li Yu's earlier film, Lost in Beijing.

The film tells the story of three young people who do not plan to take exams or attend university, and a retired Chinese opera singer who is grieving the loss of her son. The film examines themes such as teenage uncertainty, emotional struggles, and defiance, as well as how life is always changing.

Plot

When performing at a pub, Nan Feng (Fan Bingbing) accidentally hits a man in the private area while swinging a speaker, causing conflict with the pub owner. Later, Nan Feng, her friend Ding Bo (Chen Bolin), and Fatso eat and drink near the road.

The next day, Fatso is teased by a group of teenagers. Nan Feng confronts them, breaks a bottle over one girl’s head, and forces another girl to kiss her.

Eventually, Nan Feng, Ding Bo, and Fatso decide to live with a woman named Teacher Chang, who recently lost her son. The man injured by Nan Feng asks for money to cover his medical costs. To pay, they take money from Miss Chang and replace it with paper money meant to be burned during a family ceremony.

Nan Feng, Ding Bo, and Fatso repair the car in which Teacher Chang’s son died while traveling to a birthday celebration with his girlfriend. During a trip in this car, they stop at a building that was destroyed. A flashback shows this building was damaged in the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. They take a photo with the help of a monk, standing in the ruins of a temple dedicated to Buddha.

Nan Feng sees Ding Bo kissing another girl at a nightclub and becomes upset. She returns to Teacher Chang for support. During the day, Nan Feng, Ding Bo, Fatso, and Teacher Chang visit the damaged temple to help with repairs and hang a bell. In the evening, they talk with the monk, who explains that his master’s body represents the true temple. Teacher Chang says she has completed her duties and feels no regret, happy that Nan Feng and others have improved their lives.

The next morning, Nan Feng and her friends search for Teacher Chang but find her standing on a cliff far away. Nan Feng looks down and sees a train passing. When she looks up again, Teacher Chang is gone. The group believes she jumped off the cliff to reunite with her husband and son.

Fatso, Nan Feng, and Ding Bo (now in a relationship) take a train home. They realize their youth is ending and must accept adulthood. Nan Feng remembers Teacher Chang’s words: “Loneliness is not forever, but being together is,” as the story ends.

Alternate versions

The film released in China had a different version compared to the one shown at the Tokyo International Film Festival. Deleted scenes included those showing forced demolitions and scenes from the beginning of the film. Sylvia Chang's role was originally at the start of the film. She appeared in a scene from the Beijing Opera Troupe, but another actor took her place in the group. This change made her feel upset when the three young characters first met her. This scene was removed to make Teacher Chang's character more complete. Director Li Yu explained that the deletions were not requested by the State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television. Instead, the changes were made to improve the movie's flow and make the story easier to follow.

Reception

The film received mostly positive feedback from critics. It was financially successful, earning over 70 million RMB in domestic sales. The Hollywood Reporter noted that the film could have been a predictable and overly emotional story, but it avoids this by having clever writing, strong acting, and a lack of typical clichés. While some characters experience sudden changes in development, the film's honest and realistic portrayal makes it difficult to find major flaws. Variety mentioned that younger actors impressed viewers, especially Fan, who portrayed Nan Feng as both innocent and intimidating. Chen's performance as Ding Bo was less detailed, but scenes with the character's father (producer/co-writer Fang Li) allowed the actor to show more emotional depth.