The journey behind the captivating film adaptations on screen is a complex industry with many hidden aspects that you may not know about. With this article titled “The Secrets Behind the Screen,” GameK aims to provide readers with unique insights to unravel these mysteries.
Tripitaka: The Role That Defined Actor Ma Duc Hoa’s Career
In China, the 1986 adaptation of “Journey to the West” has been broadcast over 3,000 times in the past 30 years. The actors from the film have become familiar faces. Among them, Tripitaka, played by Ma Duc Hoa, is considered an iconic character, renowned equally to the legendary Sun Wukong portrayed by Liu Xiao Ling Tong.
Notably, Ma Duc Hoa was born in 1945 in Dunhua, Jilin, China. After graduating from the Beijing Central Academy of Drama, he began acting in films in the early 1980s.
Before becoming Tripitaka in the 1986 series, actor Ma Duc Hoa had played many different significant roles. However, the strongest impression left on both him and the audience is Tripitaka. Mentioning Tripitaka immediately brings Ma Duc Hoa to mind, despite many other actors portraying this character, such as Le Dieu Tuong, Cat Dan Huy, and Huynh Hai Ba.
With a portrayal that is both endearing and humorous, Ma Duc Hoa successfully brought to life a unique character from the novel by Wu Cheng’en onto the small screen. This role is considered pivotal in the entire career of this talented actor.
In Addition to Tripitaka, Ma Duc Hoa Took on 8 Other Roles in the 1986 Series
Along with embodying Tripitaka, the 1986 “Journey to the West” showcased Ma Duc Hoa’s talent through eight other characters, including:
The character in the episode ‘Hau Vuong ho gia Duong Tang’ (right after the two masters met).
The mountain god character in the episode ‘Dao bat Bao Lien Hoa Dong’
The minor character in the episode ‘Hoa khai Quan Am vien’
The foreign officer character in the episode ‘Tao thap bien ky oan’ (right).
The judge character in the episode ‘Quan phong Bat Ma On’ (middle).
The heavenly soldier character in the episode ‘Giam cam Ngu Hanh Son’ (right).
The high-ranking officer character in the episode ‘Giam cam Ngu Hanh Son’ (left).
The character who walks on the road in the episode ‘Hau vuong so van the’ (right).
The Role of Tripitaka in the Second Part of Journey to the West and Cultural Exchanges with Audiences in Vietnam
After the success of the “Journey to the West” series, the name of Ma Duc Hoa, along with other actors from the film, became famous throughout Asia. During this time, fans had the chance to meet the four masters Tang on their pilgrimage in person. The series has created a cultural wave, solidifying its status as one of the most iconic works in Chinese cinema.
Following the overwhelming success of the first part, Chinese cinema decided to continue with the second part of this series. However, due to budget constraints at the time, the project was delayed until mid-1997.
During this period, the four main characters in “Journey to the West” were: Liu Xiao Ling Tong (Sun Wukong), Diem Hoai Le (Sha Wujing), Tu Thieu Hoa (Tang Seng), and Ma Duc Hoa (Tripitaka), who participated in cultural exchanges with the people of Ho Chi Minh City during the 300th anniversary of Saigon. It was during this time that Ma Duc Hoa’s role was cut (along with “Sha Wujing” Diem Hoai Le).
Ma Duc Hoa shared: “The four masters Tang had a chance to visit Vietnam to perform cultural exchanges during the 300th anniversary of Saigon. In Ho Chi Minh City, I made a call to Vice Director Hoang Canh Phu and was asked to change the schedule, filming had to start earlier. To be precise, I called Director Duong Khiet, who agreed to postpone for us another week.
However, when returning to China, due to age and health reasons, he had to leave the project along with Diem Hoai Le. I had a part in the films already shot, but the actors who replaced me had been selected. Thus, I had to say goodbye to Tripitaka. Director Duong Khiet also felt regretful because it was a decision made based on my health situation.”
Thus, after achieving great success with the role of Tripitaka in the 1986 version of “Journey to the West,” Ma Duc Hoa did not participate in the second part of this series (which consisted of 16 episodes and was released in 1998). Although he did not continue to appear in “Journey to the West 2,” Ma Duc Hoa’s Tripitaka has become an iconic image, creating deep impressions for many fans and audiences alike.
