During the Heian period, an aristocracy called "Heiankyo" ruled Japan′s capitol, Kyoto. During this age of peace, the philosophy of Yin-Yang-- a mixture of geomancy, the principle of yin-yang, and magic--were in fashion among the political elite. This gave prominence to a group of Yin-Yang masters, who originated in ancient China, and who claimed that their duty was to solve life′s strange occurrences and disputes.The Yin-Yang Master is based on the true story of a famous Yin-Yang master, ′Seimei Abeno′. After learning the nature of the universe, Seimei uses his powers to aid the aristocrats and to pacify the dead souls of those who were defeated in the power struggle. At the same time, ′Doson′ another prominent Yin-Yang master, acquires the power of the dark forces, and conspires to destroy the "Heiankyo" and build his own nation. The director of such box-office hits as The Yen Family(1988) and Nemura nai Machi Shinjuku Same(1993), Yojiro Takita′s new film is a fantasy historical-piece, with enchanting CG and SFX. (Shion Yang)