Maps of Movies

Legend of the Demon Cat (2017)

Where Legend of the Demon Cat says it takes place, and where it was really shot.

A Tang Chang'an built from scratch: the whole film was shot on one custom-made set in Xiangyang

Scenes and places

The talking cat in the melon garden (805)

Chunqin, the commander's wife, is eating melons in her garden when a black cat speaks to her. In payment for a share of the fruit, it tells her where coins are buried.

Set in Chen Yunqiao's house, Chang'an — The garden of the imperial guard commander's home.

A guard commander's private house in the Tang capital.

The emperor dies during the exorcism (805)

Kukai is summoned to perform an exorcism on Emperor Dezong, who dies amid a cat's wail. Scribe Bai is ordered to write that illness killed him.

Set in The imperial palace, Chang'an — Where Kukai is called to treat Emperor Dezong.

The seat of the Tang court.

The pouch in the emperor's treasury (805)

Bai slips in at night to take a pouch holding a lock of Lady Yang's hair, hoping to confirm the old emperor's lasting sorrow. A cat distracts the guards and he gets away.

Set in The palace treasury, Chang'an — Where a keepsake of Lady Yang is kept.

Storeroom of the late emperor's keepsakes.

The street magician's melons (805)

Bai and Kukai watch a street magician sprout melons out of nothing. Kukai sees through the illusion and the two admire each other's insight; then they spot Chen Yunqiao and his guards riding by.

Set in A Chang'an street — The market streets of the capital.

A busy lane of the Tang capital.

The cat strikes at the brothel (805)

Bai and Kukai follow Chen Yunqiao to the brothel he is treating his men to. The demon cat appears, attacks the guards, and tells Chen that debts must be paid.

Set in A brothel in Chang'an — Where Chen treats his guards.

A pleasure house frequented by the guards.

The cat possesses Chunqin (805)

The cat visits Chen's home again and possesses Chunqin. Bai and Kukai see her apparition walking on the roof and reciting a poem in praise of Lady Yang.

Set in Chen Yunqiao's house, Chang'an — The same home, now haunted.

The house where the cat's story is told.

The poem's date in the archives (805)

Searching the archives, Bai and Kukai learn that the poem was written at the Feast of Supreme Joy, Lady Yang's birthday banquet in AD 755.

Set in The imperial archives, Chang'an — Where court records are kept.

Records office of the Tang court.

Abe no Nakamaro's house (805)

Bai and Kukai visit the home of the late Japanese envoy Abe no Nakamaro and get his diary from his widow. It records what the guards blamed on Lady Yang at Mawei.

Set in Abe no Nakamaro's former residence, Chang'an — Home of a Japanese envoy who admired Lady Yang.

A Japanese envoy's old house in the capital.

Mawei Station, remembered (756)

The diary and the old lady-in-waiting describe the Mawei mutiny, when the guards surrounded the emperor and executed members of Lady Yang's family.

Set in Mawei Station — Where the court's flight halted in AD 756.

A post station on the road out of Chang'an.

The temple that will not let Kukai in (805)

Kukai came to China to study under Abbot Huiguo but has been denied entry to the temple. Bai tells him that Huiguo says none of the thousand monks is fit to be his disciple.

Set in Great Qinglong Temple — Where Kukai hopes to study.

The home of Tantric Buddhism in Chang'an.

The Feast of Supreme Joy (755)

The cat says it saw the banquet and that the poem was written before the poet ever met Lady Yang. The party scenes show a crowded celebration.

Set in The Feast of Supreme Joy, Chang'an — Lady Yang's birthday banquet.

Site of the royal birthday feast.

Characters

• Kukai — A Japanese monk in Chang'an who is called to the palace to perform an exorcism.
• Bai Letian — The court scribe who wants to write an epic poem about Emperor Xuanzong and Lady Yang.
• Chen Yunqiao — Imperial guard commander, enriched by the cat's gift.