9th century China. Ten year old general’s daughter Nie Yinniang is abducted by a nun who initiates her into the martial arts, transforming her into an exceptional assassin charged with eliminating cruel and corrupt local governors. One day, having failed in a task, she is sent back by her mistress to the land of her birth, with orders to kill the man to whom she was promised – a cousin who now leads the largest military region in North China. After 13 years of exile, the young woman must confront her parents, her memories and her long-repressed feelings.
The Assassin is a 2015 wuxia film co-written and directed by Hou Hsiao-hsien. A Taiwan/China/Hong Kong co-production, the film is loosely based on the late eighth-century martial arts story "Nie Yinniang" by Pei Xing. It stars Shu Qi and Chang Chen.
