I'm Really a Superstar

The next day.

Early in the morning.

There were clanging noises outside.

“Right, nice expression. Pass!”

“Director, let’s do it again. I think my lips twitched so I’m not satisfied with it.”

“Actually it’s already very good. Alright then, let’s do it again. Everyone, pay attention. Action!”

In a room in the backyard of the Qingshan Monastery, Zhang Ye was woken up near the fire pit.

After putting on his clothes, Zhang Ye went out.

As they were filming in the front yard, the cameras were already set up.

“Hey, Teacher Zhang, you have woken up?” An actress named Xiaoyan greeted with a smile.

“I just woke up. Why didn’t anyone call me? Everyone is already awake but there I was sleeping. It’s so inappropriate.” Zhang Ye was feeling a bit embarrassed. He had actually went to bed at 1 A.M. last night. He was not slacking but because the abbot was too wicked. He kept getting Zhang Ye to discuss Buddhist verses with him and Zhang Ye had no way of turning him down. Only after discussing all night with the old monk was he let back to his room. Hence, he woke up very late.

The Assistant Director laughed, “It’s alright. There are no scenes for you, so we filmed the later parts first.”

Although Zhang Ye had helped the film crew yesterday, but he did not put on airs. He immediately found a sword, “Alright, then I’ll take the opportunity to practice. We definitely must finish filming it today.”

“No, there’s no need.” The Assistant Director stopped him.

The martial arts director also came forward, “Director Jiang has already said. We will change your motions. Since we know you are a real martial arts practitioner, these movements do not suit you well, so we will make an exception for you. When the time comes, you will just use new movements.” This was equivalent to changing the script for Zhang Ye.

Zhang Ye exclaimed, “Isn’t that a lot of trouble?”

“Not a bit.” The Assistant Director said, “Go have breakfast first.”

Zhang Ye saw a few food boxes still unopened. He walked over and ate it. It was all vegetarian. It did not even have any eggs and was probably in consideration of the monastery and they had gotten it delivered in the morning. As he ate, Zhang Ye looked at the filming not far away. It was Yao Jiancai’s scene, where he was acting as a Taoist priest. He was fighting with a few monks. One of the monks was an actor from the filming crew, while the remaining two were monks from the Qingshan Monastery. He had seen them yesterday. He did not expect the abbot to let the monks from the monastery aid in the acting scene. It seemed like the verse, “originally there is not a single thing, where does dust alight” had greatly moved him. He went from meditating to one who tried to gain insight into Buddhist studies.

The stone tablet was erected in front of him.

Quite a number of the crew were relishing about it. They were pointing and discussing it. Some even took pictures as a remembrance. Some of the new staff and actors that came today were confused. The others, who were here the previous night, pointed in the eating Zhang Ye’s direction. They retold the events happily.

After the newcomers heard this, they were all extremely shocked.

With the scene’s filming done, the scene was changed back to the mountain side from last night.

“Little Zhang, please prepare.” Director Jiang said to Zhang Ye.

“Alright,” Zhang Ye responded and went to have an exchange with the martial arts director.

Indeed, the actions this time were not so wide open and was very consistent with Zhang Ye’s actual combat motions. Quick, stable, ruthless and was less showy.

After Zhang Ye practiced a few times, he said, “Got it.”

“Alright, we are about to begin.” Director Jiang sat behind Camera #1.

However, now with Zhang Ye acting smoothly, the actor opposite him was having troubles. He too had been acting in action films for many years and all the movements he knew were the showy ones. He had to react to how Zhang Ye fought, so he could not immediately match him. After more than 20 minutes was he barely able to keep up with Zhang Ye’s rhythm. Finally, Director Jiang raised his hand. This scene had passed!

Zhang Ye was sweating. The next scene immediately followed. It was also the last time he was appearing as he would be killed by a villain.

An hour later, Zhang Ye’s part was completed.

“Teacher Zhang, you’ve worked hard.” A stage manager passed a towel to him.

“Thanks.” Zhang Ye took it and wiped his sweat before taking off his costume and changed into his clothes.

Since he was done with the filming, Zhang Ye bade farewell to Director Jiang, Yao Jiancai and company. As he was leaving, something worthy of comment happened. Knowing that Zhang Ye was leaving, Director Jiang did not say anything but tell him that they could work together if the chance arose. It was Yao Jiancai who was very warm with Zhang Ye. He sent him down the mountain with his arms around his shoulders. The two of them had become good friends despite their ages after a day of interaction. Both of their tempers matched each other. Finally it was Qingshan Monastery’s abbot. He was no longer meditating today and instead sent Zhang Ye all the way down Little Qingshan. They even discussed Zen studies along the way.

……

At the same time.

A video suddenly appeared online. It was unknown how it became viral as the click rate began to climb. It did not seem like it could stop!

“When living, sit, don’t lie. When dead, lie down, don’t sit. How can a set of stinking bones, be used for training?”

“You…”

“Almsgiver, you know Zen verses?”

“Let us exchange our knowledge on verses?”

……

“With the wind blowing, the flag flaps. Do you say the wind is moving or the flag is moving?”

“Of course the wind is moving!”

“The flag is moving?”

“Then what is moving? The world is moving?”

“It’s your heart that is moving!”

……

“To see a world in a grain of sand. And a heaven in a wild flower. Hold infinity in the palm of your hand. And eternity in an hour.”

……

“Aren’t you afraid of descending into Hell?”

“If I don’t descend into Hell, who will?

……

“By origin, there is no Bodhi tree!”

“Nor is there a mirror bright!”

“Originally there is not a single thing!”

“Where does dust alight?”

……

There were scenes that had clearly been edited out of the video. They were either unsightly scenes or scenes that had the filming crew cursing. However, there was not many overall changes. The matter last night was entirely recorded. It was easy to tell that it was someone from the film crew of “The Great Pugilistic World” who uploaded it. The video’s name was “Little Qingshan’s Zen Exchange”.

“Fierce!”

“It’s so enjoyable!”

“Propping! The video is too awesome! Is this real or not?”

“How can a layman cause a monk to be dumbfounded?”

“Hey, wait a moment. This person…Why does he look like Teacher Zhang Ye?”

“What do you mean looks like. It’s none other than Zhang Ye. F**k, when did he join the filming crew of ‘The Great Pugilistic World’? And he’s even filming a movie? He switched careers again?”

“Hahaha, Teacher Zhang is still as gifted as ever! Too awesome!”

“That bunch of monks sure were unlucky. You can cross Zen verses with anyone but Teacher Zhang. That fellow is well known to be a notorious sharp-tongued poet! Look at the gatha! The face smacking was too brutal! Especially that last line, ‘By origin, there is no Bodhi tree’. I got a kick hearing that. My hair even stood up!”

“Man, Teacher Zhang even knows Buddhist and Zen studies?”

“What doesn’t Zhang Ye know? The title Omnipotent Zhang isn’t given in vain!”

“I think we should call Teacher Zhang, Bold Zhang. To beat monks in front of their monastery. First he beat them physically, then he smacked their faces. What boldness is this. Hur Hur. Others might not dare to, but Teacher Zhang has no such pressure. Teacher Zhang Ye’s boldness has always been off the charts!”

“Classic! Zhang Ye’s gatha is so classic!”

“Why is this discussion so popular. Who is Zhang Ye?”

“Previous poster, go search yourself. Can’t be bothered to explain. It’s clear you are not from Beijing. In Beijing, who doesn’t know Face-smacking Zhang!?”

“Forever supporting Face-smacking Zhang!”

“Forever supporting Bold Zhang!”

“Teacher Zhang, I love you too much!”

The video was pushed higher and higher. By the end of the day, it alarmed many Buddhist researchers and esteemed monks.

A Buddhist researcher rejected Zhang Ye’s gatha completely, “A layman, a ignorant laity dares to act atrociously in front of a clean monastery? And so many people are supporting him? What sort of state of mind is this? I have seen the gathas. It can’t be said to be bad, nor can it said to be wrong, but in Zen studies, how is there any right or wrong, good or bad? All of you have put Zhang Ye on too high a pedestal! I really don’t believe such an unsettled and short-tempered person can have such profound understanding in Buddhist studies. He’s just a demagogue!”

“Previous poster, I bought a watch last year!”

“We all can tell how awesome is it, but you can’t?”

“Still a Buddhist studies researcher? What bullsh*t have you researched all this years!? We don’t know? I think you are the one who doesn’t know? If you know, give us a few gathas!”

“Just because Teacher Zhang is not a monk, so whatever he said is wrong. If these gathas were said by some Buddhist master, would you be bullsh*tting here? You would definitely be praising it as ‘good’. What crap. I’ve already seen through you bunch of ‘experts’!”

Many people began cursing. Every time Zhang Ye’s works were released, it would attract many criticisms from specialists or experts. It was unknown if they really were worth their salt or not. This sequence of events had already irritated everyone. The facts had proven that Zhang Ye’s works were very recognized and loved by the people.

At this moment, a Master stood forward.

This Master had quite a status in the field of Buddhism. He was not a so-called expert but a real esteemed monk.

This esteemed monk replied on Weibo, “I am inferior to Almgsiver Zhang’s tremendous wisdom and virtue.”

“What?”

“Even the Master says he’s inferior?”

“Is Teacher Zhang really so awesome?”

“The Master has already said so. He already said how wise and virtuous he is. I see how anyone dare doubts him!”

“Zhang Ye is really defying the Heavens. I know this Master. Look at the Weibo verification. He is an esteemed reverend monk!”

It was the information age, so even monks kept pace with modern times and were on the web. It was nothing strange. After the Master finished, there were immediately many Buddhist disciples who forwarded and Liked the post.

Finally.

A person posted a comment as if at a loss whether to laugh or cry.

“A few days ago, when Teacher Zhang was leaving the television station, didn’t he recite a poem while the reporters were interviewing him? Something about inside a small house hidden away, he seeks a unified life to obey, why care at all – be it winter, summer, spring or fall, that’s bullsh*t! What is he hiding away from!? It has just been a few days, and Teacher Zhang has stirred something up again? Why can’t I f**king see a tiny bit of why care it all – be it winter, summer, spring or fall?”

“Hahaha, you dare to believe Teacher Zhang Ye’s words?”

“Man, that’s true.”