TherearesurpriseseveryyearinChina’sembattledindiesector,butfewasunexpectedasthisone.LiLuohastakenthreechaptersoftheMingDynastynovelJourneytotheWest(akaMonkey)andadaptedthestoryoftheshort-termdeathofEmperorLiShimintothemodernChinaofofficials,bureaucratsandgangsters.TheDragonKingpervertsthecourseofnatureandispunishedwithexecution;theemperortriedtostepintopreventithappening,buthedidn’tallowforthepowerofdreams.NowLiislyingonhisdeathbed,besetbystrayghosts.Canhebesaved?Thestorytellingexploresseverallayersof"reality,"butcoalescesintoanimageofChina’sperennialabsurdity:anew-oldworldwherepeacealwaysbreedswealth.Brilliant,straight-facedpoliticalsatire.The"ungrammatical"title,bytheway,referencesaChinesemovieof1927.