Kingdom of Conquerors (2013) Movie Script
"It is not sufficient that I succeed:
all others must fail"
--Genghis Khan--
In the 1200's arose a man
so feared for his ruthlessness
and cunning that he was able to emerge as
the greatest empire
builder ever known to mankind,
Genghis Khan - revered as the founder
of the Mongol Empire.
Making history from the saddle
of his unstoppable steed,
Genghis Khan and
his formidable horsemen became known
both for their unrelenting
strategic skills as well as
the wholesale massacres of any
civilian populations that stand in their way.
In his lifetime he set his people on a path that
eventually saw them controlling
large portions of present day China,
Russia, Central Asia,
the Middle East and Eastern Europa.
But by 1219 as he led
his Mongol forces the West once more
to do battle he faced
an enemy that he could not defeat;
a growing fear if his own mortality.
KINGDOM OF CONQUERORS
Grandpa, are we at the city where the sun sets?
No, it's still far.
When we get there, I'll be all grown up.
That's right.
Every Mongolian grows up on the road.
We keep moving as long as we're alive,
right up until we die.
What does "die" mean?
"Die" is when you stop moving.
Grandpa, why do we keep
going in this direction?
Because that's where our enemies are.
Don't stop!
They killed our trade envoys
and now the Creator
wants us to punish them
for their arrogance
and their foolishness.
When I grow up, I'm going to fight
your enemies, Grandpa.
You must chase down your enemies
and tear down their city walls
so that grass can grow in its place,
and so that your horses can run free.
Naya, open your eyes!
Look at me, Naya!
Great Khan,
you should stay back.
Beware of the plague.
Naya?
The Western Campaign army
was ravaged by plague.
When Kheshig Commander Naya
succumbed to the disease,
the Great Khan
began to fear his own death.
Great Khan,
here is your plague medicine.
So long as my enemies are alive,
I will not die.
Great Khan,
Yelv Chucai asked me to tell you
the baby may be infected
with the plague.
It must be kept away from your queen.
No!
This child arrived at the wrong time.
His cries weaken my heart.
Go find him a good family.
With the blessings of heaven,
he will survive
and will someday become a great man.
My queen.
Long Beard.
Do I...
look old to you?
I may be old,
but even so,
I still have a long way to go.
Nothing could stop
the Great Khan's advance to the west.
Should plague
and pestilence be an obstacle?
Great Khan's royal bodyguard Naya
died because of plague.
I was ordered to take up his saber?
And seek out the great Taoist monk,
the Sage of Eternal Spring, Qiu Chuji.
The Sage Qiu has a world reputation,
and everyone knows him
in the eastern plains.
I hope to persuade him to allay
the Great Khan's fear of death.
We traveled day and night
toward the rising sun.
13 horses died of fatigue under me.
And after three seasons passed,
I finally saw the legendary ocean.
Who comes?
Special envoy for Genghis Khan,
Liu Zhonglu.
I come to present an invitation
from the Great Khan to Master Qiu,
to instruct him in the Way.
Where is the Great Khan?
The Great Khan is traveling west
and is now campaigning
in Khwarezmia.
My master is advanced in age
and cannot travel.
We must decline.
Halt!
Give the plants very little.
Save the water
- for the people down the mountain.
- Move it!
- Move!
- Take me to Qiu Chuji.
Wait.
I am Qiu Chuji.
You can let him go.
Listen, old man,
I am looking for the Sage
of Eternal Spring, Qiu Chuji.
And I am
the Sage of Eternal Spring, Qiu Chuji.
I am sorry, Master.
My apologies.
"I inquire after Master Qiu,
you who are the embodiment of the Way,
and in harmony
with all in and under heaven,
whose wisdom exceeds the knowable,
whose conduct his name bears high,
who has meditated long
in the valleys hidden in the shadows.
I have therefore dispatched General Liu
with an escort and chariots to request
that you delay your quest
for immortality?
And make the instruction of myself?
In the Way your foremost task,
as this offends neither righteousness,
your station, or proper governance.
By order of Genghis Khan."
The honor that has been
bestowed upon me
by the Great Khan
is far greater and nobler than
an old man like myself deserves.
Master, when will you
be ready to depart?
I will ready your escort.
Whether I go or not
depends upon heaven's will.
Master, fool that I am,
I request clarification.
Wendeng suffers from
the worst drought in a century.
I must pray for rain here.
When heaven takes pity
on the people of Wendeng
and grants them rain,
then I will follow you
and your men west,
without delay or protest.
Master, you know that
the Great Khan's edicts must be obeyed.
You've crossed mountains and rivers,
your journey was long.
You must get some rest.
Master? Master.
Master!
Master!
An emissary from the Jin Empire
requests your presence
at their capital.
And a Song ambassador
requests your guidance in Luoyang.
They come with full honors.
Tell them that right now
our crops are dying
at the hands of a severe drought,
and unless they can provide me
with a rushing river,
I will not see any one of them.
Great Khan,
your feet are cold today.
I am very old.
My blood does not flow well.
Hoelun, these last few days
I have been dreaming
about nothing but death.
I feel that I am really growing old.
Great Khan, you are not old.
You will never, ever get old.
You have been traveling for so long.
You are tired. That is all.
No matter how long
the road is, I cannot stop.
Hoelun...
with you by my side,
I will never be an old man.
The Great Khan's wife was the only one
who could understand him.
And she would be with him all the way
to the end of his endless journey.
The Great Khan said this was her fate.
Move! Move!
What are you doing?
Look up.
If heaven won't grant us rain,
don't blame my master for staying.
The only heaven or god I recognize
is Genghis Khan,
and his orders are law.
Take me west with you instead.
Anything the Great Khan wants to know
I too am able to provide.
The Khan wants one man,
and that's Master Qiu.
The drought will kill us
whether he goes with you or not,
mm save m; trouble
and massacre
He's right!
Kill every one of us!
Yes, kill us all!
If you dare anger the Great Khan,
that is exactly what will happen!
That's enough!
Great Khan, I come to you
with strange tidings.
In the dawn hours,
there appeared an unusual beast
and it offered some guidance.
It said we should turn back east.
Long Beard. did you see it?
I did not. Your groom Batu saw it
with his own eyes,
as well as your night guard Hadahei.
They did not dare tell you
of it directly, sir,
so they confided in me.
And do you believe it?
They claim to have seen it
with their own eyes
and I did not dare disbelieve them.
Very well,
have them tell me themselves.
Yes. You may enter.
Great Khan,
my hands have only ever
held the minister's pen.
I do not have the heart
to whip these men.
Have mercy, your majesty!
The Khan had them whisper
into his left and right ears,
describing what they saw.
What they described
of course was different.
Great Khan,
if anyone must be whipped,
then let that person be me.
I asked them to lie to you
because I felt I had no other choice.
The plague ravages us
and the soldiers miss home.
The Great Khan despises
nothing more than liars.
The Great Khan
despises nothing more than a liar.
On that day I recommended you
to the Great Khan
and he forgave both of them at once.
He ordered Yelv Chucai
to compose an edict?
And gave me his chariot
to bring you back.
You are asking for the last of my years.
Master, stay back!
I've heard the legends
of you being 300 years old.
You truly are a sage.
I have lived
on Mount Kunyu for so long?
With the wolves and the tigers
that we have reached an understanding,
and we leave each other alone now.
Nothing miraculous.
I must ask again,
when will you be ready to depart?
Let us finish drinking this first.
Master, if you don't go,
my life is over.
The Great Khan's will
is undeniable.
And the blood in my veins,
it flows only for him.
Respect for the Way is virtue.
The Way creates all things
and shapes all things with virtue.
The Way is separable and inseparable.
It has no beginning and no end,
Es and through ma,
Do not be sad.
You should be happy for me.
My trip to the west is for virtue
and to spread the Way.
Laozi went west at 70.
I follow his example.
Master, please take us with you!
I have a long journey ahead of me
and I might not make it to the end.
Even if I do,
I might not make it there alive.
I am old and you are all young.
Stay here and watch over Mount Kunyu.
You must find your path in the Way.
Please go back.
Take care.
Please go back.
Let's go.
Obstructing
the Great Khan's carriage is a crime.
Move aside now!
Move!
Master? Master!
Master.
And this coffin? Who is it for?
The journey ahead is a long one, Master.
If you don't complete
the journey within a year,
then the coffin is for you.
And it's for me
if you won't let
your disciple follow you.
It's a shame.
You two, knock it off.
Get some rest!
Your bidding is our duty, Master Qiu!
Welcome guests.
Please enter!
Your bidding is our duty, Master Qiu!
Greetings.
- Hey, You!
- Yes?
How did you know Qiu Chuji was with us?
- Well--
- Because I told him.
You, go and prepare
a footbath for our guest.
Yes, ma'am.
I hear about who's coming
for 100 Ii in every direction,
and a month ago
some travelers told me
that Genghis Khan wanted
to see Qiu Chuji.
And he has to pass through
Fox Canyon.
I will tie up the horses in the back.
I will bring food
and water out for them.
Master, you're here.
This way, please.
Hey.
Who are these people?
- How should I know?
- Bring those over here!
Huh?
Didn't you just stay--
Everyone who comes in is a guest,
no matter who they are.
We are almost finished here.
You can go inside now.
If I am not afraid
of a big man like you,
what're you afraid of?
What are you doing here?
Keeping you company.
Those of the Way
see beyond worldly desires.
The Master could tell that
you've been through hardships.
If you need something, just ask.
Bring me.
I want to go with you.
With heaven as my witness,
forgive me.
Where do you want to go?
Genghis Khan's camp...
to look for my husband.
I heard Qiu Chuji was invited
to visit Genghis Khan,
so I've been waiting for him.
The Master doesn't travel with women,
but I can deliver a message for you.
My husband sent me a letter last year...
saying he wants to see me.
Bandits!
Bandits!
You five, come over here!
We must kill them all!
Hurry!
Wait!
Old man,
was that the Flying Wind Fist
that I just witnessed?
I was afraid you'd hurt her,
so I prevented you,
nothing more.
Hardly worth mentioning.
Have you ever visited Mount Kunyu
by the eastern ocean?
I have lived there for 46 years.
And you know Sage Danyang?
Do you mean
Ma Danyang the Jade Sage?
- Huh.
- We shared the same master.
Master Ma comes
from the same village as me.
Circumstances forced me
into this work.
This woman's grace
and her noble beauty
made me want to marry her.
I had no intention
of harming her, I swear!
I have long heard
of the legendary abilities
of the Sage of Eternal Spring,
and I have no greater honor
than witnessing them today.
You are not mistaken.
I am the Sage of Eternal Spring.
I am Qiu Chuji.
All who pass here know of your virtue
and your skill in the Way.
- Master, accept my bow.
- No need for that.
Letting them go is enough for me.
Release them at once!
Master, I need your help.
Take pity on me and take me
with you on your journey west.
I will serve you along the way.
I will do anything.
I will do whatever I can.
Imitating a craftsman
will get you killed.
I haven't done this for a long time.
My hand hasn't healed yet.
You may have him make it again.
You don't like it?
Great Khan,
I like whatever you like,
but it's a little loose.
My Hoelun, you are thinner.
I like seeing your face
round and full of life.
I like seeing you
in the world's finest clothes,
riding in the world's
most beautiful carriage.
So tell me,
what do you want?
If I can follow you, Great Khan,
then I have no other desires.
But I miss the scent of the flowers
of our homeland...
our prairie flowers.
Step by dragging step,
through snow,
sleet, rain, and sun,
Chuji Qiu asked me to tell him
about the Great Khan along the way.
He wanted to know anything that
I would tell him about Genghis Khan,
except for stories of war
and stories of death.
Who do I hear crying?
Master, I'm afraid the weather
is making you imagine things.
I heard sobbing
coming from that direction.
Your armies slaughtered them.
It was heaven weeping.
Go and tell your men
to bury all these bodies.
I want to see them put to rest
with my own two eyes.
Impossible.
'momma mix-awn
It is easier to bury a man
than to kill him.
Master.
Those of the Way
may leave no body unburied.
I will sit here with you...
and watch every corpse
be placed underground.
Or else...
I refuse to go any further.
Where is the Sage of Eternal Spring?
Well, Great Khan,
Qiu Chuji has reached
the Mongolian plains.
If we continue heading west,
then I am afraid six months from now,
he will be unable to catch up with us.
Send an escort to meet him.
Just now my body felt
as light as a feather.
It was like I was floating
in absolute stillness.
I didn't think I would still be here
when I opened my eyes.
Heaven can't bear to lose you, Master.
If heaven is keeping me here,
it has something for me to do.
And what frightens me
is that I might not have the strength
or the will left for it,
that I will disappoint heaven.
Master, I'll value your guidance
as long as you can give it.
How long have we been traveling?
Over a year, I believe.
Mmm.
Tell me.
If I were to die along the way,
would you continue west without me?
Yes.
I knew you would.
Next board.
This one is very good.
On the count of three!
Next board!
The Great Khan had
this silversmith make a belt
with the world's finest jewels.
Please try it on.
You said you were a silversmith?
I am a silversmith,
but my hand was wounded and I--
You are the one
who cut your own finger off.
- You possess no skills at all!
- imposter.
You're a prisoner now. Move!
Go!
Keep going.
We have to seek cover!
Come on!
Don't stop moving, seek cover!
Someone protect the Master.
Keep moving, follow me.
Stop here!
Attack! Go!
Kill them!
Wait.
I only brought one coffin with me.
It can't hold this many bodies.
Master, you saw it.
They wanted to kill us.
I did not want them dead.
If we release them,
they'll follow us to get revenge.
If we take this many prisoners with us,
we'll run out of food
before we even get there.
If you kill them,
you create more thirst for revenge.
We mortals die.
Our grudges do not.
They stay in the blood,
passed down through generations.
To carry out the Great Khan's orders,
it must be done.
Kill them!
You kill...
because you are afraid.
I fear nothing.
Fear is fear, you see.
And there's no disguising it.
Behind the mask of vengeance,
there is nothing but fear.
And nothing offends heaven more...
than baseless fear.
Your mission from the Great Khan
was not murder.
If you let them go,
your mission
will have heaven's blessing.
Otherwise...
I will not let you finish your mission.
Look.
No, wait.
I am a man now.
If you spare my life, take me with you.
If not, then kill me.
Silk, beautiful silk!
When Genghis Khan was trapped
at Banzhu River,
he asked me for help.
I gave him every beast in my possession
to feed him and his men.
On that day,
Genghis Khan promised me
that I would have
my own city one day, eh?
The Great Khan keeps his word.
Huh? Look around you!
May I ask, do you know
where Genghis Khan
is currently?
The invincible Great Khan
has conquered Samarkand
and is proceeding west.
My, you've quite a stomach for alcohol.
Why is it that I feel alone
even when I am with you?
You despise me.
I do not want you to catch
the plague and leave me.
I want you with me until
we reach the cities where the sun sets.
Great Khan, there is
an urgent letter from Qiu Chuji.
Otrar trembles
at the Great Khan's might.
They have agreed to surrender.
The plague continues to ravage us.
Our casualties have been heavy.
I think we should stay here to rest?
And gather our strength.
And where is
Master Qiu Chuji now?
He has arrived at Cinghai's city
with the escort,
and says he wishes to go no further.
He requests that you travel there
to meet him instead.
Long Beard...
write that I won't meet him there
but will wait here for him.
After receiving the second edict
from the Great Khan,
it took much persuasion
to convince the Master to leave.
Starving refugees lined the road
across the snowy mountains ahead of us.
The master bore his own hunger,
but he fed them with our supplies,
and soon it seemed that
our grain supply would be gone.
Don't give them any more!
How will we make it without food?
We're going over the mountain!
I won't watch them die
and do nothing.
Master!
Master! Master.
Please eat this.
He refused to eat anything
and he wouldn't even look at our jerky.
He said he could smell
the blood on the grain
our soldiers brought him.
He said he would sooner die than eat it.
When I saw him collapse
on the road, my hope gave out.
- Master! Master!
- Master!
Master, wake up!
Make him eat.
I want him to live!
You're the reason he's dying.
You and your Great Khan can go to hell!
- How dare you?
- No, stop it!
If you want your master to live,
then follow me.
Here it is.
A snow lotus.
A snow lotus!
I know these!
This is a mountain snow lotus.
It's edible and you can use it
to make a decongestant.
I have lost too much blood.
I am beyond help now.
Do not waste your strength.
Please do something for me.
Genghis Khan wants
to see my master for
these legendary pills
that grant immortality.
The pills are--
they are in...
the pills are in...
Master, try not to be sad.
I'll have my men take his coffin home...
back to Mount Kunyu for burial.
He has already attained immortality.
We can bury his body right here.
Your reputation precedes you.
Today we finally meet.
Master, at your advanced age,
the journey must have been
extremely long and arduous.
I admire your courage
in traveling to our camp.
I've heard much about you, Lord Yelv.
A journey that is pleasant and speedy
is a rare thing.
The Great Khan is anxious
to finally meet you.
He's been waiting
in his tent for some time.
Master, this way, please.
The master of the Way arrives!
The master of the Way arrives!
The master of the Way arrives!
The master of the Way arrives!
Master Qiu now attends the Great Khan!
He will receive no other visitors!
No visitors, please.
Master.
Please kneel.
Great Khan, please forgive
any breach of protocol.
I have long admired you,
but my principles guide me.
Those of the Way
kneel only before heaven.
All right,
bring out the meat and wine
for the sage.
With wishes of fortune
and health for all,
the Creator of the Blue Sky's
bounty is presented!
Partake and enjoy
all that you wish.
Enjoy this fresh grilled goat,
partake and enjoy.
Partake and enjoy all that you wish.
For the Great Khan blesses you
with the bounty of his empire!
Hurray!
Hurray! Hurray!
I thank the Great Khan...
for his--
for his great generosity.
But those of the Way
consume no flesh.
I have heard that
you are 300 years old
and know all under heaven
that is knowable.
Therefore I will call you "Saint."
No, please.
That's too grand a title.
When I left Wendeng, I was 72.
Now I am 74.
I'd-- I'd like to ask the Saint
if he brought the immortality pills?
I have only the Way to extend life.
There are no immortality pills.
I-- I must have heard him wrong.
I dare not interpret!
You heard right.
The Saint's eyes tell me
everything I need to know.
He said that there never
was any immortality medicine.
The Master said that--
that he only has the Way
to preserve life
- and that he has no--
- Hmm.
No one expected to hear
such an answer from Qiu Chuji.
There is nothing in this world
more terrifying
than the Great Khan's silence.
I followed close at his heels,
the wind blowing the leaves
like razors across my face.
Why didn't you give him
the immortality pills?
He'll have your head for this!
Th row them away.
Untie them! Untie them!
Release them!
Master!
The Great Khan says
you are an honest man,
a living saint!
The Great Khan orders...
that a tent be set up
for the saint next to his own!
He declares he will receive
the saint's instruction in the Way!
Great Khan, you come from...
a land of plentiful sunlight
and little water.
You are not in the habit of bathing.
You killed and conquered...
without even the time
to clean yourselves.
This is unhealthy.
On the way here,
I saw many bodies unburied and rotting.
As such,
plague is bound to develop.
How do you recommend we stop it?
Have your soldiers bathe
and wash their clothes.
Water purifies all things.
I suggest this.
Distribute these herbs to you men.
In five days,
the plague will begin to recede.
Water is a divine gift
from the Creator...
to the Mongolian people...
that sustains and nourishes all life.
It must be treated with respect.
Yes, you speak the truth.
Great Khan,
water is a gift from heaven.
It is a gift that sustains
and nourishes us.
It is the softest
and gentlest substance that exists.
Water washes away stains.
It washes away illness and pestilence.
The highest virtue imitates water.
All know...
how you treasure
the lives of your soldiers,
so your virtue certainly
must afford water its own.
Tell me, Saint,
is this how your Way preserves life?
And sanitation, Great Khan.
We lose nothing by trying.
I suspected that you would not have
any immortality potions.
If immortality medicine did exist,
I would've already sipped tea
made from it
with Qun Shi Huang
and Emperor Han Wu.
But if you know it is not real,
then why did you travel
so far to see me?
I could not turn down
your invitation.
And if I remember correctly,
nothing in your invitation,
Great Khan,
mentioned immortality potion.
Long Beard, is that true?
I wrote it as instructed,
so yes, it's true.
I have also heard
that you were invited
to pay a visit to the Jin
and Song courts by their kings.
They cared only whether
they lived or died.
They showed no concern
for their people.
This violates the Way,
so heaven forbade me.
How do you know the will of heaven?
If one respects heaven, one never,
not even for a moment,
forgets one's awe of it.
The King of Heaven holds me up
and sends me signs to tell me
what should and should not be done.
I was invited here by you
because heaven has a task for me,
no matter how far I would come.
Prepare the needle.
Even if you treat me, they will kill me.
Why do you waste your time?
Because life...
is like the blooming
and the withering of a flower.
It can disappear at any moment.
Even if you die tomorrow,
I can lessen your pain today.
That much I can do.
Why did you save me?!
Would you rather see me die
in their suicide squads?
I don't want to live!
Let me die!
Reclaim your heart from the child.
Tomorrow I will take you hunting.
I know how much you enjoy that.
After half a year,
Qiu Chuji had established himself
and was entirely at home in the camp.
He often spoke of everything
in the world having life and a soul.
He even spoke
of his walking stick this way.
And one day,
I went hunting with the Great Khan
and told him the Master's words.
I was told that you
predicted today's eclipse.
Ah, and yet my knowledge
of astronomy is humbled
by that of Yelv Chucai.
You truly are a saint.
I meant no jest, Great Khan.
We Mongolians grow up
on the backs of horses.
We couldn't be thrown in our sleep.
What happened today
was very unusual.
But what's even more strange
is that a scared animal
normally takes a man's life.
That boar came right up to me,
but it didn't even touch me.
The King of Heaven
protected you in that forest.
He did not allow the boar
to harm you.
- Why would he do that for me?
- Not hurting or killing...
is the nature of all things.
And heaven wanted
to tell you, Great Khan...
that by taking fewer lives,
you can extend your own life.
And you've come all this way
just to tell me that?
Heaven rejoices...
In mercy.
But heaven?
Heaven despises death.
Great Khan,
if you obey the will of heaven,
heaven will certainly reward you.
And you're speaking
of Tengri the Blue Sky?
Exactly.
I'm speaking of the same heaven
that Tengri inhabits.
I believe what you are saying.
And yet I have my share of enemies
and they must be punished.
There.
No bones were broken.
You should be back to walking normally
within three days.
I named you Saint
because you are indeed a saint.
You extend heaven's gift of life,
and you cure me of all my injuries.
How should I thank you?
Stop killing.
I'm going to get you out.
They put me in their shaer army.
They make them charge
headlong into city walls.
They get to live if-- if we survive.
They're beheaded if they retreat.
I'm a prisoner and I'm going to die.
But it's enough
that I see you one last time.
I'm going to avenge your death.
I will die with you.
Otrar agrees to surrender,
but the treasure and livestock
that they promised to send
has not arrived.
Some think they agreed
to surrender to buy time
to recruit more men
to fight you, Father.
Stop delaying.
Allow us to attack the city.
We've only just seen
an improvement in the plague
and the soldiers are very homesick.
Attacking Otrar now may be...
It may be overly hasty.
Wipe Otrar off the face of the earth.
Prepare for battle!
Prepare for battle!
Son! Son! Answer me!
Son!
Oh, son.
Doctor! Get the doctor over here!
Doctor!
- Son.
- Doctor, get the doctor!
The Great Khan won't eat or drink
and hasn't emerged
for one day and night.
No one may disturb him.
Do not worry.
I won't go in.
I'm here to say goodbye.
I didn't bring any immortality pills.
I traveled 39,000 Ii
to see the Great Khan.
All for nothing.
So I should go.
I am such a fool.
At 19, I began learning
from Wang Chongyang
and spent 19 bitter years
attaining enlightenment.
And now... I'm 74,
an old useless man.
I'm a disappointment
to the Great Khan.
We mortals have short lives...
to walk long paths.
And we can demand nothing at all.
Before I left,
I cast my fortunes and...
I saw I had less
than 300 days to live.
The truth, Great Khan,
is that I did not know
if I would finish the journey alive.
I did not know
if I would get to meet you.
My apprentice,
he made a coffin
that was meant for me.
And he died on the way...
saving my life.
He was my best student.
And he did not want me to come...
but he couldn't stop me
and I couldn't stop myself.
Because day after day,
day after day,
I felt like there was...
a force pushing me to come here.
I believed that force was...
heaven keeping me alive...
and bringing me to meet you.
But the mercy of heaven
was wasted on me.
And if I cannot convince
the Great Khan
to stop killing,
what is one more life saved
but good fortune?
And things under heaven
live and die.
And the Way, it is everlasting.
It carries men's hearts.
Great Khan!
Your Eternal creator Tengri
and my Lord of Heaven
are one and the same!
Both of them treasure life
and they abhor death!
General Liu,
we've traveled a long way together.
You-- you understand my words.
Give the Great Khan
a message for me.
Tell your Great Khan
that I understand
the pain and rage that dwell
inside his heart.
It is a shame
I am too old and useless
to help him.
I was not able to live up
to heaven's mercy.
Great Khan,
you are also unable to fall sleep?
Do you miss your horse?
Do you remember
when the black horse you loved
ran away and never came back?
I thought you would blame me
for not tying it properly.
But it actually
chewed through its reins.
It was heading east and I did not want
to go back to look for it.
I imagine it's already back
on the plains by now.
When I left with you,
many of us hadn't grown up yet.
We were still basically children.
Now I have a beard.
It's time for me to marry
and have a son.
Tonight with the wind
blowing to the east,
the horses should be sleeping
with their heads facing west.
But today they're all sleeping...
with their heads...
facing the east horizon.
Even our animals miss home.
Master! Master, you can't leave!
Master!
Master, you can't leave!
Master.
Master, you can't leave.
Master, please,
you cannot leave, sir.
Heaven wants me to.
But... the Great Khan ordered me
not to let you go.
Master, you are over 70
and you crossed
countless rivers and mountains
to see the Great Khan.
This is something
no one has ever done before.
The Great Khan knows it
and appreciates the kindness
you've shown.
And Master,
the Way you speak of--
it is really common sense,
like water drops on stone.
The Great Khan
is moved by your words.
I have followed him
for many years now,
and I understand his wisdom.
I understand his respect for heaven.
It's absolute.
I know, Master,
that with only a few more words,
we can change history.
The Great Khan decrees
cease all killing at once!
The Great Khan decrees
cease all killing at once!
The Great Khan decrees
cease all killing at once!
The Great Khan decrees
cease all killing at once!
The Great Khan decrees
cease all killing at once!
Wait for me.
Stop! Get him!
Stop.
That's enough for now.
The Great Khan will arrive soon.
Prepare wine.
Yes.
Stop right there.
Come back here! Stop!
- Come back here!
- Master!
I said stop!
Come back here!
If you can,
dissolve these in alcohol.
There is no taste or smell.
The drinker goes to sleep forever.
Great Khan,
there is poison in the wine.
Who is this woman?
These are the Great Khan's
immortality pills.
I followed Qiu Chuji here.
His disciple Zhao Dao'an
gave them to me.
They are poison.
These will kill you.
I hope that
when Genghis Khan is dead,
the killing--
the killing
will stop.
No, my child, don't!
Great Khan, it is poisoned.
- Why would she want to poison me?
- Great Khan!
Please have mercy and forgive my wife!
She doesn't know I'm still alive!
Great Khan, she did not hear
your order to stop the killing.
If this is an immortality pill,
how could it be poison?
Saint, if I drink this,
I will live forever, will I not?
Great Khan, if you don't believe me,
then allow me to drink it for you.
And after I am dead,
take pity...
on everyone in the world
who suffers, Great Khan.
I can go no further, Great Khan.
We've come too far?
In search of the city
where the sun sets.
You may return my body
to the plains of our home.
Saint, take the years
that I have sacrificed
and give them to the Great Khan.
Great Khan,
you obeyed the will of heaven
in ordering an end to killing,
and this man came to you
to express his gratitude.
You are not allowed to die!
I will not let you die.
Father!
Your wife is dead!
We must avenge her blood
with his blood!
This demon brings nothing
but ill fortune! Seize him!
Chagatai, what are you doing?
All of you, out of my way!
You dare disobey me?
The Great Khan
decreed an end to killing!
You would dare violate
the Great Khan's ordinance?
Great Khan, fear not.
I will do my best to cure them.
Heaven heard your command
to put an end to killing
and will take pity on you
and on your wife, Great Khan.
The dead don't come back to life.
Great Khan, if you believe,
anything at all is possible--
stones can grow flowers,
walking sticks can sprout leaves
and the dead can live again.
Father, rescind your order not to kill
and let us show everyone
how mighty the Great Khan is!
Great Khan,
if you give up killing,
you and your consort
will receive the blessing of heaven.
When this stick sprouts leaves,
your wife will awaken.
We Mongolians
have always hunted to feed ourselves.
How can we possibly not kill?
How can we not kill?
My heart,
it bleeds at these words.
Father, rescind you order.
Allow me to flatten their city
and avenge your grandson's death.
We must not allow the world
to make a fool out of you, father!
Great Khan.
Great Khan! Great Khan!
I heard the Creator's voice calling out.
He told me that I should
return to you.
Allow me to drink it for you,
and after I am dead, Great Khan,
take pity on everyone
in the world who suffers.
Great Khan!
Your Eternal Creator Tengri
and my Lord of Heaven
are one and the same!
Stop killing. Stop killing.
Stop killing.
Convey the Great Khan's order!
Stow your gear.
We are returning east!
Convey the Great Khan's order!
We are returning east!
Convey the Great Khan's order!
We are returning east!
Convey the Great Khan's order!
We are returning east!
By the mercy of Tengri,
Genghis Khan's son
survived his infection.
I brought him back
and I returned him to my queen.
The Great Khan invited the Saint
to go east with him,
back to the plains.
But...
Master!
Where are you?
Master!
Master!
Master, where are you?
In days past,
my tree flowered red.
No mortal is poor
in birth or in death.
The century
of my flourishing and decay
is now nothing more
than a passing dream.
His walking stick
remained where he placed it,
growing roots
and spreading leaves.
And it is said that,
after many years passed,
it grew into a towering tree.
Genghis Khan's transformation
into a pacifist did not last long.
Within a few years,
the war re-started and the killing resumed.
Genghis Khan remained a warrior
and an empire builder
until his death which occurred in 1227
during a western compaign
when he was 66 years old.
After the death of the Great Khan
his successors carried on
the battle in his name pushing the Mongol Empire
over further West into what is now modern day
Iran, Russia and Eastern Europe.
To the East they did battle
with China's Song Dynasty
where eventually Genghis Khan's grandson,
the Mongol Emperor Kublai Khan
became the supreme ruler of China,
founding the Yuan Dynasty in 1279.
--Born3o--
all others must fail"
--Genghis Khan--
In the 1200's arose a man
so feared for his ruthlessness
and cunning that he was able to emerge as
the greatest empire
builder ever known to mankind,
Genghis Khan - revered as the founder
of the Mongol Empire.
Making history from the saddle
of his unstoppable steed,
Genghis Khan and
his formidable horsemen became known
both for their unrelenting
strategic skills as well as
the wholesale massacres of any
civilian populations that stand in their way.
In his lifetime he set his people on a path that
eventually saw them controlling
large portions of present day China,
Russia, Central Asia,
the Middle East and Eastern Europa.
But by 1219 as he led
his Mongol forces the West once more
to do battle he faced
an enemy that he could not defeat;
a growing fear if his own mortality.
KINGDOM OF CONQUERORS
Grandpa, are we at the city where the sun sets?
No, it's still far.
When we get there, I'll be all grown up.
That's right.
Every Mongolian grows up on the road.
We keep moving as long as we're alive,
right up until we die.
What does "die" mean?
"Die" is when you stop moving.
Grandpa, why do we keep
going in this direction?
Because that's where our enemies are.
Don't stop!
They killed our trade envoys
and now the Creator
wants us to punish them
for their arrogance
and their foolishness.
When I grow up, I'm going to fight
your enemies, Grandpa.
You must chase down your enemies
and tear down their city walls
so that grass can grow in its place,
and so that your horses can run free.
Naya, open your eyes!
Look at me, Naya!
Great Khan,
you should stay back.
Beware of the plague.
Naya?
The Western Campaign army
was ravaged by plague.
When Kheshig Commander Naya
succumbed to the disease,
the Great Khan
began to fear his own death.
Great Khan,
here is your plague medicine.
So long as my enemies are alive,
I will not die.
Great Khan,
Yelv Chucai asked me to tell you
the baby may be infected
with the plague.
It must be kept away from your queen.
No!
This child arrived at the wrong time.
His cries weaken my heart.
Go find him a good family.
With the blessings of heaven,
he will survive
and will someday become a great man.
My queen.
Long Beard.
Do I...
look old to you?
I may be old,
but even so,
I still have a long way to go.
Nothing could stop
the Great Khan's advance to the west.
Should plague
and pestilence be an obstacle?
Great Khan's royal bodyguard Naya
died because of plague.
I was ordered to take up his saber?
And seek out the great Taoist monk,
the Sage of Eternal Spring, Qiu Chuji.
The Sage Qiu has a world reputation,
and everyone knows him
in the eastern plains.
I hope to persuade him to allay
the Great Khan's fear of death.
We traveled day and night
toward the rising sun.
13 horses died of fatigue under me.
And after three seasons passed,
I finally saw the legendary ocean.
Who comes?
Special envoy for Genghis Khan,
Liu Zhonglu.
I come to present an invitation
from the Great Khan to Master Qiu,
to instruct him in the Way.
Where is the Great Khan?
The Great Khan is traveling west
and is now campaigning
in Khwarezmia.
My master is advanced in age
and cannot travel.
We must decline.
Halt!
Give the plants very little.
Save the water
- for the people down the mountain.
- Move it!
- Move!
- Take me to Qiu Chuji.
Wait.
I am Qiu Chuji.
You can let him go.
Listen, old man,
I am looking for the Sage
of Eternal Spring, Qiu Chuji.
And I am
the Sage of Eternal Spring, Qiu Chuji.
I am sorry, Master.
My apologies.
"I inquire after Master Qiu,
you who are the embodiment of the Way,
and in harmony
with all in and under heaven,
whose wisdom exceeds the knowable,
whose conduct his name bears high,
who has meditated long
in the valleys hidden in the shadows.
I have therefore dispatched General Liu
with an escort and chariots to request
that you delay your quest
for immortality?
And make the instruction of myself?
In the Way your foremost task,
as this offends neither righteousness,
your station, or proper governance.
By order of Genghis Khan."
The honor that has been
bestowed upon me
by the Great Khan
is far greater and nobler than
an old man like myself deserves.
Master, when will you
be ready to depart?
I will ready your escort.
Whether I go or not
depends upon heaven's will.
Master, fool that I am,
I request clarification.
Wendeng suffers from
the worst drought in a century.
I must pray for rain here.
When heaven takes pity
on the people of Wendeng
and grants them rain,
then I will follow you
and your men west,
without delay or protest.
Master, you know that
the Great Khan's edicts must be obeyed.
You've crossed mountains and rivers,
your journey was long.
You must get some rest.
Master? Master.
Master!
Master!
An emissary from the Jin Empire
requests your presence
at their capital.
And a Song ambassador
requests your guidance in Luoyang.
They come with full honors.
Tell them that right now
our crops are dying
at the hands of a severe drought,
and unless they can provide me
with a rushing river,
I will not see any one of them.
Great Khan,
your feet are cold today.
I am very old.
My blood does not flow well.
Hoelun, these last few days
I have been dreaming
about nothing but death.
I feel that I am really growing old.
Great Khan, you are not old.
You will never, ever get old.
You have been traveling for so long.
You are tired. That is all.
No matter how long
the road is, I cannot stop.
Hoelun...
with you by my side,
I will never be an old man.
The Great Khan's wife was the only one
who could understand him.
And she would be with him all the way
to the end of his endless journey.
The Great Khan said this was her fate.
Move! Move!
What are you doing?
Look up.
If heaven won't grant us rain,
don't blame my master for staying.
The only heaven or god I recognize
is Genghis Khan,
and his orders are law.
Take me west with you instead.
Anything the Great Khan wants to know
I too am able to provide.
The Khan wants one man,
and that's Master Qiu.
The drought will kill us
whether he goes with you or not,
mm save m; trouble
and massacre
He's right!
Kill every one of us!
Yes, kill us all!
If you dare anger the Great Khan,
that is exactly what will happen!
That's enough!
Great Khan, I come to you
with strange tidings.
In the dawn hours,
there appeared an unusual beast
and it offered some guidance.
It said we should turn back east.
Long Beard. did you see it?
I did not. Your groom Batu saw it
with his own eyes,
as well as your night guard Hadahei.
They did not dare tell you
of it directly, sir,
so they confided in me.
And do you believe it?
They claim to have seen it
with their own eyes
and I did not dare disbelieve them.
Very well,
have them tell me themselves.
Yes. You may enter.
Great Khan,
my hands have only ever
held the minister's pen.
I do not have the heart
to whip these men.
Have mercy, your majesty!
The Khan had them whisper
into his left and right ears,
describing what they saw.
What they described
of course was different.
Great Khan,
if anyone must be whipped,
then let that person be me.
I asked them to lie to you
because I felt I had no other choice.
The plague ravages us
and the soldiers miss home.
The Great Khan despises
nothing more than liars.
The Great Khan
despises nothing more than a liar.
On that day I recommended you
to the Great Khan
and he forgave both of them at once.
He ordered Yelv Chucai
to compose an edict?
And gave me his chariot
to bring you back.
You are asking for the last of my years.
Master, stay back!
I've heard the legends
of you being 300 years old.
You truly are a sage.
I have lived
on Mount Kunyu for so long?
With the wolves and the tigers
that we have reached an understanding,
and we leave each other alone now.
Nothing miraculous.
I must ask again,
when will you be ready to depart?
Let us finish drinking this first.
Master, if you don't go,
my life is over.
The Great Khan's will
is undeniable.
And the blood in my veins,
it flows only for him.
Respect for the Way is virtue.
The Way creates all things
and shapes all things with virtue.
The Way is separable and inseparable.
It has no beginning and no end,
Es and through ma,
Do not be sad.
You should be happy for me.
My trip to the west is for virtue
and to spread the Way.
Laozi went west at 70.
I follow his example.
Master, please take us with you!
I have a long journey ahead of me
and I might not make it to the end.
Even if I do,
I might not make it there alive.
I am old and you are all young.
Stay here and watch over Mount Kunyu.
You must find your path in the Way.
Please go back.
Take care.
Please go back.
Let's go.
Obstructing
the Great Khan's carriage is a crime.
Move aside now!
Move!
Master? Master!
Master.
And this coffin? Who is it for?
The journey ahead is a long one, Master.
If you don't complete
the journey within a year,
then the coffin is for you.
And it's for me
if you won't let
your disciple follow you.
It's a shame.
You two, knock it off.
Get some rest!
Your bidding is our duty, Master Qiu!
Welcome guests.
Please enter!
Your bidding is our duty, Master Qiu!
Greetings.
- Hey, You!
- Yes?
How did you know Qiu Chuji was with us?
- Well--
- Because I told him.
You, go and prepare
a footbath for our guest.
Yes, ma'am.
I hear about who's coming
for 100 Ii in every direction,
and a month ago
some travelers told me
that Genghis Khan wanted
to see Qiu Chuji.
And he has to pass through
Fox Canyon.
I will tie up the horses in the back.
I will bring food
and water out for them.
Master, you're here.
This way, please.
Hey.
Who are these people?
- How should I know?
- Bring those over here!
Huh?
Didn't you just stay--
Everyone who comes in is a guest,
no matter who they are.
We are almost finished here.
You can go inside now.
If I am not afraid
of a big man like you,
what're you afraid of?
What are you doing here?
Keeping you company.
Those of the Way
see beyond worldly desires.
The Master could tell that
you've been through hardships.
If you need something, just ask.
Bring me.
I want to go with you.
With heaven as my witness,
forgive me.
Where do you want to go?
Genghis Khan's camp...
to look for my husband.
I heard Qiu Chuji was invited
to visit Genghis Khan,
so I've been waiting for him.
The Master doesn't travel with women,
but I can deliver a message for you.
My husband sent me a letter last year...
saying he wants to see me.
Bandits!
Bandits!
You five, come over here!
We must kill them all!
Hurry!
Wait!
Old man,
was that the Flying Wind Fist
that I just witnessed?
I was afraid you'd hurt her,
so I prevented you,
nothing more.
Hardly worth mentioning.
Have you ever visited Mount Kunyu
by the eastern ocean?
I have lived there for 46 years.
And you know Sage Danyang?
Do you mean
Ma Danyang the Jade Sage?
- Huh.
- We shared the same master.
Master Ma comes
from the same village as me.
Circumstances forced me
into this work.
This woman's grace
and her noble beauty
made me want to marry her.
I had no intention
of harming her, I swear!
I have long heard
of the legendary abilities
of the Sage of Eternal Spring,
and I have no greater honor
than witnessing them today.
You are not mistaken.
I am the Sage of Eternal Spring.
I am Qiu Chuji.
All who pass here know of your virtue
and your skill in the Way.
- Master, accept my bow.
- No need for that.
Letting them go is enough for me.
Release them at once!
Master, I need your help.
Take pity on me and take me
with you on your journey west.
I will serve you along the way.
I will do anything.
I will do whatever I can.
Imitating a craftsman
will get you killed.
I haven't done this for a long time.
My hand hasn't healed yet.
You may have him make it again.
You don't like it?
Great Khan,
I like whatever you like,
but it's a little loose.
My Hoelun, you are thinner.
I like seeing your face
round and full of life.
I like seeing you
in the world's finest clothes,
riding in the world's
most beautiful carriage.
So tell me,
what do you want?
If I can follow you, Great Khan,
then I have no other desires.
But I miss the scent of the flowers
of our homeland...
our prairie flowers.
Step by dragging step,
through snow,
sleet, rain, and sun,
Chuji Qiu asked me to tell him
about the Great Khan along the way.
He wanted to know anything that
I would tell him about Genghis Khan,
except for stories of war
and stories of death.
Who do I hear crying?
Master, I'm afraid the weather
is making you imagine things.
I heard sobbing
coming from that direction.
Your armies slaughtered them.
It was heaven weeping.
Go and tell your men
to bury all these bodies.
I want to see them put to rest
with my own two eyes.
Impossible.
'momma mix-awn
It is easier to bury a man
than to kill him.
Master.
Those of the Way
may leave no body unburied.
I will sit here with you...
and watch every corpse
be placed underground.
Or else...
I refuse to go any further.
Where is the Sage of Eternal Spring?
Well, Great Khan,
Qiu Chuji has reached
the Mongolian plains.
If we continue heading west,
then I am afraid six months from now,
he will be unable to catch up with us.
Send an escort to meet him.
Just now my body felt
as light as a feather.
It was like I was floating
in absolute stillness.
I didn't think I would still be here
when I opened my eyes.
Heaven can't bear to lose you, Master.
If heaven is keeping me here,
it has something for me to do.
And what frightens me
is that I might not have the strength
or the will left for it,
that I will disappoint heaven.
Master, I'll value your guidance
as long as you can give it.
How long have we been traveling?
Over a year, I believe.
Mmm.
Tell me.
If I were to die along the way,
would you continue west without me?
Yes.
I knew you would.
Next board.
This one is very good.
On the count of three!
Next board!
The Great Khan had
this silversmith make a belt
with the world's finest jewels.
Please try it on.
You said you were a silversmith?
I am a silversmith,
but my hand was wounded and I--
You are the one
who cut your own finger off.
- You possess no skills at all!
- imposter.
You're a prisoner now. Move!
Go!
Keep going.
We have to seek cover!
Come on!
Don't stop moving, seek cover!
Someone protect the Master.
Keep moving, follow me.
Stop here!
Attack! Go!
Kill them!
Wait.
I only brought one coffin with me.
It can't hold this many bodies.
Master, you saw it.
They wanted to kill us.
I did not want them dead.
If we release them,
they'll follow us to get revenge.
If we take this many prisoners with us,
we'll run out of food
before we even get there.
If you kill them,
you create more thirst for revenge.
We mortals die.
Our grudges do not.
They stay in the blood,
passed down through generations.
To carry out the Great Khan's orders,
it must be done.
Kill them!
You kill...
because you are afraid.
I fear nothing.
Fear is fear, you see.
And there's no disguising it.
Behind the mask of vengeance,
there is nothing but fear.
And nothing offends heaven more...
than baseless fear.
Your mission from the Great Khan
was not murder.
If you let them go,
your mission
will have heaven's blessing.
Otherwise...
I will not let you finish your mission.
Look.
No, wait.
I am a man now.
If you spare my life, take me with you.
If not, then kill me.
Silk, beautiful silk!
When Genghis Khan was trapped
at Banzhu River,
he asked me for help.
I gave him every beast in my possession
to feed him and his men.
On that day,
Genghis Khan promised me
that I would have
my own city one day, eh?
The Great Khan keeps his word.
Huh? Look around you!
May I ask, do you know
where Genghis Khan
is currently?
The invincible Great Khan
has conquered Samarkand
and is proceeding west.
My, you've quite a stomach for alcohol.
Why is it that I feel alone
even when I am with you?
You despise me.
I do not want you to catch
the plague and leave me.
I want you with me until
we reach the cities where the sun sets.
Great Khan, there is
an urgent letter from Qiu Chuji.
Otrar trembles
at the Great Khan's might.
They have agreed to surrender.
The plague continues to ravage us.
Our casualties have been heavy.
I think we should stay here to rest?
And gather our strength.
And where is
Master Qiu Chuji now?
He has arrived at Cinghai's city
with the escort,
and says he wishes to go no further.
He requests that you travel there
to meet him instead.
Long Beard...
write that I won't meet him there
but will wait here for him.
After receiving the second edict
from the Great Khan,
it took much persuasion
to convince the Master to leave.
Starving refugees lined the road
across the snowy mountains ahead of us.
The master bore his own hunger,
but he fed them with our supplies,
and soon it seemed that
our grain supply would be gone.
Don't give them any more!
How will we make it without food?
We're going over the mountain!
I won't watch them die
and do nothing.
Master!
Master! Master.
Please eat this.
He refused to eat anything
and he wouldn't even look at our jerky.
He said he could smell
the blood on the grain
our soldiers brought him.
He said he would sooner die than eat it.
When I saw him collapse
on the road, my hope gave out.
- Master! Master!
- Master!
Master, wake up!
Make him eat.
I want him to live!
You're the reason he's dying.
You and your Great Khan can go to hell!
- How dare you?
- No, stop it!
If you want your master to live,
then follow me.
Here it is.
A snow lotus.
A snow lotus!
I know these!
This is a mountain snow lotus.
It's edible and you can use it
to make a decongestant.
I have lost too much blood.
I am beyond help now.
Do not waste your strength.
Please do something for me.
Genghis Khan wants
to see my master for
these legendary pills
that grant immortality.
The pills are--
they are in...
the pills are in...
Master, try not to be sad.
I'll have my men take his coffin home...
back to Mount Kunyu for burial.
He has already attained immortality.
We can bury his body right here.
Your reputation precedes you.
Today we finally meet.
Master, at your advanced age,
the journey must have been
extremely long and arduous.
I admire your courage
in traveling to our camp.
I've heard much about you, Lord Yelv.
A journey that is pleasant and speedy
is a rare thing.
The Great Khan is anxious
to finally meet you.
He's been waiting
in his tent for some time.
Master, this way, please.
The master of the Way arrives!
The master of the Way arrives!
The master of the Way arrives!
The master of the Way arrives!
Master Qiu now attends the Great Khan!
He will receive no other visitors!
No visitors, please.
Master.
Please kneel.
Great Khan, please forgive
any breach of protocol.
I have long admired you,
but my principles guide me.
Those of the Way
kneel only before heaven.
All right,
bring out the meat and wine
for the sage.
With wishes of fortune
and health for all,
the Creator of the Blue Sky's
bounty is presented!
Partake and enjoy
all that you wish.
Enjoy this fresh grilled goat,
partake and enjoy.
Partake and enjoy all that you wish.
For the Great Khan blesses you
with the bounty of his empire!
Hurray!
Hurray! Hurray!
I thank the Great Khan...
for his--
for his great generosity.
But those of the Way
consume no flesh.
I have heard that
you are 300 years old
and know all under heaven
that is knowable.
Therefore I will call you "Saint."
No, please.
That's too grand a title.
When I left Wendeng, I was 72.
Now I am 74.
I'd-- I'd like to ask the Saint
if he brought the immortality pills?
I have only the Way to extend life.
There are no immortality pills.
I-- I must have heard him wrong.
I dare not interpret!
You heard right.
The Saint's eyes tell me
everything I need to know.
He said that there never
was any immortality medicine.
The Master said that--
that he only has the Way
to preserve life
- and that he has no--
- Hmm.
No one expected to hear
such an answer from Qiu Chuji.
There is nothing in this world
more terrifying
than the Great Khan's silence.
I followed close at his heels,
the wind blowing the leaves
like razors across my face.
Why didn't you give him
the immortality pills?
He'll have your head for this!
Th row them away.
Untie them! Untie them!
Release them!
Master!
The Great Khan says
you are an honest man,
a living saint!
The Great Khan orders...
that a tent be set up
for the saint next to his own!
He declares he will receive
the saint's instruction in the Way!
Great Khan, you come from...
a land of plentiful sunlight
and little water.
You are not in the habit of bathing.
You killed and conquered...
without even the time
to clean yourselves.
This is unhealthy.
On the way here,
I saw many bodies unburied and rotting.
As such,
plague is bound to develop.
How do you recommend we stop it?
Have your soldiers bathe
and wash their clothes.
Water purifies all things.
I suggest this.
Distribute these herbs to you men.
In five days,
the plague will begin to recede.
Water is a divine gift
from the Creator...
to the Mongolian people...
that sustains and nourishes all life.
It must be treated with respect.
Yes, you speak the truth.
Great Khan,
water is a gift from heaven.
It is a gift that sustains
and nourishes us.
It is the softest
and gentlest substance that exists.
Water washes away stains.
It washes away illness and pestilence.
The highest virtue imitates water.
All know...
how you treasure
the lives of your soldiers,
so your virtue certainly
must afford water its own.
Tell me, Saint,
is this how your Way preserves life?
And sanitation, Great Khan.
We lose nothing by trying.
I suspected that you would not have
any immortality potions.
If immortality medicine did exist,
I would've already sipped tea
made from it
with Qun Shi Huang
and Emperor Han Wu.
But if you know it is not real,
then why did you travel
so far to see me?
I could not turn down
your invitation.
And if I remember correctly,
nothing in your invitation,
Great Khan,
mentioned immortality potion.
Long Beard, is that true?
I wrote it as instructed,
so yes, it's true.
I have also heard
that you were invited
to pay a visit to the Jin
and Song courts by their kings.
They cared only whether
they lived or died.
They showed no concern
for their people.
This violates the Way,
so heaven forbade me.
How do you know the will of heaven?
If one respects heaven, one never,
not even for a moment,
forgets one's awe of it.
The King of Heaven holds me up
and sends me signs to tell me
what should and should not be done.
I was invited here by you
because heaven has a task for me,
no matter how far I would come.
Prepare the needle.
Even if you treat me, they will kill me.
Why do you waste your time?
Because life...
is like the blooming
and the withering of a flower.
It can disappear at any moment.
Even if you die tomorrow,
I can lessen your pain today.
That much I can do.
Why did you save me?!
Would you rather see me die
in their suicide squads?
I don't want to live!
Let me die!
Reclaim your heart from the child.
Tomorrow I will take you hunting.
I know how much you enjoy that.
After half a year,
Qiu Chuji had established himself
and was entirely at home in the camp.
He often spoke of everything
in the world having life and a soul.
He even spoke
of his walking stick this way.
And one day,
I went hunting with the Great Khan
and told him the Master's words.
I was told that you
predicted today's eclipse.
Ah, and yet my knowledge
of astronomy is humbled
by that of Yelv Chucai.
You truly are a saint.
I meant no jest, Great Khan.
We Mongolians grow up
on the backs of horses.
We couldn't be thrown in our sleep.
What happened today
was very unusual.
But what's even more strange
is that a scared animal
normally takes a man's life.
That boar came right up to me,
but it didn't even touch me.
The King of Heaven
protected you in that forest.
He did not allow the boar
to harm you.
- Why would he do that for me?
- Not hurting or killing...
is the nature of all things.
And heaven wanted
to tell you, Great Khan...
that by taking fewer lives,
you can extend your own life.
And you've come all this way
just to tell me that?
Heaven rejoices...
In mercy.
But heaven?
Heaven despises death.
Great Khan,
if you obey the will of heaven,
heaven will certainly reward you.
And you're speaking
of Tengri the Blue Sky?
Exactly.
I'm speaking of the same heaven
that Tengri inhabits.
I believe what you are saying.
And yet I have my share of enemies
and they must be punished.
There.
No bones were broken.
You should be back to walking normally
within three days.
I named you Saint
because you are indeed a saint.
You extend heaven's gift of life,
and you cure me of all my injuries.
How should I thank you?
Stop killing.
I'm going to get you out.
They put me in their shaer army.
They make them charge
headlong into city walls.
They get to live if-- if we survive.
They're beheaded if they retreat.
I'm a prisoner and I'm going to die.
But it's enough
that I see you one last time.
I'm going to avenge your death.
I will die with you.
Otrar agrees to surrender,
but the treasure and livestock
that they promised to send
has not arrived.
Some think they agreed
to surrender to buy time
to recruit more men
to fight you, Father.
Stop delaying.
Allow us to attack the city.
We've only just seen
an improvement in the plague
and the soldiers are very homesick.
Attacking Otrar now may be...
It may be overly hasty.
Wipe Otrar off the face of the earth.
Prepare for battle!
Prepare for battle!
Son! Son! Answer me!
Son!
Oh, son.
Doctor! Get the doctor over here!
Doctor!
- Son.
- Doctor, get the doctor!
The Great Khan won't eat or drink
and hasn't emerged
for one day and night.
No one may disturb him.
Do not worry.
I won't go in.
I'm here to say goodbye.
I didn't bring any immortality pills.
I traveled 39,000 Ii
to see the Great Khan.
All for nothing.
So I should go.
I am such a fool.
At 19, I began learning
from Wang Chongyang
and spent 19 bitter years
attaining enlightenment.
And now... I'm 74,
an old useless man.
I'm a disappointment
to the Great Khan.
We mortals have short lives...
to walk long paths.
And we can demand nothing at all.
Before I left,
I cast my fortunes and...
I saw I had less
than 300 days to live.
The truth, Great Khan,
is that I did not know
if I would finish the journey alive.
I did not know
if I would get to meet you.
My apprentice,
he made a coffin
that was meant for me.
And he died on the way...
saving my life.
He was my best student.
And he did not want me to come...
but he couldn't stop me
and I couldn't stop myself.
Because day after day,
day after day,
I felt like there was...
a force pushing me to come here.
I believed that force was...
heaven keeping me alive...
and bringing me to meet you.
But the mercy of heaven
was wasted on me.
And if I cannot convince
the Great Khan
to stop killing,
what is one more life saved
but good fortune?
And things under heaven
live and die.
And the Way, it is everlasting.
It carries men's hearts.
Great Khan!
Your Eternal creator Tengri
and my Lord of Heaven
are one and the same!
Both of them treasure life
and they abhor death!
General Liu,
we've traveled a long way together.
You-- you understand my words.
Give the Great Khan
a message for me.
Tell your Great Khan
that I understand
the pain and rage that dwell
inside his heart.
It is a shame
I am too old and useless
to help him.
I was not able to live up
to heaven's mercy.
Great Khan,
you are also unable to fall sleep?
Do you miss your horse?
Do you remember
when the black horse you loved
ran away and never came back?
I thought you would blame me
for not tying it properly.
But it actually
chewed through its reins.
It was heading east and I did not want
to go back to look for it.
I imagine it's already back
on the plains by now.
When I left with you,
many of us hadn't grown up yet.
We were still basically children.
Now I have a beard.
It's time for me to marry
and have a son.
Tonight with the wind
blowing to the east,
the horses should be sleeping
with their heads facing west.
But today they're all sleeping...
with their heads...
facing the east horizon.
Even our animals miss home.
Master! Master, you can't leave!
Master!
Master, you can't leave!
Master.
Master, you can't leave.
Master, please,
you cannot leave, sir.
Heaven wants me to.
But... the Great Khan ordered me
not to let you go.
Master, you are over 70
and you crossed
countless rivers and mountains
to see the Great Khan.
This is something
no one has ever done before.
The Great Khan knows it
and appreciates the kindness
you've shown.
And Master,
the Way you speak of--
it is really common sense,
like water drops on stone.
The Great Khan
is moved by your words.
I have followed him
for many years now,
and I understand his wisdom.
I understand his respect for heaven.
It's absolute.
I know, Master,
that with only a few more words,
we can change history.
The Great Khan decrees
cease all killing at once!
The Great Khan decrees
cease all killing at once!
The Great Khan decrees
cease all killing at once!
The Great Khan decrees
cease all killing at once!
The Great Khan decrees
cease all killing at once!
Wait for me.
Stop! Get him!
Stop.
That's enough for now.
The Great Khan will arrive soon.
Prepare wine.
Yes.
Stop right there.
Come back here! Stop!
- Come back here!
- Master!
I said stop!
Come back here!
If you can,
dissolve these in alcohol.
There is no taste or smell.
The drinker goes to sleep forever.
Great Khan,
there is poison in the wine.
Who is this woman?
These are the Great Khan's
immortality pills.
I followed Qiu Chuji here.
His disciple Zhao Dao'an
gave them to me.
They are poison.
These will kill you.
I hope that
when Genghis Khan is dead,
the killing--
the killing
will stop.
No, my child, don't!
Great Khan, it is poisoned.
- Why would she want to poison me?
- Great Khan!
Please have mercy and forgive my wife!
She doesn't know I'm still alive!
Great Khan, she did not hear
your order to stop the killing.
If this is an immortality pill,
how could it be poison?
Saint, if I drink this,
I will live forever, will I not?
Great Khan, if you don't believe me,
then allow me to drink it for you.
And after I am dead,
take pity...
on everyone in the world
who suffers, Great Khan.
I can go no further, Great Khan.
We've come too far?
In search of the city
where the sun sets.
You may return my body
to the plains of our home.
Saint, take the years
that I have sacrificed
and give them to the Great Khan.
Great Khan,
you obeyed the will of heaven
in ordering an end to killing,
and this man came to you
to express his gratitude.
You are not allowed to die!
I will not let you die.
Father!
Your wife is dead!
We must avenge her blood
with his blood!
This demon brings nothing
but ill fortune! Seize him!
Chagatai, what are you doing?
All of you, out of my way!
You dare disobey me?
The Great Khan
decreed an end to killing!
You would dare violate
the Great Khan's ordinance?
Great Khan, fear not.
I will do my best to cure them.
Heaven heard your command
to put an end to killing
and will take pity on you
and on your wife, Great Khan.
The dead don't come back to life.
Great Khan, if you believe,
anything at all is possible--
stones can grow flowers,
walking sticks can sprout leaves
and the dead can live again.
Father, rescind your order not to kill
and let us show everyone
how mighty the Great Khan is!
Great Khan,
if you give up killing,
you and your consort
will receive the blessing of heaven.
When this stick sprouts leaves,
your wife will awaken.
We Mongolians
have always hunted to feed ourselves.
How can we possibly not kill?
How can we not kill?
My heart,
it bleeds at these words.
Father, rescind you order.
Allow me to flatten their city
and avenge your grandson's death.
We must not allow the world
to make a fool out of you, father!
Great Khan.
Great Khan! Great Khan!
I heard the Creator's voice calling out.
He told me that I should
return to you.
Allow me to drink it for you,
and after I am dead, Great Khan,
take pity on everyone
in the world who suffers.
Great Khan!
Your Eternal Creator Tengri
and my Lord of Heaven
are one and the same!
Stop killing. Stop killing.
Stop killing.
Convey the Great Khan's order!
Stow your gear.
We are returning east!
Convey the Great Khan's order!
We are returning east!
Convey the Great Khan's order!
We are returning east!
Convey the Great Khan's order!
We are returning east!
By the mercy of Tengri,
Genghis Khan's son
survived his infection.
I brought him back
and I returned him to my queen.
The Great Khan invited the Saint
to go east with him,
back to the plains.
But...
Master!
Where are you?
Master!
Master!
Master, where are you?
In days past,
my tree flowered red.
No mortal is poor
in birth or in death.
The century
of my flourishing and decay
is now nothing more
than a passing dream.
His walking stick
remained where he placed it,
growing roots
and spreading leaves.
And it is said that,
after many years passed,
it grew into a towering tree.
Genghis Khan's transformation
into a pacifist did not last long.
Within a few years,
the war re-started and the killing resumed.
Genghis Khan remained a warrior
and an empire builder
until his death which occurred in 1227
during a western compaign
when he was 66 years old.
After the death of the Great Khan
his successors carried on
the battle in his name pushing the Mongol Empire
over further West into what is now modern day
Iran, Russia and Eastern Europe.
To the East they did battle
with China's Song Dynasty
where eventually Genghis Khan's grandson,
the Mongol Emperor Kublai Khan
became the supreme ruler of China,
founding the Yuan Dynasty in 1279.
--Born3o--