 This big budget production directed by Tsui Hark went well over  budget and took an extra three months to complete (six months was  the original scheduled time).Despite this it went on to become one  of the most successful and popular TV series of the time, gaining  top ratings in Taiwan and Hong Kong. Eventually it was screened all  over Asia before being picked up by Tai Seng and released in the US.  The series was divided into five parts with five separate stories  with a total of 27 episodes.