This film is the first feature film to be shot in the Forbidden City with the permission of the Chinese government, and it is also the first Western film about China that has received the full cooperation of the Chinese government since 1949.
The Forbidden City, built in the 15th century, has high and thick walls, which provided excellent sound insulation for the filming of the film. However, at that time, the Chinese film crew were not accustomed to recording at the same time.
The film called a total of 19,000 extras.
The lamas appearing in the film are not allowed to be touched by women, so the crew specially hired a male costume assistant for them to help them dress.
In order to make the wigs of the people of the imperial court, the hair stylist Giancarlo di Leonardis used 2,200 pounds of hair.
In order for the scene to be enthroned smoothly, Giancarlo di Leonardis spent 10 days training 50 Chinese employees so that they could fix the wigs and braids of 2000 extras within two hours.
The film is the first Oscar best film rated PG-13 by The Motion Picture Association of America .
Since motor vehicles are not allowed in the Forbidden City, even the actor Peter Otto can only use a bicycle as a tool to enter and exit the studio.
Producer Jeremy Thomas single-handedly raised $25 million in funding for the film.
The filming period coincided with the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor's visit to China, but the film crew got the government's priority and prevented the Queen from visiting the Forbidden City.
