Original subtitles

Shaw brothers Ltd. A Shaw studios production

Under the heel of the manchus' qing dynasty,

the Shaolin temple has become a center for resistance.

The manchurian court ordered priest bai Mei and his top disciple gao jinzhong,

governor of guangdong and guangxi, to raid the temple.

As they surrounded and burned the temple down,

priest zhishan dueled with bai Mei in an attempt to rescue his disciples.

Lo lieh as priest bai Mei lai hai-shen as chan master zhishan

Cinematography: Lo yun-Cheng

set decor: Johnson tsao

editor: Chiang hsing-lung

Costume: Liu chi-yu props: Lai yu

make-up: Wue hsu-ching hair: Peng yen-lien

script supervisor: Shao hao

Chen kuan-tai as Hong xiguan

let's go! Hurry!

Hurry!

Cheng kang-ye as xiaohu

xiaohu, come on!

Gordon liu as tong qianjin

- brother Hong! - That's brother tong.

How come he's the only one who got out?

- Brother... - Brother Hong, our master...

Our master will be fine. Let's go.

Brother Hong, our master was killed by master bai Mei.

- Master! - Brother Hong!

Brother Hong!

Don't go, you'll get yourself killed.

Qing soldiers burnt down the Shaolin temple, but a number of us fled.

We can think of a revenge plan later.

Brother Hong, when there's a life, there's hope.

Brother Hong...

Let's go, brother Hong.

Let's go!

It's an ambush.

Brother!

- Hurry... run! - Brother, where's fang shiyu?

Brother!

Careful, everyone.

Brother Hong, we're surrounded.

You're our best fighter, get them out of here.

- Brother tong, you... - I...

Brother Hong, I'm counting on you to avenge our master.

Hurry, leave!

- Come on! - Let's go!

Run!

Don't let them get away!

Leave!

Xiaohu, let's split up and head south.

You still won't surrender? Move over!

Governor's orders: Capture them alive!

Chiang tao as gao jinzhong

are you Hong xiguan?

Take a closer look, I'm tong qianjin.

Tong qianjin...

- He may be useful, too. Capture him! - Yes, sir!

Cheung ng-long as gao feng

There's no resisting, my Shaolin hero.

You're a traitor!

Your excellency...

Ignore the governor's order. Kill him! Archers!

Your excellency, help!

Shoofl

Your excellency, he...

He's a true hero. A true hero, indeed.

Tien ching as the royal chieftain

good day, your highness.

Master, the court is very pleased with us for burning down the Shaolin temple.

But tong qianjin alone was very hard to beat.

Quite a lot of them have fled, including Hong xiguan.

As governor of guangdong and guangxi, this is your responsibility.

Yes, sir. I'm just saying, if I really am unable to do it...

I have already killed zhishan.

There's nothing to be afraid of anymore.

The Shaolin supporters should know about the strength of my kung fu skills.

As long as you maintain the search,

I'm sure you'll be favored by the court and rise in your political career.

Thank you for your teachings, master.

Border of Guangzhou

showcasing: The story of yue fei

qin hui, you traitor!

As a han, you collaborated with the tartars.

You worked as the enemy's servant, killing your own people.

You're inhuman, worse than a dog!

Capture him!

You can kill me, but you can't kill all our warriors.

Behead him!

- They are all traitors. Arrest them! - Yes!

Let's split up!

Are you all right?

"Qin hui", where's our brother Hong?

Which brother Hong? He's on the red boat.

Why are you still in speaking like you're in an opera?

What are you laughing at? Is it that funny?

All right, all right. Take us to him.

Very well. Let's go!

During this Shaolin temple disaster,

master zhishan sacrificed himself to protect the temple.

So did many of our brothers.

And brother tong died so tragically. We must have our revenge!

Brother Hong, watch where your fist goes. You'll sink the boat.

- Stop joking around. - All right.

Quite a number of us fled.

Some headed north to the central plains.

We came here to guangdong province. This red boat will be our meeting point.

You'll all travel on different red boats.

Remember, qing agents are conducting an intensive undercover search.

But no matter how hard it is,

we must try our best to overthrow this tyrannical rule.

Yes! Yes!

Don't gather together unless it's for urgent matters.

Try your best to scatter all over the country.

The qing court might be able to eliminate some of us,

but certainly not all of us.

Even though we're now stuck on a boat,

we must keep training as if we were still in the Shaolin temple.

- Don't let your martial arts go rusty. - Yes, sir!

- You can all go now. - Let's move out.

- Remember to train! - We shall.

- I'll be waiting for you. - Good.

- Farewell. - Wait...

- Xiaohu, you... - Brother Hong, don't try to kick us out.

We've decide to stick with you.

The red boats were a strong military unit

created by the Shaolin temple to overthrow the qing tyranny.

They played pivotal roles in the history of Chinese uprisings.

Shaolin temple students who were forced to flee to guangdong

were usually active around the waten/vays,

and mainly stayed on the red boats

scattered around in various places disguised as theatrical troupes.

Lily li as fang yongchun

Shen Lao as uncle fang

the red boat's here! There'll be shows to watch!

Uncle fang, the red boat keeps following us.

We have a great show for you all today!

Let's show them what we've got!

- Let's go, yongchun. - No, I'll wait for him.

We have some great shows for you tonight!

"General yue kills the Jin soldiers" and "the killing of tartars".

Don't miss these great shows.

They're all real kung fu experts both on and off stage!

That's the kung fu of the red boat? I'm not impressed.

Stop!

Excuse me, madam. What did you say?

I said that your red boat kung fu wasn't that impressive!

- Don't perform here! Leave! - Remove her from here. Quickly!

Yes, sir!

Uncle fang, catch!

That's an impressive two-adduction stance.

- I have more moves to show you. - I'd like to see you try.

Tiger style!

Crane style!

That's enough.

My niece is rude, please forgive her.

- Apologies. - Not at all.

- You two are... - We are street performers.

Yongchun!

So are we. I apologize if my brothers offended you.

I'd like to invite you onto the boat for tea.

Hey, hey! This girl's feisty, brother Hong.

I don't think it's a good idea.

Uncle fang, Hong...

Hong...? Hong xiguan!

- Work faster. - Yes.

What is it, xiaohu?

Uncle fang, look.

Uncle fang, I think we should start planning a wedding for those two.

In the past few months, brother Hong has never left miss fang's side.

If they carry on like this, brother Hong's kung fu style will be like this...

He won't even be able to practice his kung fu skills...

And miss fang will forget her crane style boxing too.

- Don't you agree? - You are right.

- Uncle fang, so you... - Xiaohu, what did you say?

I... I was just saying that...

We should all start referring to you as Mrs. Hong.

Stop it!

You've always impressed me, Mrs. Hong.

Mrs. Hong! Mrs. Hong! Mrs. Hong!

You're blushing like a bride!

So many firecrackers!

Stop looking, madam. Close the door, ah Mei!

Hurry, close the door!

Quiet, everyone!

Where's the bride, Mr. Groom-to-be?

- Yeah, where is she? - All right, calm down.

- Xiguan, you should bring her out now. - Very well.

No need for that, brother Hong. I'll bring her out for you.

Bride-to-be, we're lighting the firecrackers now!

He deserved it!

Calm down. This is your big day. You can't be violent towards me.

- Bride-to-be... - Ignore him, yongchun.

Get out! Get out now!

It's not the time to raid the bridal chamber.

- What are you trying to do? - Quite aggressive, aren't you?

Raid the bridal chamber? I wouldn't dare to do that.

Although I'm not scared of Mrs. Hong, I wouldn't dare anger brother Hong.

Absolutely!

As the groom, brother Hong won't embarrass himself beating us today, brother hu.

True. I'm sure he won't mind.

Xiaohu, I won't feel embarrassed doing anything today.

If you act out of line again...

Brother Hong, don't you remember

that Mrs. Hong once said our red boat's kung fu skills

weren't very impressive?

No matter.

After you enter the bridal chamber tonight,

you should be a submissive wife to brother Hong.

- Nonsense! - No, I'm serious.

If you grip your knees tighter with your two-adduction stance,

then he will...

Yongchun!

- Xiaohu, you're being disrespectful! - Brother Hong, I'm only kidding.

Don't take it seriously. I didn't say anything wrong.

On this special night, you shouldn't...

Yongchun, be serious now.

All out now. It's time for the rites. All out. All out.

Thank you.

- Bye. - Bye.

Brothers! Shall we go and raid the bridal chamber?

Good idea!

Time to raid the bridal chamber!

Hey, that's enough. You should go to bed.

- Raiding the bridal chamber... - Seriously, that's enough.

We haven't even started...

Now he's shut the door, we all know what's going on in there.

Stop laughing!

Let's ask Mrs. Hong tomorrow morning

what she thinks of the red boat skills then!

We'll stop now, brother Hong! Let's stop teasing them.

Let's go and have some drinks.

Let's go drink together!

They were a little disrespectful.

They're your brothers, of course they'd want to see you in charge.

Don't listen to them, we're married now.

Yongchun, don't be mad. Let's go to bed.

Let me help you.

It's fine. I've got it.

Are you saying I must spread your knees apart?

Yes, show me how great the red boat kung fu really is.

Yongchun, please don't be mad.

Say no more, otherwise you won't touch me tonight.

Yongchun, you shouldn't listen to their nonsense.

Fine, but if! Use real strength, I'm afraid I might injure you.

It's late, you should get some sleep.

Yongchun...

Not happy? You can have another go then.

I'm going to sleep now.

Brother Hong... brother Hong... Shouldn't you be with your bride?

Why did you sleep here? You...

- Brother Hong, you... - Shut up!

Xiguan, what are you doing here all by yourself?

- Where's yongchun? - Uncle fang, I have to say that she...

Yongchun can be quite stubborn.

But xiaohu and those boys also went a bit too far.

Speaking of this poor little bastard, I haven't seen him all day.

I don't know where he's hiding.

Xiaohu has told me all about it.

Surely you can help me with this, uncle fang?

Come closer.

Yongchun...

Begging won't work.

Fine, I'll try again.

You...

That didn't count.

What are you talking about? They're open.

Yongchun...

No... stop... stop it.

Xiaohu!

Stop there!

- Come here! - Yes.

The remaining Shaolin disciples are hiding on red boats.

We must eliminate them all.

Set fire to all the red boats!

- The roof is on fire! - Let's move out!

Go! Go!

Brother Hong... brother Hong...

Everyone's here, brother Hong.

- Everyone? - Yes.

In the past couple of months,

the manchurians have been burning red boats everywhere.

The red boats have become obvious targets. We must now go ashore.

Remember to scatter as far as you can from each other across the land.

But we must keep in contact.

We must avenge our country and our lost brothers.

- Yes. - Go ashore as quickly as you can.

- Go now. - Let's go.

You should go as well, xiaohu.

- Brother Hong, I'll follow you. - There's no need.

Xiguan, we're ready to go.

Hey, brother Hong, your wife is already...

And uncle fang has gone north. You will need someone to help.

Brother Hong... brother Hong...

- Your wife... - What about her?

She's in labor!

Ling, hurry. Hurry up!

Brother Hong, come and sit here for the moment.

Don't worry. Just stay calm.

Come on, you're almost there.

Sit down.

Come on, you're nearly there.

Congratulations, master!

It's a healthy boy!

Xiaohu!

Xiaohu, it's a boy!

Shh! Wending's almost asleep.

He must be almost six months now.

Five months and twenty days, to be exact.

All this time, we've just been running around, contacting people.

I haven't had time to do any kung fu training.

I'll get back into practicing tiger style boxing from tomorrow.

The pain of losing my master runs as deep as the ocean.

Brother tong sacrificed himself, hoping I'd take revenge for our master.

I don't mean to criticize, but you're no match for priest bai Mei.

You're underestimating tiger style boxing.

I know tiger style is incredibly powerful.

But the body-protection skills of priest bai Mei

can turn his body hard as a rock and your fists will do him no harm.

I think you should practice my crane style too.

Come on, you know I won't learn your crane style.

You can teach our son in the future.

With only tiger style, you'll need to train for another ten years to beat him.

If that's what it takes.

David wang as Hong wending

The key to learning martial arts is to have absolute concentration.

Your horse stance won't be stable unless you concentrate.

Hands besides your waist and hold your posture stable.

Close your legs!

Mother, can I do this for a shorter time today?

Every day is the same. It will take as long as it takes.

Look! Hong wending's standing still over there like an idiot!

- You're the idiot! - You're learning from your mother?

That's the kung fu only girls learn!

You might turn into a girl if you keep practicing!

- Shut up! - What if I don't?

You have no idea whether you're a boy or a girl!

- Let's find out. - All right!

- Don't come near me! - What if we do?

- You're like a girl! - Exactly!

- Let's pull his legs apart, shall we? - Good idea!

Use your strength!

- Why are they so tight? - What's happening?

That really hurt.

- Get lost! - We won't. What if we don't?

- Then I'll beat you up! - Wending...

Stop it, wending!

His father's here, let's go.

- Why are you fighting with them? - They started it.

Enough! You mustn't hit other people.

Wending, from now on, you can't go picking fights with others.

Let's go home.

- Wending... - Father, I want a piggyback ride home.

Stop being so cheeky, come down now.

I'll ride you home unless you can pull me down.

Wending, if you hurt your backside then it'll be your own fault.

All right!

Lower, please.

Look, mother, I got a piggyback ride home!

Wending, you're ten, don't be so naughty.

I wasn't being naughty. It's because father couldn't pull me down.

Come on.

You've taught him well.

Yongchun.

I've been training hard for ten years since wending was born.

I've recently been informed of priest bai Mel's hiding place.

I should pursue him.

Mother, who is this priest bai Mei?

What does father want from him?

Wending, go and play somewhere else.

- Wending! - Maybe you should hear this.

I must go.

If I can't defeat the white-browed hermit,

Shaolin disciples will be looked down upon forever.

I understand. But you're still not his match.

So you think I should also learn your crane style techniques?

- You're too stubborn! - Yongchun...

Yongchun, after I leave,

call xiaohu back from town to look after you.

There's no need. I can take care of myself.

I have only one piece of advice.

You must remember it.

If you can beat him, then fight. If you can't, then escape.

Father, who's this priest bai Mei?

Come here.

Listen to me, wending.

The chan master zhishan of the Shaolin temple was my master.

He was killed by this priest bai Mei.

White brow taoist temple

Wait, sir! We're not open to the public.

I'm looking for priest bai Mei.

Sir, wait!

Sir!

Sir!

Desist!

So you're Hong xiguan?

Of all the students of zhishan,

I knew you'd be the only one to come looking for me.

You've got some guts.

Before fighting me,

according to the rules of our school, you must break through two swordsmen.

I'm more versed in the techniques of tiger style than you are.

You are far from good enough to avenge your master yet.

Am I right in saying that I'm superior at tiger style?

You can't beat me.

"If you can beat him, then fight. If not, then escape."

Xiaohu!

Xiaohu...

Xiaohu...

Brother... sorry I... I'm late.

I found out...

That only if priest bai Mel's pressure points are struck

between one o'clock and three o'clock, will you stand a chance of killing him.

Xiaohu!

Run!

Xiaohu!

- Use pressure points... - Xiaohu!

Mother, uncle xiaohu's dead.

I have no one to tell me stories anymore.

Isn't that right?

Shence!

Don't scare him.

Yes, wending, uncle xiaohu is dead, but he saved your father's life.

He sacrificed himself to save another life.

He is a brave warrior and a true hero.

Xiaohu...

Father, I also want to be a true hero, just like uncle xiaohu.

- Wending. - Father.

- My son. - Mother, I want to grow up.

Grow up! Grow up! Grow up!

- Mother... - Give me that.

Wong yue as Hong wending

catch!

I'm very impressed.

Get up!

Come on, let's try again.

Go and find your father to practice. I'm tired now.

Mother, do you think I can beat father?

He's been training harder the last few years.

You still have a long way to go to catch up with him.

I'll try again.

Don't attack him from behind like last time,

or he'll break your nose again!

I won't let that happen again.

Training in progress

Hour of the goat

Too slow.

Got it!

Goat

one and three o'clock...

Wending, you know father doesn't like being spied on during his training.

Mother, I'm not spying on his training.

I'm waiting for my chance to sneak in a strike.

It's not time yet.

Bai Mei!

All right, it's a draw.

- How come it's a draw when you lost? - I've won.

Huh?

Go and ask mother if you don't believe me.

Almost got you.

Yes, almost, but it could be fatal.

You're right. Thanks, father.

You got anything else? Bring it on.

- No, actually. - Really? Nothing more?

- Nothing more. - I don't believe you.

You can continue later. Let's eat.

After you, father.

No, after you.

Take this piece, father. Not too fatty nor too lean.

- You two! - Mother, it's not my fault, it's father's!

Stop it! You two are going too far!

If you continue like this, you'll bring the house down.

I can't even eat a meal in peace.

Look!

I've just washed those and they're all dirty now!

Stop laughing! Your punishment will be to wash them all again!

And you can mend all the torn clothes.

Mother, I don't know how to sew.

Get your father to do it!

Father, you mend them...

Are you ready to challenge priest bai Mei again?

Yes. In all this time, I've never forgotten my mission.

I know you haven't.

It's been a further seven years,

but we've kept in touch with everyone all this time.

And we've been fighting against the qing army.

But with priest bai Mei alive, gao has been growing in power.

I know, but priest bai Mel's skills...

I've been training on a copper dummy,

focusing on the twelve key acupuncture points.

I believe I've found a way to break his body protection.

Or practice crane style for three more years?

That's enough! We don't learn kung fu from each other.

It's been like this for the past ten years.

This time round, I...

"If I can beat him, I'll fight. If not, I'll escape."

Right?

Is there anything else you want to tell me?

Nothing.

Don't worry. I'll leave tomorrow.

And I'll be back in ten days.

Wending... come here.

I'll be away for ten days, so you must behave.

This isn't your first time away, father.

I'll do as mother says.

Mother, you seem worried about father going away this time.

Your father has gone to challenge priest bai Mei again.

If he fails, he can escape like last time.

Last time, father was nowhere near being bai Mel's match.

The hermit didn't take him seriously.

So he let your father get away.

Now that he has mastered tiger style techniques,

the hermit will take him seriously,

and he won't let your father get away so easily again.

Father!

Father!

Father!

- What are you doing here? - Father, you shouldn't fight the hermit.

Nonsense. Did your mother send you?

No, I decided to come on my own.

Father, I need you to come back with me.

- How could you make me do that? - With this!

Wending, you're being disrespectful.

- Go home! - Not unless you come with me!

I must fight the hermit.

You're not a child anymore, you should understand.

- I do, but you aren't a match for him. - Who said that?

- Are you going home or not? - You mustn't go, I insist!

Don't go, father!

My mission is to avenge my master and rid the nation of evil.

- No one can stop me. - If you lose, you'll die.

Nonsense! You were only ten when I got back last time.

You heard that uncle xiaohu was dead

and you said you wanted to be a true hero like him.

Years ago, uncle tong knew there was a qing army ambush ahead.

He and some others risked their lives to stop them.

Why did he ask me to run away?

He wants me to overthrow the qing court and avenge our master.

Wending, there are things in this world

that you must do, even if you know they're life-threatening.

Do you understand?

This time when I fight the hermit,

I may not win, but I may not get killed either.

I'm confident that I'm unlikely to die.

I've been quite selfish.

I've been putting this off to raise you.

Now that you've grown up, if I continue to put it off,

my courage will gradually fade away.

- And eventually, I'll turn into a coward. - No, you're the bravest person.

I should go now. Do you still want to stop me?

- What is it? - Hong xiguan's here.

Hong xiguan's here!

It's noon!

Let him go!

The governor's ordered to block all ways out

and not allow Hong xiguan to escape!

Go! Go!

Bai Mei! Priest bai Mei!

You're also here, gao jinzhong.

Priest bai Mei, if you die today, I'll make sure gao is buried with you.

Jinzhong, like I've told you before, there's no need to look for Hong xiguan.

He'll voluntarily come to your doorstep.

Just as you expected, master.

I'll take your life today, Hong xiguan.

Impressive tiger claws.

You went for a vital acupuncture point.

Stop!

Hong xiguan, your kung fu has improved markedly over the last seven years.

You were using tiger style to attack my pressure points.

But there's no way you could beat my invincible body protection.

It's the hour of the goat...

Hong xiguan, you ascertained the right time to strike my pressure points.

You expected that from one o'clock,

my weak points would be in my lower torso.

But I've trained my weak points to move around freely.

So by one o'clock, they've already moved to my upper torso.

Jinzhong...

Yes, master.

The qing court wants him alive,

so he'll tell us where the other Shaolin survivors are.

Then we'll wipe them all out.

- Take him. - Yes, sir.

- Take him away! - Yes, sir.

Mother, father said he'd be back in ten days.

Twelve days have gone by. Why hasn't he returned?

- He won't be coming back. - What are you saying, mother?

Panicking like this makes you look like a coward.

Are you saying that father has been killed by priest bai Mei?

Father is dead...

And you... you're not even sad?

Of course I'm sad, but I still have a son.

Wending, you can definitely beat priest bai Mei.

Fine, I'll go right away and avenge father's death.

Remember, don't use the kung fu I taught you

until the absolute crucial moment.

- Then what should I use first? - Use tiger style techniques.

Mother, I don't know tiger style because father never taught me.

I begged him to teach me many times.

But he said that, since I'd learnt crane style from you,

he didn't want to compete with you on passing down kung fu skills.

That's why he never...

Wending, your father had a manual on tiger style boxing.

For many years, he would read it every day.

Do you happen to know where it is?

- I've found it! - Bring it over.

I said, bring it over!

Mother, you and father had agreed that you wouldn't learn from one another.

Therefore you shouldn't look at this manual.

You're right.

He would have let me read it if he wanted me to.

Exactly. So although he's no longer here, you should keep your promise.

So you would like me to learn tiger style boxing from this book?

Yes.

Mother, I'll be good and practice every day.

I'll start right now!

Good boy.

Mother, I didn't mean to lie to you.

But if you knew that half of the manual was destroyed,

you wouldn't let me go and seek revenge.

These two beads...

Eleven o'clock and one o'clock.

Should I attack the upper torso or the lower torso first?

Right, I'll try the upper half first.

Why are no beads coming out?

Here they are.

Eleven o'clock... When would they come out?

Was I too quick or too slow?

Wending, how's your training progressing?

It's been good. I've finished learning the whole of tiger style boxing.

Let me see...

Mother...

- Show me! - Yes.

Keep going.

Wait, that didn't look right.

Wending, do that move again.

I said, do it again!

- Do it again? - Yes.

Mother, tiger style boxing was invented by father.

If you see me perform the same move again,

I'm worried it will remind you of father and make you sad again.

Please don't be sad, mother.

I can still show you the moves if you want.

Wending, that's enough.

Just train on your own from now on.

I won't bother you anymore.

What's the next move, then?

I think it's better to focus on crane style.

Don't worry, mother, I'll remember what you said.

Tiger style first, then crane style.

I just worry that your tiger style isn't good enough yet.

Mother, though I've only trained for a year,

I've focused on tiger style attacking vital pressure points day and night,

as well as the crane style that you've taught me.

I'm confident I can beat priest bai Mei.

That's what your father would want.

I'll return when "white brow" bai Mei is dead.

Father, I've only learnt part of the tiger style.

I made up all the rest of the moves.

Bless me if you are watching from above.

As long as I can take down the adversary,

I'm prepared to die with them.

What are you doing? The grand master is meditating right now.

- Don't make a sound. - It wasn't me.

Continue sweeping.

People are meditating inside.

- How did you get in? - Ijumped over the wall.

Get out, this is trespassing.

- You'll be beheaded if you're caught. - Get out.

What do you mean, no trespassing?

Are you priest bai Mei?

Priest bai Mei that killed Shaolin's chan master zhishan

and beat Hong xiguan the hero to death?

- Who are you? - Me?

Oh, tiger style?

Your tiger style skills are much worse than Hong xiguan's.

Why did you come here to get killed?

Is it because there are so many Shaolin survivors

that one more death will mean nothing?

What's your name?

Hong wending.

- Oh? - I'm Hong xiguan's son.

You came at the right time.

I can weed out the roots now.

Yes, and I came here to get rid of your old roots.

Stop!

No one can teach you tiger style now that Hong xiguan is dead.

- Allow me to teach you, then. - Let me worship my master first.

Eyes!

Spine!

Tumbling technique!

Crawling technique!

So, am I a better teacher of tiger style than your father was?

What kind of style is this?

Shaolin temple traditional tiger style!

The spirit of master zhishan taught me.

What other tricks have you got, boy?