Fist of Fury (1995 TV series)
Encyclopedia
Fist of Fury is a 1995 Hong Kong television series adapted from the 1972 film of the same title
. Produced by ATV
and STAR TV
, the series starred Donnie Yen
as Chen Zhen (Cantonese
: Chan Zan), a role previously played by Bruce Lee
in Fist of Fury (1972) and Jet Li
in Fist of Legend
(1994). The series is also related to the 2010 film Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen
, in which Yen reprises his role.
with his younger sister in search of a new life after their home village is destroyed by a group of bandits. He notices that Shanghai is divided into an international settlement under the control of various foreign powers, such as Britain and Japan. Besides, he observes that the pugilistic world of Shanghai is marred with disunity and the various martial arts schools are pursuing their individual goals. That reflects the state of China; the Chinese are individualistic and often in internal conflict with their fellow countrymen, instead of uniting to drive out their common enemies (the foreigners) and regain sovereignty of their nation. Fok Yuen-gap
, founder of Ching-mou School
, is trying hard to persuade and influence the other schools to unite under a common purpose of defending China from foreign intrusion.
Chan takes up the job of a rickshaw puller and a coolie
to earn a living in Shanghai. Once, he saves the famous singer Yi-kiu from some ruffians and is invited to join the notorious Green Gang
through her introduction. Chan proves himself to be the best fighter in the gang and wins the favour of the boss Choi Luk-kan. At the same time, he encounters the bandits who murdered his family, who are also allies of the Green Gang by coincidence. Chan is unable to get his fellow gang members to support him in taking revenge on the bandits, and his sister is killed by the bandits later. Chen learns a painful lesson that he should no longer be involved in the gang's illegal activities, and he leaves the Green Gang after avenging his sister. He joins Ching-mou School after being enlightened by Fok Yuen-gap in the few earlier encounters they had. Chan becomes Fok's favourite student as he demonstrates an excellent understanding of Fok's martial arts philosophy. Fok grooms Chan to be his successor and Chan gradually matures under Fok's teachings, to become a powerful pugilist who is great in virtue and captures the true essence of the founding principle of Ching-mou School.
Meanwhile, Chan Zan also falls in love with Yumi, the daughter of the Japanese consul Takeda Yukio. However, their relationship is strained because they stand on opposing grounds and due to the fact that they come from differing ethnic backgrounds. Besides, Ching-mou School is a strong supporter of the anti-Japanese movement and Fok Yuen-gap has also foiled Takeda's plans to take over Shanghai on numerous occasions. At the same time, Yumi's fiance, Ishii Hideaki, arrives from Japan to start a dojo
with his brother in Hongkou
. Ishii's presence causes Chan and Yumi's relationship to be further strained.
Takeda founds the Black Dragon Society
in Shanghai to spy on the Chinese military for the Japanese government, in preparation for a future invasion on China. Takeda is aware that he must kill Fok Yuen-gap first in order to crush the Chinese people's morale, because they look up to Fok as a national hero. Takeda sends a spy to infiltrate Ching-mou School and secretly poison Fok, and Fok dies from poisoning after engaging Ishii Hideaki in a leitai
match. Chan Zan manages to remain calm in the face of taunts and insults from Ching-Mou's enemies after his teacher's death, while continuing to put his efforts into disrupting the Japanese's plans to take over Shanghai. Many lives were lost in the anti-Japanese campaign and eventually Chan Zan is the sole survivor from Ching-mou.
After discovering that Takeda is planning to release a deadly virus in Shanghai and use that as an excuse for Japan to launch its invasion on China, Chan breaks into Takeda's base and takes down every opponent he meets and disrupts Takeda's plans once more. He defeats Takeda in a one-on-one fight and spares Takeda's life when Yumi pleads with him, but Takeda ultimately commits suicide in humiliation. Yumi has been gravely wounded by her father and she dies as Chan brings her back to Ching-mou. In the final scene, Ching-Mou is surrounded by armed soldiers, as the Japanese consulate has ordered Chan's arrest for the murder of Takeda. Chan is promised by the Chinese police inspector that Ching-mou will prevail and Yumi will rest in peace after his death, and he charges out with a flying kick at the armed soldiers as they open fire at him.
Fist of Fury
Fist of Fury, formerly known as The Chinese Connection and The Iron Hand in the United States, is a 1972 Hong Kong martial arts film directed by Lo Wei. It starred Bruce Lee in his second major film after The Big Boss...
. Produced by ATV
Asia Television Limited
Asia Television Limited is one of the two free-to-air television broadcasters in Hong Kong, the other being rival Television Broadcasts Limited . It launched in 1957 under the name Rediffusion Television as the first television station in Hong Kong...
and STAR TV
STAR TV (Asia)
Satellite Television Asian Region is an Asian TV service owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation.In 2009, News Corporation restructured STAR Asia into four units – STAR India, STAR Greater China, STAR Select and Fox International Channels....
, the series starred Donnie Yen
Donnie Yen
Donnie Yen is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, film director and producer, action choreographer, and world wushu tournament medalist...
as Chen Zhen (Cantonese
Cantonese
Cantonese is a dialect spoken primarily in south China.Cantonese may also refer to:* Yue Chinese, the Chinese language that includes Cantonese* Cantonese cuisine, the cuisine of Guangdong province...
: Chan Zan), a role previously played by Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee was a Chinese American, Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement...
in Fist of Fury (1972) and Jet Li
Jet Li
The fame gained by his sports winnings led to a career as a martial arts film star, beginning in mainland China and then continuing into Hong Kong. Li acquired his screen name in 1982 in the Philippines when a publicity company thought his real name was too hard to pronounce...
in Fist of Legend
Fist of Legend
Fist of Legend is a 1994 Hong Kong martial arts action film directed by Gordon Chan and features action choreography by Yuen Woo-ping, and also produced by and starring Jet Li. It is a remake of the 1972 film Fist of Fury, which starred Bruce Lee as the lead character...
(1994). The series is also related to the 2010 film Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen
Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen
Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen is a 2010 Hong Kong martial arts film directed by Andrew Lau. The film is a continuation of the 1994 film Fist of Legend starring Jet Li, with Donnie Yen as Chen Zhen, a role made famous by Bruce Lee in the 1972 film Fist of Fury...
, in which Yen reprises his role.
Plot
In the early 20th century in China, Chan Zan travels to ShanghaiShanghai International Settlement
The Shanghai International Settlement began originally as a purely British settlement. It was one of the original five treaty ports which were established under the terms of the Treaty of Nanking at the end of the first opium war in the year 1842...
with his younger sister in search of a new life after their home village is destroyed by a group of bandits. He notices that Shanghai is divided into an international settlement under the control of various foreign powers, such as Britain and Japan. Besides, he observes that the pugilistic world of Shanghai is marred with disunity and the various martial arts schools are pursuing their individual goals. That reflects the state of China; the Chinese are individualistic and often in internal conflict with their fellow countrymen, instead of uniting to drive out their common enemies (the foreigners) and regain sovereignty of their nation. Fok Yuen-gap
Huo Yuanjia
Huo Yuanjia was a Chinese martial artist and co-founder of Chin Woo Athletic Association, a martial arts school in Shanghai...
, founder of Ching-mou School
Chin Woo Athletic Association
Chin Woo Athletic Association is a Chinese martial arts association founded in Shanghai on July 7, 1910, but other sources also cite dates in 1909. It can be found spelled in many ways - Jing Mo, Ching Wu, Jing Wo, Jing Wu etc....
, is trying hard to persuade and influence the other schools to unite under a common purpose of defending China from foreign intrusion.
Chan takes up the job of a rickshaw puller and a coolie
Coolie
Historically, a coolie was a manual labourer or slave from Asia, particularly China, India, and the Phillipines during the 19th century and early 20th century...
to earn a living in Shanghai. Once, he saves the famous singer Yi-kiu from some ruffians and is invited to join the notorious Green Gang
Green Gang
The Green Gang was a Chinese criminal organization that operated in Shanghai in the early 20th century.-Origins:It was a secret society established originally by Fong Toh-tak of Shaolin Monastery to protect the Han Chinese who were oppressed by the Manchu rulers of the Qing Dynasty, and to restore...
through her introduction. Chan proves himself to be the best fighter in the gang and wins the favour of the boss Choi Luk-kan. At the same time, he encounters the bandits who murdered his family, who are also allies of the Green Gang by coincidence. Chan is unable to get his fellow gang members to support him in taking revenge on the bandits, and his sister is killed by the bandits later. Chen learns a painful lesson that he should no longer be involved in the gang's illegal activities, and he leaves the Green Gang after avenging his sister. He joins Ching-mou School after being enlightened by Fok Yuen-gap in the few earlier encounters they had. Chan becomes Fok's favourite student as he demonstrates an excellent understanding of Fok's martial arts philosophy. Fok grooms Chan to be his successor and Chan gradually matures under Fok's teachings, to become a powerful pugilist who is great in virtue and captures the true essence of the founding principle of Ching-mou School.
Meanwhile, Chan Zan also falls in love with Yumi, the daughter of the Japanese consul Takeda Yukio. However, their relationship is strained because they stand on opposing grounds and due to the fact that they come from differing ethnic backgrounds. Besides, Ching-mou School is a strong supporter of the anti-Japanese movement and Fok Yuen-gap has also foiled Takeda's plans to take over Shanghai on numerous occasions. At the same time, Yumi's fiance, Ishii Hideaki, arrives from Japan to start a dojo
Dojo
A is a Japanese term which literally means "place of the way". Initially, dōjōs were adjunct to temples. The term can refer to a formal training place for any of the Japanese do arts but typically it is considered the formal gathering place for students of any Japanese martial arts style to...
with his brother in Hongkou
Hongkou District
Hongkou District is a northern district of Shanghai proper, People's Republic of China. It has a land area of and population of 799,700 as of 2001.It is the location of the Astor House Hotel, Broadway Mansions, Lu Xun Park and the Lu Xun memorial....
. Ishii's presence causes Chan and Yumi's relationship to be further strained.
Takeda founds the Black Dragon Society
Black Dragon Society
The was a prominent paramilitary, ultranationalist right-wing group in Japan.-History:The Kokuryūkai was founded in 1901 by Uchida Ryohei, and was descended from the Genyōsha. Its name is derived from the Amur River, called Heilongjiang or "Black Dragon River" in Chinese , read as Kokuryū-kō in...
in Shanghai to spy on the Chinese military for the Japanese government, in preparation for a future invasion on China. Takeda is aware that he must kill Fok Yuen-gap first in order to crush the Chinese people's morale, because they look up to Fok as a national hero. Takeda sends a spy to infiltrate Ching-mou School and secretly poison Fok, and Fok dies from poisoning after engaging Ishii Hideaki in a leitai
Leitai
The lèi tái is an elevated fighting arena, without railings, where often fatal weapons and bare-knuckle martial arts tournaments were once held. "Sanctioned" matches were presided over by a referee on the platform and judges on the sides...
match. Chan Zan manages to remain calm in the face of taunts and insults from Ching-Mou's enemies after his teacher's death, while continuing to put his efforts into disrupting the Japanese's plans to take over Shanghai. Many lives were lost in the anti-Japanese campaign and eventually Chan Zan is the sole survivor from Ching-mou.
After discovering that Takeda is planning to release a deadly virus in Shanghai and use that as an excuse for Japan to launch its invasion on China, Chan breaks into Takeda's base and takes down every opponent he meets and disrupts Takeda's plans once more. He defeats Takeda in a one-on-one fight and spares Takeda's life when Yumi pleads with him, but Takeda ultimately commits suicide in humiliation. Yumi has been gravely wounded by her father and she dies as Chan brings her back to Ching-mou. In the final scene, Ching-Mou is surrounded by armed soldiers, as the Japanese consulate has ordered Chan's arrest for the murder of Takeda. Chan is promised by the Chinese police inspector that Ching-mou will prevail and Yumi will rest in peace after his death, and he charges out with a flying kick at the armed soldiers as they open fire at him.
Cast
- Donnie YenDonnie YenDonnie Yen is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, film director and producer, action choreographer, and world wushu tournament medalist...
as Chan Zan (陳真), the best student of Ching-mou School. He is seeking revenge for the death of his master and tries to force invaders out of China for good. - Eddy KoEddy KoEddy Ko Hung is a Hong Kong television and film actor who has worked on the TV stations RTV , TVB and ATV. His birthname is Ho Yiu Sum . He adopted the name Ko Hung as a stage name...
as Fok Yuen-gapHuo YuanjiaHuo Yuanjia was a Chinese martial artist and co-founder of Chin Woo Athletic Association, a martial arts school in Shanghai...
(霍元甲), founder of Ching-mou School - Joey Meng as Yumi (由美), Takeda Yukio's daughter and Chan Zan's love interest
- Kenny Lin-Teruyuki as Ishii Hideaki (石井英明), Yumi's fiance, who wants to establish a Japanese karate school in China
- Yeung Chak-lam as Takeda Yukio (武田幸雄), a Japanese consul and member of the Black Dragon SocietyBlack Dragon SocietyThe was a prominent paramilitary, ultranationalist right-wing group in Japan.-History:The Kokuryūkai was founded in 1901 by Uchida Ryohei, and was descended from the Genyōsha. Its name is derived from the Amur River, called Heilongjiang or "Black Dragon River" in Chinese , read as Kokuryū-kō in...
- Berg Ng as Lau Chan-shing (劉振聲), Fok Yuen-gap's eldest student
- Eric Wan as Choi Hok-fu (蔡學富), Choi Luk-kan's son who becomes a traitor
- Leung Yat-ho as Leung Ha (梁蝦), Choi Luk-kan's bodyguard and Chan Zan's friend
- Cong Shan as Yi-kiu (綺翹), a singer and Leung Ha's love interest
- Lau Chi-wing as Choi Luk-kan (蔡六斤), a businessman and boss of the Green GangGreen GangThe Green Gang was a Chinese criminal organization that operated in Shanghai in the early 20th century.-Origins:It was a secret society established originally by Fong Toh-tak of Shaolin Monastery to protect the Han Chinese who were oppressed by the Manchu rulers of the Qing Dynasty, and to restore...
- Sin Ho-ying as Ishii Hiroshi (石井泓), Hideaki's brother and master of the HongkouHongkou DistrictHongkou District is a northern district of Shanghai proper, People's Republic of China. It has a land area of and population of 799,700 as of 2001.It is the location of the Astor House Hotel, Broadway Mansions, Lu Xun Park and the Lu Xun memorial....
dojo - Paw Hee-chingPaw Hee-ChingNina Paw Hee-Ching is a Hong Kong-based actress. She was born on July 20, 1949. Her parents are famous Chinese actor Bao Fong and Liu Su. Her younger brother Peter Pau is Academy Awards-winning and five-times Hong Kong Film Awards-winning cinematographer...
as Mrs Takeda, Yumi's mother - Ng Yuen-chun as Kuki (九鬼), Ishii Hideaki's senseiSensei' is a Japanese word that basically means "person born before another." In general usage, it means "master" or "teacher," and the word is used as a title to refer to or address teachers, professors, professionals such as lawyers, CPA and doctors, politicians, clergymen, and other figures of authority...
- Mai Kei as Wu Yan (胡恩), Takeda's secretary
- Renee Dai as Siu-yin (小燕), Chan Zan's younger sister
- Bobby Tsang as Yip Tai-cheung (葉大昌)
- Lee Mo-king as Yip Tai-cheung's wife
- Ng Siu-ching as Ma Siu-ching (馬小清)
- Stephen AuStephen AuStephen Au Kam-tong is a Hong Kong actor for TVB . He was formerly an actor for ATV .He played David Mo in TVB sitcom Best Selling Secrets...
as the Thai boxer - Cheng Shu-fung as Hung Pao, a bandit leader who murders Chan Zan's family
- Hung Yan-yan as Hung Fei (洪飛), Hung Pao's brother
- Philip Keung as Chung (忠), a coolieCoolieHistorically, a coolie was a manual labourer or slave from Asia, particularly China, India, and the Phillipines during the 19th century and early 20th century...
and Chan Zan's friend - Ken Lok as Cheung Hak-cheung (張克祥), an ally of Ching-mou School
- Lo LiehLo LiehLo Lieh was a Hong Kong actor in martial arts films. His real name is Wang Lap Tat. After his parents sent him back to China he attended acting school in Hong Kong. He began his martial arts training in 1962 and joined the Shaw Brothers Studio in the same year and went on to become one of the...
as Cheung Chung-tong (張宗棠), Cheung Hak-cheung's father and a Manchurian warlord - Hon Yee-sang as Choi Kam-fu (蔡金虎), Choi Luk-kan's brother and a martial arts master
- Simon Tsui as Uncle Kuen (荃叔), chairman of the Shanghai Martial Arts Association
- Fung Kwok as Nung King-suen (農勁蓀), a businessman and friend of Fok Yuen-gap
- Kong To as Mayor Yim (嚴市長), the mayor of Shanghai
- Mak Kei as Inspector Lo (羅探長), the police inspector
- Leung Kam-yim as Boss Ma (馬老闆), the Teochew businessman who hired the Thai boxer
- Wai Lit as Fong Koi-tin (方蓋天), vice chairman of the Shanghai Martial Arts Association
- Kon San as Master Kam (金師傅), a martial arts school master
- Kwan Wai-lun as Cheng Tin (鄭天), master of the White Crane School
- Ling Lai-man as Old Fung (老馮), the cook of Ching-mou School
- Lau Tsung-kei as a Ching-mou student
- Chapman ToChapman ToChapman To Man-chak is a Hong Kong actor, best known for specializing in comedic roles in films such as Infernal Affairs and Initial D.-Career:To began his acting career in TV soap operas and moved to the big screen in 2000...
as a Ching-mou student - Ngan Chun-lam as a Ching-mou student
- Ka Chun as a Ching-mou student
- Chan Lai-wan as the Takeda family housekeeper
- Chow Siu-lun as Choi Hok-fu's henchman
- Tsau Wai-lun as Choi Hok-fu's henchman
- Chan Kar-wai as Choi Luk-kan's henchman
- Yeung Man-tat as a rickshaw puller
- Ng Man-lai as a nurse
- Phyllis Man as a nurse
- Raymond Tsang as the Japanese vice consul
- Cheng Shu-fung
- Lau Wan-fung
- Lee Kam-wing
- Ng Ting
- Tsang Tsan-on
- Leung Bik-tze
- Camilla Choi
- Lee Mo-king
- Lau Chun
- Chan Tung
- Yiu Tze-wan
- Yu Man-bing
- Lee Chun-tak
- Ng Ming-lung
- Lo Sim
- Wong Man
External links
Fist of Fury on Baidu BaikeBaidu Baike
Baidu Encyclopedia is a Chinese language collaborative Web-based encyclopedia provided by the Chinese search engine Baidu. Like Baidu itself, the encyclopedia is heavily self-censored in line with government regulations....
- Fist of Fury on Donnie Yen's official website