The Shaolin Temple (少林寺) is a 1982 martial arts film directed by Chang Hsin Yen and starring Jet Li in his debut role (credited as Jet Lee in the film) along with Ding Lan and Yu Hai in supporting roles. A Hong Kong-Chinese co-production, the film is based on the Shaolin Monastery in China and depicts Shaolin Kung Fu. The film was among the first major co-productions between Hong Kong and mainland China, and the first to be filmed in mainland China with a mostly mainland cast. The film's plot has an episodic storytelling structure while combining action, comedy and romance elements.
It was the first martial arts film to be made in mainland China after the founding of the People's Republic of China; up until then, kung fu films and wuxia films were mostly made in Hong Kong and Taiwan. It was also the first film to be shot at the Shaolin Monastery. It sold an estimated 500 million tickets at the Chinese box office, and is estimated to be China's highest-grossing film ever when adjusted for inflation. The film's success established Jet Li as the first Mainland Chinese star of Hong Kong, and later Hollywood. It was also largely responsible for turning the Shaolin Monastery into a major tourist destination, both within China and internationally.
A remake of the film was released in 2011 titled Shaolin and starred Andy Lau, Nicholas Tse and Jackie Chan.
Contents
Plot
In China, during the rebellions at the end of the Sui dynasty, the general Wang Shichong installs himself as Prince of Zheng in the eastern capital of Luoyang. His nephew, Wang Renze, oversees the bolstering of his riverfront defenses against the rival warlords on the bank of the Yellow River. The work of the slaves is not fast enough for him, so he orders his prisoners, who are captured rebels, to join the slaves. These rebels include martial artist "Divine Leg Zhang," who witnesses the brutal flogging of the laborers and steps forward to defend them. Wang Renze personally intervenes and severely injures Zhang. Zhang's son, Xiaohu, attempts to stop him, but is easily defeated by Wang Renze. Zhang is killed by Wang Renze as Xiaohu escapes into the Yellow River, eventually drifting ashore and fainting at the gates of the Shaolin Temple.
The Sifu persuades the Abbot to take in Xiaohu, despite the temple's supervisor monk's concern that Xiaohu will bring trouble to Shaolin. The Sifu and his pupils nurse Xiaohu back to health. After he recovers, Xiaohu joins the monks in carrying water from the river to the temple. He struggles, and but is watched by shepherd Bai Wuxia, who sends her dog to chase him. Xiaohu accidentally suffocates the dog, but decides to roast and eat the dog meat with the Sifu and the other pupils. Upon discovering this, Bai Wuxia is furious at Xiaohu, but the Sifu mediates. Xiaohu learns that Bai Wuxia is the Sifu's daughter, and nine years before, they fled Wang Renze's soldiers, reaching the Temple. Wanting to kill Wang Renze, Xiaohu asks the Sifu to train him in Shaolin martial arts. The Sifu says that Shaolin martial arts are for defense, not killing, and that Xiaohu is not a monk.
Xiaohu resolves to become a monk. His head is shaven, and the Abbot ordains him as a junior monk, giving him the Dharma name "Jue Yuan." Jue Yuan begins Shaolin martial arts training. After a time, he has gained impressive fighting abilities, but while sparring, he pictures Wang Renze and nearly kills his partner. He is ordered to face a wall for three days as punishment, but flees from the Temple instead. Jue Yuan attempts to assassinate Wang Renze, during which he finds Bai Wuxia, who had been abducted by Wang Renze that same day. Jue Yuan fails to kill Wang Renze and is forced to flee with Bai Wuxia. Ashamed, he returns to the Temple. His Sifu forgives him and allows him to resume training.
More than a year later, Li Shimin (son of Li Yuan), who is pursued by Wang Renze, enters the Temple. The monks pretend to help Wang Renze hunt for Li Shimin, while the latter escapes. Jue Yuan and Bai Wuxia help Li Shimin, making their way past Wang Renze's patrols in disguise as a newlywed couple. The escape, however, fails. Bai Wuxia and an injured Li Shimin flee on a raft down the river, while Jue Yuan stays behind to fight off the pursuers. His Sifu, along with other monks, arrives and saves Jue Yuan, but in doing so, expose Shaolin Temple's connection with Li Shimin. The Sifu banishes Jue Yuan from the Temple.
Cast
Jet Li as Jue Yuan (Xiaohu)
Ding Lan as Bai Wuxia
Yu Hai as Sifu
Hu Jianqiang as Wu Kong
Jian-kui Sun as Se Kong
Liu Huailiang as Liao Kong / Divine Leg Zhang (Jue Yuan's father)
Wang Jue as Ban Kong
Du Chuanyang as Wei Kong
Cui Zhiqiang as Xuan Kong
Xun Feng as Dao Kong
Pan Hanguang as Zhi Cao
Fan Ping as Hui Neng
Jiang Hongbo as Hui Yin
Shan Qi Bo Tong as Hui Yang
Zhang Jianwen as the Abbot
Yang Dihua as the Supervisor Monk
Wang Guangkuan as Li Shimin
Yu Chenghui as Wang Renze (Wang Shichong's nephew)
Ji Chunhua as Tu Ying
Pan Qingfu as First General
Su Fei as Second General
Chen Guo'an as Third General
Bian Lichang as Fourth General
Wang Guoyi as Fifth General
Production
The film was produced on a budget of HK$1.6 million (US$264,000).
During production, which took two years to film, Jet Li was reportedly paid only CN¥1 per day while filming.
Box office
In China, it became the highest-grossing film of all time, grossing CN¥161,578,014 (US$85,376,199). The film reportedly sold more than 410 million tickets across China within its first six months of release, eventually selling an estimated total of 500 million tickets in China.
In Hong Kong, the film sold 700,000 tickets, and grossed HK$16.16 million (US$2,662,310), making it the fourth top-grossing film of 1982 in Hong Kong. It became the highest-grossing film of all time in Singapore with a gross of S$1.7 million (US$794,000).
In Japan, it was the fourth top-grossing film of 1982, with ¥1.65 billion in distributor rentals and a box office record of ¥4 billion in gross receipts, equivalent to HK$100 million (US$16.47 million) in gross revenue. In South Korea, the film sold 294,065 tickets in Seoul alone and set a box office record of ₩5.1 billion (US$6.57 million) grossed nationwide in 1983.
This brings the film's total box office gross revenue to US$111,872,509 in East Asia.
Adjusted for inflation at CN¥34.5 Chinese ticket prices in 2017, the film's adjusted gross revenue in China is estimated to be in the tens of billions of Chinese yuan (billions of US dollars) in 2017.
Accolades
2nd Hong Kong Film Awards
Nomination: Best Action Direction (Yue Hoi, Ma Xianda, Pan Qingfu, Wong Seung-hoi)
Legacy
The film was largely responsible for turning the Shaolin Monastery into a major tourist destination, both within China and internationally. The movie's popularity swiftly encouraged filmmakers in China and Hong Kong to produce more Shaolin-based movies.
The film spawned a revival of popularity in mainstream martial arts in China.
Series
The film spawned the Shaolin Temple series. Its sequel Shaolin Temple 2: Kids from Shaolin was released in 1984 and stars Jet Li in the lead role again. It sold an estimated 490 million tickets at the Chinese box office, making it 1984's highest-grossing film in China. The first two Shaolin Temple films combined sold an estimated 990 million tickets at the Chinese box office.
Shaolin Temple 3: Martial Arts of Shaolin was released in 1986 and also stars Jet Li in the lead role. A remake of the original film, Shaolin, released in 2011, stars Andy Lau, Nicholas Tse and Jackie Chan.
In 2014, a 3D remake was announced to be in development, with director Justin Lin and produced by Beijing Enlight Pictures.
A 2021 remake of Shaolin Temple titled Rising Shaolin: The Protector, directed by Stanley Tong and starring Wang Baoqiang, uses promotional artwork showing the lead actor emulating Jet Li's pose from the promotional media of the 1982 film.
