Guns, spears, arrows and shields What purpose do they serve? ...- Lao She
Escort agency standards, sabers, horses Street wisdom and gangland jargons
Loyalty and honour
They became things of the past overnight
What we face today are trains, guns Trades... and terror
It was the year 1921, in Canton
That year, southern warlords couldn't contain themselves anymore
Round One, Bloodshed in Canton
The convention's in Canton this time
Next time it will be held in Beiping
Whatever
Let's put it on the table
Once we get there
Who will be president?
Lt'll be decided by combat
The fate of a nation to be hinged on a combat?
1921, Canton
Down with warlords
Down with the Beiyang Government...
North-South Reconciliation...
Canton Martial Arts Arena
1921, the Southern Martial Arts Convention
It's a show of might
Where all stops were pulled and every weapon came to the fore
The 82 martial arts schools of the Southern Styles fought to be number one in Canton
Five Northern Tigers Took Canton Southern Traitors on Their Knees
They are undermining the revolution
Foshan Hero
Mentor
Bravo
Mentor
lp Man, you can't fight him
Wing-shing
Just a country bumpkin let him get his beating
Can't you see he's vomiting blood?
Lp Man...
Ip Man...
He'll get killed
He asked for it
10 Years Ago
Foshan, the town of Sangyuan
Fu Hung-mo is here, Fu Hung-mo is coming
The head or the queue...
The head or the queue save your life
What is going on?
The revolutionaries are coming Fu Hung-mo is coming
Fu Hung-mo? Hung-mo, as in red hair?
The head or the queue
Fu Hung-mo has wiped out villages nearby
Run...
Fu Hung-mo?
Oh no! Let's run for our lives, run!
Lp Man, run...
Fu Hung-mo?
The head or the queue...
Brother Ching-shan
Lam Ching-shan, what are you doing?
Folks, as Mr Sun Yat-sen says
Global advancement is unstoppable Go against it to our demise
I may be just a commoner of Foshan
I too have to stand up and urge you to join the revolution
Don't be left behind
Cut your queue if you want to cross the bridge
Cut your queue...
What nonsense!
Lam Ching-shan, you were my student
How can you do such a treacherous thing?
Sir, the emperor inside Forbidden City is your sire
But he is not my sire
What nonsense! Let me kill you the traitor
We are in a new era
Not just my queue
Your queue should be cut as well
I dare you!
Fu Hung-mo is here...
Get him
No! Don't cut my queue...
Cut it off...
Brother Ching-shan, why the queue should be cut off?
It means revolution
No, don't cut it...
Cut it off...
With the queue cut revolution is accomplished?
Don't cut my queue
You don't understand
Give way
Teacher...
No... don't cut it...
The head or the queue...
Teacher...
My queue...
Freeze! Hand over your money
Fu Hung-mo is coming...
Hand it over
Bravo
Good, go change
With you as coach
Even ten Fu Hung-mos wouldn't be a big deal
Master
Your Hard Gate Fist routine is awesome indeed
Your moves just now were quintessential Hard Gate Fist
But you seemed to have pulled the punch in the Drunken Conqueror move...
Master, it's too vicious
If I didn't pull the punch my opponent would be crippled
I am saving it for Fu Hung-mo
I see, that's wonderful
Master, Lady, men with guns patrol outside the manor
Here inside the manor
My martial arts guarantee the safety not just of Master and Lady
But every young and old of the lp family
Rest assured of that
Dad
Come on
From today on
You two take turn guarding Master and Lady's room 24 hours a day
You guard Young Master's room, get it?
Yes
It is said that the heads Fu Hung-mo chopped off could make a hill
If you confront him directly
we'll be at a disadvantage
Maybe we should negotiate with him
With Master Yim here, we will be fine
Dad, Mom, why do people refuse to cut their queues off?
Because our body and our hair were from our parents
Taking care of it demonstrates our filial piety
Cutting the queue off goes against filial piety
Hence it can't be cut
Dad, our fingernails were from our parents too, but why do we cut them?
Dad, Mom, I think observing filial piety is about the heart
It's not about keeping the queue
Where did you get such weird ideas?
Man, come on
In this chaotic times
The brighter our kid the greater our worries
Mom, why?
Dad, you tell me why
Here they are at last?
They're here?
What's wrong with you?
Use your head!
I...
Master, Lady, this guy was on patrol
he saw a shadow and thought it was one of Fu Hung-mo's men
He just fired off
So... was it or not?
No, he made a mistake
You two can go back to your sleep
Milady, come on
What's that?
What fell down?
A dead ox
Go check every corner out, just go
Yes
They want money only
You have the 1,000 taels ready?
Yes
Just to be play safe
If Master Yim fails to stop them
The money can save our lives
Come on
Master... Young Master is missing
What?
Young Master is missing...
You are Fu Hung-mo?
Hung-mo means red hair But your hair and your beard are black
Why do you cut others' queues off?
Kiddie
Asking me questions before I asked you?
Let me ask you, what's your name?
Lp Man
Come again?
Lp Man
Delivering yourself to me?
Come with me
I won't cut your queue off
I just want to chop your finger off
Come on over
Why?
I just delivered an ox to your dad and got a big present in return
His only son
Why you want my finger instead of my queue?
You are scared?
What's the use of getting scared?
There are so many of you
I am just a child
You can do whatever you like with me
You are some kid
Your saber
I told you to keep a watch on Young Master
But you failed to heed my word
I wasn't sleeping in his room I couldn't have caught him slipping out
How dare you talk back?
Master Yim... don't blame him for it
Spare me your crocodile tears
If something happens to Young Master
You have to pay it with your life
Master, oh no... Master...
Kneel!
What is it? Just say it
Master...
Milady...
See what you have done!
Where is the man?
That's what he said: Get 3,000 taels ready tomorrow
Deliver it to the Earth Deity Temple on the outskirts of town
In such chaotic times Where can I find 3,000 taels?
Master, Lady
Let me go to that Fu Hung-mo
My name Yim Tung commands some respect
with my skills in martial arts
Even if it means my life
I'll get Young Master back
Take it
Kid, you kind of grow on me
You were very talkative Why so quiet now?
I thought revolution meant cutting queues
But you chop fingers off and demand money
If you made it clear
The people didn't have to worry about their queues
Cutting queues and chopping fingers are for making money only
Bear what I say in mind
In this world, everything boils down to money
I don't think so
What do you know?
If every queue is cut It means our revolution is accomplished
Then I am a founding father
I can be a high official
Being a high official means money will come my way
What has the queue got to do with it?
There you go again
Kid, you are in danger
You're still in the mood to ask such questions?
Mind your own life
Who is it?
Yim Tung of the Jiangxi Hard Gate School
Young Master, it's alright I am taking you home
Halt!
You are a queue cutter?
The troop's queue cutter
A new trade that's in demand
I am very good at it
My cuts are even and neat
Let me cut your queue for you
No
Haven't heard of our rule "the head or the queue"?
I just want to know why we have to choose between the head and the queue
Kiddie, you are not afraid of death?
You want money only, you won't kill me
You sure can take him away But where's the money?
I hear that Fu Hung-mo used to be our peer
Then let's settle it our way, mano a mano
Mano a mano?
Sure, challenge accepted
If you win, you can take him away
If you lose, sorry, the price goes up
Please
Master Yim...
Just get up
I am my dad's son, I only listen to him
You are so stubborn
Before Master Yim came to us
He's already well-known among martial arts practitioners
You have nothing to worry about
Dad...
Master... I've failed you, I've shamed you
Get up first...
What... what happened?
They have upped the ransom demand to 10,000 taels
I am sorry... Master...
10,000 taels?
I am sorry...
Ip's Residence
What are you doing?
Milady, you are the one who runs the lp household and our Sangyuan business
I am more like a hanger-on
Let me do my part this time
Money comes and goes the family fortune can be rebuilt
Bear it in mind You and our son come first
I understand
Uncle, let me go with you
When the Manchus were invited in to take on Li Zicheng's rebel army
The intellectuals welcomed them on their knees
However, when they were demanded to shave their head and wear a queue
They turned against the Manchus
You know about the Yangzhou massacre and the Jiading massacre?
No
What are you doing here?
Lp Oi-dor, head of the lp family asks to see Commander Fu
Where's the money?
Money...
Commander, it's not possible to raise 10,000 taels in so short a time
Many Han people lost their lives for refusing to wear a queue
Weren't they being unnecessarily obstinate?
Now they are free not to wear a queue
But many would rather die than giving it up
Don't you find it hard to fathom?
How come you are so knowledgeable?
You either learn from books
Reading books of different schools
Or you learn from travelling
From meeting different people and experiencing things
As you grow up, you will meet with all sorts of strange things
Bear it in mind
Dig into everything by asking questions
Pick everyone's brain, keep asking
Because people see things differently
Commander Fu, please reconsider
10,000 taels or the lp family line Make your pick
Make your pick...
Dad?
Brother Ching-shan
Boy, what are you snickering at?
That you are bandits in revolutionaries' clothing
What bandits? What revolutionaries?
Did you just fart?
Farting...
Just stay here, don't wander about
The soldiers outside are not nice
He who wins the support of the people will flourish
What nonsense... what support... what flourish...
Young man, we are starving
Do you have a way to get this revolutionary troop out of their plight?
Yes... we are starving
Who are you?
A nobody, I cut hair
I am talking with Commander Fu Stay out of it
Young man, how perceptive
The Wuchang Uprising has opened up people's minds
Canton people are known to be radical in their outlook
If you discipline yourselves well
once you take over Canton
you can have as much money and as many men as you want
Now he's talking
Young man, you are not here for the rescue
You are here to show off your learning
Boy, you do know something
How come you are here?
Hush! To take you away
Wait! Let me hear them out
You do have some nerve
Hush!
We shouldn't let the chaotic times thwart our aspirations
Aspirations...
Ambition is revolution's undoing
Why have so many revolutions failed?
It's because of ambition
You know why I joined the revolution?
Because I have seen how corrupted the Qing court is
I joined the revolution
not because I wanted to be some founding father
but to answer to here... to my conscience
Bravo
With your shortsightedness How will the revolution be a success?
On the contrary, I'd say every revolutionary should be short-sighted
Only then will the revolution be successful
Indeed, how true
Freeze
Run
How dare you! This is a trap
Freeze
How dare you! This is a trap
It's a misunderstanding... This is not a trap
He dares to trick us, cut him no slack
Let go
We played no tricks... you...
Ip Man, you just stay here
Where are you going?
Just stay put, wait for me to come back, get it?
Wait for me
We haven't played any tricks, really no...
Be off... we haven't played any tricks Let go of us...
Who is it? Freeze...
Master Yu...
Greetings from Yu Fung-kau
Born and raised in Foshan
Unlike you though, I've employed my skills in martial arts since I was 18
in safeguarding peace for Foshan
The lp family may be rich But they are honourable
Now their only son has been kidnapped
It's my duty to get him back
How cool, you took our hostage and you have the nerve to come back
Commander Fu, you too are a martial arts practitioner
Let us settle it our way
Alright, your wish is granted
But again, as in our common practice
If you win, you have the boy
If you lose, the ransom is no longer 10,000 taels
It's 30,000 taels
30,000 taels
And have it sent over within a day
Or you can kiss the lp's family goodbye
Kiss them goodbye
Yu Fung-kau of the Crane School
What an embarrassment you are
Back down
A barber is such an adept?
Come on
Greetings, Fu Jing-wan here
Dad
This barber is a liar
Kid, you delivered yourself to me
How's your hand?
Dad, I am fine
Look, it's just a cut
My finger was not chopped off
I don't know why
Fu Hung-mo is you
Kid, if you want to go far
What you need is not just eyesight
but the perceptive power to tell between right and wrong
Master Yu, now there's a peer I just couldn't resist it
Fu Jing-wan of Emperor Taizu's Longfist School
Yu Fung-kau of the Crane School
Master Yu, awesome
You are in the troop
But you are the equal of any martial arts masters
My total admiration
Master Yu, you are too kind
My school belongs to the Fujian branch of the Southern Styles
We fought side by side with the Guangdong branch
in the overthrowing of the Manchu rule
The various schools in Canton can trace their lineage to Southern Shaolin
We are brethren, so to speak
So kungfu is not simple at all
Son, China has a history of over five thousand years
Many cultivations have been lost in time
Kungfu, however, is one of the exceptions
Hence it's a rich and extensive heritage
Master Yu, from foes to friends
Let's forget what happened See it as a misunderstanding
Man, let's go
Just a moment
What? It's alright, Dad
You are Fu Hung-mo, then let me ask you
Why do you cut others' queues off?
Brother Lam, what do you think?
This young boy here sees more than you do
Young man, what do you think? Is revolution good or bad?
Good, of course
Not necessarily
Every revolution in history cost tens of thousands of lives
Yet the outcome might not have been beneficial to all
Then why are you still a revolutionary?
The outcome of a revolution may not be good
But what we have now is definitely bad
Revolution doesn't promise us a bright future
But true revolutionaries will always look forward
Commander Fu, here you are 1,000 taels
But...
I know you are short of funds
See it as the lp family's donation to the cause
Alright, thank you
Commander Fu, may I ask a favour of you?
Please go ahead
The situation is volatile
The revolutionaries here today may turn the Eight Banners tomorrow
The loss of my queue will put me in inconvenience
My Sangyuan household of five hundred depends on me
With you gone, I'll have to fend it on my own
So please... let me keep my queue for the time being
Alright
Commander Fu, thank you
Man, let's go
I bid you goodbye
Master Yu
Some boy
lp Man...
Dad... How do I look?
Rascal, so it's not taking a dump
You went to cut your queue off
lp Man...
Ip Man, take your queue back
I don't want it anymore
You are right, no queue may not be a good thing
But wearing a queue is definitely bad
Bear it in mind
You still have a long road ahead
You are bound to encounter painful decisions
When your courage fails you
Take a look at this queue
Let it remind you of your first drastic decision
Hold it
Your son will make you proud
Master Yu, you have one worthy disciple
Young man, a lesson from the French Revolution
Oh Revolution! What crimes are committed in thy name?
Think about it
See you
Brother Fu, when will we meet again?
Brother Fu, goodbye
Brother Fu
Dad
Fu Jing-wan, you can't be more wrong
Brother Ching-shan, what did you say?
Lp Man, you naughty boy be obedient from now on
Look
Keep your queue safe, get it? Rascal
Wuchang Uprising, 10 October 1911
10 October, Hubei declares independence
22 October, Hunan declares independence
Foshan, Guangdong
Feel free to take a look...
Change your money here...
Change your money with Cashier Wah...
Cashier Wah, it's early of you
305 coppers for a dime
No profit margin for me at all
Not paid back even for the labour
Don't miss your chance Come on over
305 coppers for a dime
I'm taking it all, come on...
Here you are
Be generous
It's heavy
Cashier Wah, more deals and you can't carry it
I have room for more
If I can't carry it I'll give the money to all of you
I mean it
This bit of weight means nothing to me
Come on over...
Cashier Wah, what about mine?
Of course
Count them Sure
Let me count them
Thank you
Come on over... Money exchange...
Queue off...
Don't go... queue off...
Leave me alone...
Please, leave me alone
Queue off...
Tak Shing Money Shop
Boss... Cashier Wah
Take out the abacus and count for him
What's the exchange rate today?
10 dimes for one dollar 300 coppers for a dime
It's hard-earned money for you indeed
Two heavy chests all day
You only make two dimes from the difference
Many a little makes a mickle
I know no other trades
I have to sweat for it
Master Chan, what a firm clamping stance
You picked up Wing Chun from Master Tsan?
Beat him... What's going on?
Beat him...
Chun-loi has been trained by his dad since he was small
lp Man can't fight him