Shaolin Temple (1982 film)

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.^[1] 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.^[2] The film's plot has an episodic storytelling structure while combining action, comedy and romance elements.^[3]

The Shaolin Temple
Japanese poster
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	少林寺
Simplified Chinese	少林寺
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Shàolínsì Yue: Cantonese Jyutping Siu3 Lam4 Zi2
Directed by	Chang Hsin-yen
Written by	Shih Hou Lu Shau Chang
Produced by	Liu Yet Yuen
Starring	Jet Li Ding Lan Yu Hai
Cinematography	Lau Fung-lam Chau Pak-ling
Edited by	Wong Ting Ku Chi-wai Li Yuk-wai Chang Hsin-yen
Production company	Chung Yuen Motion Picture Company
Release date	21 January 1982 (1982-01-21)
Running time	95 minutes
Countries	Hong Kong China
Language	Mandarin
Box office	US$111.9 million

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.^[4] 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.^[1] It was also largely responsible for turning the Shaolin Monastery into a major tourist destination, both within China and internationally.^[4]

A remake of the film was released in 2011 titled Shaolin and starred Andy Lau, Nicholas Tse and Jackie Chan.^[5]

Plot

In China, during the rebellions at the end of the Sui dynasty, the warlord Wang Shichong installs himself as Emperor of the East Capitol. He oversees the bolstering of his riverfront defenses against the rival warlords on the opposite bank, close to Shaolin Temple. 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 an older kung fu master and his son, Jue Yuan.

After defending another prisoner, the master draws the attention of the Emperor, who personally kills him. Jue Yuan attempts revenge, but the Emperor seriously injures him, forcing Jue Yuan to escape to the Temple. There, its Sifu and his pupils nurse Jue Yuan back to health.

After he recovers, Jue Yuan joins the monks in carrying water from the river to the temple. He struggles, but is helped by shepherd Bai Wu Xia, who is skilled at kung fu. She is the Sifu's daughter, and nine years before, they fled the Emperor's soldiers, reaching the Temple. Wanting to kill the Emperor, Jue Yuan asks the Sifu to train him in Northern Shaolin kung fu. The Sifu says that Shaolin kung fu is for defense, not killing, and that Jue Yuan is not a monk. Jue Yuan says that he wants to become a monk.

Jue Yuan's head is shaven, and the Temple's Abbot ordains him as a junior monk. Jue Yuan begins Northern Shaolin kung fu training. After a time, he has gained impressive fighting abilities, but while sparring, he pictures the Emperor 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 the Emperor, but fails and is forced to flee. Ashamed, he returns to the Temple. His Sifu allows him to resume training.

More than a year later, Li Shimin (son of Li Yuan), who is pursued by the Emperor, enters the Temple. The monks pretend to help the Emperor hunt for Li Shimin while the latter escapes. Jue Yuan and Bai Wu Xia help Li Shimin, making their way past the Emperor's patrols in disguise. The escape, however, fails. Bai Wu Xia and an injured Li Shimin flee on a raft down the river, while Jue Yuan sacrifices himself to protect them. His Sifu, along with other monks, saves Jue Yuan. However, the Sifu banishes him from the Temple. The Emperor learns of what the monks did, and marches on the Temple with his army to destroy it.

The Abbot orders the monks not to fight, even as the Emperor's army surrounds the Temple. The Abbot pleads with the Emperor for mercy and accepts the blame. He is placed on a pyre, which is set aflame. The Emperor announces that, if the monks reveal the traitors' whereabouts, he will spare the Temple and the Abbot. He then has his men kill several of the other top monks. A battle begins, and many monks are killed.

Jue Yuan and Ba Wu Xia return to the Temple. The Emperor's army takes the outer walls and outer grounds, and kills all the monks there. The surviving monks fall back within the inner walls. The Sifu is wounded. Before dying, he entreats Jue Yuan to protect the Temple and uphold justice. The Emperor receives word that Li Shimin and his army are approaching the East Capital, and they abandon the siege of the Temple. Jue Yuan and the monks ride after the Emperor, joining the battle at the ravaged East Capital. Jue Yuan and the Emperor duel on the shore of the great river, with Jue Yuan eventually killing the Emperor.

Jue Yuan later returns to the Temple, where the new Abbot asks if he can obey the vow to not murder. Jue Yuan vows that he will not kill, save to uphold righteousness, and the Abbot accepts this. Jue Yuan continues to swear his vows, but when he reaches the vow of celibacy, he is again conflicted. He eventually sees Bai Wu Xia, who has sneaked into a wing of the sanctum. He eventually vows to remain celibate, and she leaves. Jue Yuan is ordained as a true monk. He also becomes the kung fu Sifu of the Temple, leading the monks in their training.

Cast

• Jet Li as Jue Yuan
• Ding Lan as Bai Wu Xia
• Yu Hai as Sifu
• Hu Jianqiang as Wu Kong
• Jian-kui Sun as Se Kong
• Liu Huailiang as Liao Kong / Emperor Chang (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 Fang Zhang
• Yang Dihua as Seng Zhi
• 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
• Kong Fanyan as Sixth General
• Sun Shengjun as Seventh General
• Yan Dihua as Shaolin Senior Monk
• Hung Yan-yan as Shaolin student

Production

The film was produced on a budget of HK$1.6 million^[6] (US$264,000).

During production, Jet Li was reportedly paid only CN¥1 per day while filming.^[4]

Box office

In China, it became the highest-grossing film of all time, grossing CN¥161,578,014^[7][8] (US$85,376,199). The film reportedly sold more than 410 million tickets across China within its first six months of release,^[9] eventually selling an estimated total of 500 million tickets in China.^[10][11][12]

In Hong Kong, the film sold 700,000 tickets,^[4] and grossed HK$16.16 million^[8] (US$2,662,310), making it the fourth top-grossing film of 1982 in Hong Kong.^[13] It became the highest-grossing film of all time in Singapore with a gross of S$1.7 million^[14] (US$794,000).

In Japan, it was the fourth top-grossing film of 1982, with ¥1.65 billion in distributor rentals^[15] and a box office record of ¥4 billion in gross receipts,^[8] equivalent to HK$100 million (US$16.47 million) in gross revenue.^[16] In South Korea, the film sold 294,065 tickets in Seoul alone^[17] and set a box office record of ₩5.1 billion (US$6.57 million) grossed nationwide in 1983.^[8]

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,^[18] 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)^[19]

Legacy

The film was largely responsible for turning the Shaolin Monastery into a major tourist destination, both within China and internationally.^[4] The movie's popularity swiftly encouraged filmmakers in China and Hong Kong to produce more Shaolin-based movies.^[20]

The film spawned a revival of popularity in mainstream martial arts in China.^[21]

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.^[22] 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.^[23][12]

See also

• List of films by box office admissions
• List of highest-grossing films in China
• List of highest-grossing non-English films