Dragon (2011) - full transcript

Xiaotian, don't be afraid,
it'll be over quickly

I'll pull on three

One

Where's the tooth?

Xiaotian, you tricked me!

I want to keep my tooth

Xiaotian!

You tricked me!

I'll get you

Father

What is it, son?



My tooth hurts

Your tooth hurts

Let me have a look

Which one hurts?

Open wider

This one?

Show me

Zhigen's wife visited
the paper mill yesterday

to chastise the people
who didn't go

to the celebration
for her newborn

I was busy with an order,

so I ran

Really?

Judging from her body,
she's pregnant again



She is?

Mother

When will you have another child?

Why do you ask?

He talks too much

Let's replace him

No

Yes, we will

No

Yes

No

Jinxi

Would you like some

five spice stew

That's alright

I already ate

Oh, that's right...

I almost forgot,
you're a vegetarian

This village has prospered
since the paper mill opened

More and more visitors
come here to buy paper

Welcome, gentlemen

You sell wine?

You're lucky

We make our own wine,
"Thousand Springs"

It may be rustic

But it is as good as old wine

Give me four pints

Yes, sir

Wait

Give me eight

Eight pints of "Thousand Springs"

Are you martial artists?

On your way to the county town?

I must tell you

A few months ago

a father and daughter
duo of your trade

passed through here

They sold me some "Mighty Pills"

I can attest that

they were very potent!

Sir, your wine...

This wine is also called
"Fragrant Bottle"

or "Drop at the Door"

It tastes horrible

Waiter

Does this village have
a general store?

Yes...

It's across that way

We're here for money

Are you here to buy paper?

We're here for money

Do you have a letter of credit?

We're here

for the money

Understood?

Where's the money?

You cut me, idiot

Help...

Father!

Father, are you alright?

Toes, no fatal wound

Chest, no fatal wound

Lower back, no fatal wound

Genitals, no fatal wound

Shoulders, no fatal wound

Fangzheng!

Watch your children

Knees, no fatal wound

Palms, no fatal wound

Soles, no fatal wound

These herbs will kill the smell

Ankles, no fatal wound

Insteps, no fatal wound

"Robbery convict -Yan Dongsheng"

Your honor

Xu, you seem flustered

What's the matter?

I discovered that

one of the dead men
is the top ten wanted criminal

Yan Dongsheng

Your honor must remember

Yan was the mastermind

behind countless heinous crimes

We brought him to justice

After being held for three days,
he overpowered us

and escaped

You're saying that this Liu Jinxi

accidentally captured Yan Dongsheng?

Yes

Not only captured

but killed the criminal

Yes

It means the case was solved
in "my" jurisdiction

Good. Excellent!

Make arrangements for me
to meet this hero

Not only meet

but also thank him
on behalf of the people

and the county government

Let's go

Who is Liu Jinxi?

Here, sir. Coming

Countymen

We've solved the case

The dead man is

Yan Dongsheng

He's the notorious criminal

responsible for countless murders

Thanks to our hero

Liu Jinxi

Yan was brought to justice

This is a blessing

Jinxi wants to eat pears

To the market he hurries,
here and there

Time to core and pare the pears

Quickly Jinxi, eat the pears

He fights the thief,
and peels his skin

Ayu can't believe what she sees

Tonight she will reward Jinxi

Reward Jinxi

July 1917, the 11 th fortnight...

I was sent to Liu village

Crime Scene: General Store

People involved: a papermaker,
two fugitives

How could an unarmed paper maker

defeat a trained killer
like Yan Dongsheng?

Do you know Liu Jinxi?

Everyone knows everyone
in this village

Has he always lived here?

Well, no

No

He moved here
when he married Ayu

he adopted the clan name, Liu

His real family name was Gong

Gong?

Fangzheng was only
a few years old

When his father left

Ayu married Jinxi and
gave birth to Xiaotian

I once asked Jinxi

Where are you from?

He said, Gong village

He said he came from
a family of butchers

Butchers?

Bloodshot eyes

indicate a brain hemorrhage

Yan received a heavy
blow to the temple

below which the vagus...

...nerve serves a key function:

it regulates the heartbeat

Traumatizing it can stop the heart

To damage the vagus Nerve...

...with a single
blow to the temple

requires extraordinary skills

Only three fugitives killers
are capable of such a thing:

Fang Rishou

He was once a war hero...

but was later discharged
for violent behavior

Became a gambling addict...

he squandered his fortune

He set fire to the gambling den

Dozens were killed

He vanished afterwards

Zhao Yiguang, also known
as The Eye Collector

He ambushed the Tai Fen Convoy

The victims had
their eyes gouged...

...and tongues removed

It took them three days to die

Bu yuan...

a psychopath famous
for his knife skills

He slit his victims' veins
and drained their blood

He even threw their heads
into boiling soup pots

He arrived just after
the Spring festival

One afternoon

he came to the tavern

Wine, please

Yes, sir

Sir, what are these?

What?

You don't know?

They're amulets on
the first day of spring

men wear them
on the left arm

and women wear them on the right

to ward off ghosts

He claimed that

his village didn't practice
the same ritual

His home village was in Lianzhou

It left a deep impression on me

Lianzhou...

Lianzhou have amulets too

They do

I hope there's not a problem

Jinxi is a good man

Leave it

I don't like the smell
of fish bladder

Mrs. Tung said there's a potion

I can take to prevent pregnancy

It's mercury; it's poison

It will harm your body

What if I get pregnant?

Then we'll have another baby

You...

seem upset?

No, I was just thinking

about the two men that died

But they were bad men

Officials said they were going
to rob a supply convoy nearby

They were just passing through

So...

Jinxi, you did good

The detective may be
a bit eccentric

but he doesn't accept bribes

so he must be a good man

We should offer him
a meal on the house

Men are just sacks
of stinking fluids

with no redeeming qualities

A good man?

Good or bad, it's determined
by our physiology

The Ren-ying meridian
controls hunger

His Ren-ying appears
to be overdeveloped

The short man was a born glutton

Give me four pints...

Wait... Give me eight

Wine impaired his Qi, a contributing
factor to his cardiac arrest

He died because his Ren-ying
meridian betrayed him

As for me

my weakness is
my Shanzhong meridian

It controls emotions
and gives us empathy

My Shanzhong meridian is
overdeveloped

It makes me too empathetic;
it almost cost me my life once

I caught a young man

who stole from
his adoptive parents

But I send him home

I put humanity above the law

I never imagined that he
would poison our food

Both his parents died

I sustained internal injuries

That's why I use two needles:

one in the Shanzhong,

to suppress my empathy;

the other in the Tientu,

to control the posion

I treat my body

and my personality flaws
at the same time

Since then

"he" follows me around

He says:

you can't trust humanity

Only physiology and
the law don't lie

It's you

There's no door

No need for doors here

Looking for Jinxi?

He's not home

No

I've come to see you

I'll make you congee
for your cough

Please don't bother

It's no trouble at all

No trouble at all

Last night, the tavern
keeper told me that

Jinxi only joined
the clan a few years ago

His last name

wasn't Liu originally?

It was five years ago

At that time...

I was pregnant with Xiaotian

I asked for his name to be
added in the clan records

That's all

Well then...

how did you two meet?

It was a long time ago.
I can barely remember

On that day he was
just passing through

He told me he had a fight
with his family

And he'd run away

He never talks about his family

Unresolved conflicts?

They can be resolved

Did Jinxi know
your former husband?

No

Did I...

say something wrong?

That man abandoned us

just like that

He said, "I'll see you tonight"

It turned out...

he'd been planning to leave

He even took his favourite
pillow with him

He abandoned his wife and child

Jinxi doesn't need to know...

such a man

Sometimes

Jinxi says to me

I'll see you tonight

I tell him not
to use those words

Not to say them...

On the subject of his family,
I'm afraid if I asked

he might just disappear too

First interrogation of the suspect;
July, 12th fortnight

Describe your fight
with Yan Dongsheng

I think...

it was like this...

I grabbed him like this

Continue

I held onto him

I refused to let go

then he spun me around

You used leverage

against Yan's brutal force

No wonder Yan couldn't shake you

How did Yan lose his ear?

It was chaos

I think...

the short man came at me...

...from behind with a sword

I ducked of course

then I heard a scream

I didn't know what was happening

Are you saying...

that they wounded each other?

Yes!

They cut one another

Just like that

How odd

How did the short man die?

I know!

I saw it

He ran from here to there

He flew up there and BANG -
he fell

Then he died

You let him throw you

You used your hands
to bounce back up

then summoned Qi energy

You were ready to kill

You hit his Yunmen meridian

It caused a blood clot...

blocking the blood flow
to the coronary arteries

resulting in cardiac arrest

The tall man broke the door

and dragged me out here

He pushed me into the pond

and tried to drown me

I fought for my life

But I couldn't breathe underwater

How did Yan die?

It was you who dragged him
into the pond

Water resistance

blunted the force of Yan's blows

A direct blow to the vagus Nerves

would either kill the victim

or leave him paralyzed for life

It was a vicious blow;

you must have wanted Yan dead

Liu Jinxi

What kind of man are you?

I was lucky

Thank you for everything

- I'll see you tomorrow.
- Tomorrow?

You have more questions?

I'll know very soon

In recognition of Jinxi's heroism

and contribution to the village

the village has decided to

sponsor Fangzheng's college studies

and county examination fees

If he does well in the examination

we'll host a celebration ceremony

and make all the arrangements

Ayu

Will Fangzheng be
an adult this year?

Yes, he's twelve

After the rites

he will receive new clothes

and be considered an adult

You and your husband
have worked hard

to raise your children

When they grow up and succeed

you will be proud parents

It's the dream of all parents

Thank you

The House of Jinxi is surrounded
by a water of jade

I foresee a man of prominence

Impossible!

You're breathing more heavily
than me

For a martial artist like you

each breath should last
at least ten counts

How else could you collect Qi

in your body's core?

Two counts

This can't be

Let me help you

it's heavy, sir!

- No need, really.
- It's alright.

It's heavy, sir

Help!

Jinxi, hang on! Don't move!

Help!

Given his weight and
the height he fell

the branches should have broken

by the force of the impact

Density could also be a factor

If he could counter

the momentum of the fall
with an equal upward force

he might stop the fall

But his body is 800
times denser than air

Unless he can shift his
body density at will?

He defied gravity with "Qinggong"

Are you alright?

If you hadn't come today

I wouldn't have fallen

It's karma

It was an accident

No

What I mean to say is:

the fabric of existence

is composed of a myriad
of karmic threads

Nothing exists in and of itself;

everything is connected

For example

if I hadn't come to this village

I wouldn't have met Ayu

If her husband hadn't left

I would't have married her

If I hadn't gone to the store

I wouldn't have seen the criminals

and they wouldn't have died

Then you wouldn't have come here

No one truly has free will

When one man sins

we all share his sin

We are all accomplices

Are you saying that a killer

doesn't have free will
when he kills?

He was conditioned to the act

And when he kills

Because we're all
part of that sin

we're all accomplices?

I wasn't thinking of killers

I found no proof

Then leave him alone

He's a reformed man

We're not here
to reform criminals

Then what's our purpose?

To serve the law

If the law doesn't help
reform people

What good is it?

A true martial artist can control

the flow of his Qi
and his mental state

He may appear to be a good man

but he's still a killer

Go to Lianzhou and dig around

Once you get the information

report back to me

Baijiu

Take care of yourself

Don't forget your condition

You can't actually fight

What are you saying?

He might be a trained killer,
you said so yourself

You think...

he's going to silence me?

Just be careful

Have some more

Where're your manners?
We have a guest

Have some more

Have more

Xu Baijiu

Where are you from?

Fucheng, Chaozhou

It's not far

I hear your hometown is in Lianzhou?

It's so far away

What brought you out here?

You either love it here

or hate where you come from

Yes, I like it here

Fucheng is close

You must go home often?

I hear the weather there is nice

Well...

Since my father died

and my mother remarried

I seldom visit

But I sometimes get homesick

I heard that you left home
ten years ago

Don't you ever miss it?

Ever thought about going back?

No, I haven't

Are you telling me that

Xiaotian's never met
his grandfather

Eat up, the food is getting cold

Fangzheng said...

that you owned a horse before

It's rare for most families
to own horses

Don't you think?

What kind of horse?

Yes...

I had a horse once

But my father killed it

My father saw
that I loved my horse

so he killed it

and fed me its flesh

I ate it without knowing

Then he said

if I could stomach eating my horse

I could face anything

nothing could defeat me

Would you go back to
a place like that?

Did it taste good?

Not at all

It's late

Yes, it's late

I could...

have a shower first

Am I sleeping upstairs?

I'll find my own way

Please continue

After years of killing

the murderer's face becomes pale

the eyes turn green

even the air around
the body grows cold

Why aren't your eyes green?

Thirsty?

I'm thirsty

Sons of the clan

you've reached the age of adulthood

From this day forth

you must dress and
conduct yourself as men

Protect and serve the emperor

Liu Kaitai

Liu Fangzheng

Liu Tianxiang

With these clothes,
you become a man

Bow

And again

Offer incense

You looked quite moved

Were you?

I've always wondered

why you left home and
changed your name

What happened ten years ago?

I needed a change

I caught a young thief once

I thought he would reform...

...and let him go home

I never imagined that

he would poison his own parents

Tell me

If he had run away and
changed his name

could he really have changed?

I don't think so

You want to arrest me

I was a convicted murderer

I was in Lianzhou prison
for ten years

I was originally from Gong village

My father was a butcher

another butcher borrowed money
from us...

...but never paid us back

My father said

men are no different from animals

But this man is
lower than an animal

because he's greedy

My father handed me his cleaver

I hacked the man to death

I felt nothing

I suddenly froze

I heard the man's son crying

The child was still alive

He was staring at me

my father was wrong

Humans are not animals

A murder sentence should be
more than ten years

There was an amnesty
ten years ago

I knew I had to change

I had to leave my hometown
to live a new life

I needed to be Liu Jinxi

I almost succeeded

Father, the market is open

Please leave us alone

Please!

Father! We need to hurry!

Xu Baijiu, you should come too!

I'll be right there

Hurry!

Alright

Let's go

He's surrounded by
an energy field?

He's radiating Qi energy

repelling even the flies

He lied to you

How could a common butcher develop...

...such powerful Qi?

Take this, I guarantee
it won't cut him

You told me it wouldn't cut?

Pine trees are prickly

Whoever dares to bully Liu Jinxi?

Now you have to deal with me!

You frown when you've done wrong

Each new moon has two prongs

Xu Baijiu, go away!

No boat will ferry you along

Your letters will have no name

Have you no shame?

I've verified the facts

There's no Gong village in Lianzhou

There were no butchers in Lianzhou

with a last name Gong

But ten years ago...

a butcher's family was massacred

A butcher named Zhang

borrowed money but didn't
repay the loan

Their flest was used
for savory bun filling

and distributed to unsuspecting
villagers

The villagers said

they had never tasted
anything so delicious

You must be familiar
with the case

Are you alright?

I'm fine, Captain

You'll get used to it in time

Listen

The 72 Demons are the
last surviving Tanguts

They used to be civilized, like us

But after the massacre
of 800,000 Tanguts

The survivors became savages

They ate raw meat and
left their dead unburied

Hunger for revenge

is what keeps them alive

I guess it's karma

After this killing...

Tang Long, the second
in command, went missing

Liu Jinxi has lived here

for exactly...

ten years, hasn't he?

So he is Tang Long

You disappeared for 10 years

but you were never imprisoned

You Killed the butcher's family

You 're not a butcher's son

You were the 72 Demons'
second in command

I must return to the county
to get a warrant for his arrest!

Xu Baijiu, where are you going?

Are you leaving?

Yes

I suppose your work here is done?

You healed quickly

The doctor said

you nearly cut a major artery

That would have killed me

You were lucky

May be you're lucky?

I know a shortcut

Let me lead the way

Otherwise, you won't make it
to Feng County by nightfall

That would be a shame

Few people know about this path

I came across it by accident

Will you close the case
after you leave here?

Yes

I will

You don't believe me?

We part ways here

Keep going straight

After an hour...

you'll reach the main road

Keep walking...

and you'll find Feng County

What are you waiting for?

Goodbye, then

That road did lead to Feng County

Why didn't he kill me?

Xu Baijiu

You've worked for me
for ten years and still so naive?

Captain, it's different this time

I could lend you the men
under my command

but they're just a bunch
of cowards and bums

Hire some outlaws

but using criminals
to stop a criminal...

is playing with fire

Xu Baijiu

Just let it go

Tang Long is not a wanted criminal

why do you want a warrant?

The 72 Demons are
notorious outlaws

And Tang Long is their
second in command

Where's the proof?

Even if you bribe the judge
for a warrant

you're risking your life

I'll report the judge!

Nonsense!

How much do you want?

20 taels of silver

What?

Where will I find that?

I only receive 4 taels a year!

Business hours are over

Come back to me

when you have the money

I never expected to need help
from this person:

My wife

I'll pay you back

Is business good?

I'll burn incense
for your father

Don't bother

I'm afraid father
wouldn't like it

Before he's passed away...

he made it clear

What about you?

You still blame me?

Does it matter?

Father was wrong
to sell fake medicine

But the medicine...

didn't cost any lives

He got on his knees

and begged for your mercy

you wouldn't let go

What did it feel like?

It wasn't up to me

It's the law

He was only guilty of
selling fake medicine

he didn't need to kill himself

I know

you said it before

You'll never forgive me

you still don't understand

Not forgiving...

you'd have to still care

Is the law really more important
than humanity?

Captain

what has the world come to?

Whatever the world has become

you have no choice but
to be part of it

Tsu Kun, where're you taking me?

where's my reward?

Whatever you have to say,
tell Master yourself

Are you saying

Tang Long is in the village
that you mentioned?

Yes

And...

he has two sons?

Yes

One is his

One is from his wife's
previous marriage

Are you telling me this...

because you think I want
information about Tang Long?

Tsu Kun, what's going on?

Answer me

You didn't go to
the 36 Constellations

You didn't go to
the Black Dragon Gang

Instead, you came here

Because you know...

we have a connection
with Tang Long

True?

No

Master... it's not...

It's not what you think

Tsu Kun, help me

Tell him

who Tang Long is

Tang Long...

is the son of our Master

You came here with the information

so that I would kill my own son

You...

How dare you!

Tell me

Should I kill Tang Long?

Well?

Should I kill him?

None of you can match him

None of you can match Tang Long!

Master wants to...

bring Tang Long back!

Oma-miba-mihon...

Did you ever work the land?

I did

What are they reciting?

They're praying for souls

to be released from purgatory

You see

when you till the earth

you can't avoid harming
the small creatures in it

Jinxi performed a brave deed
by killing two criminals

we make a record of Jinxi's
great deed

Jinxi is a man of integrity

His bravery and kindness

are a blessing to us

and an example for our youth

We will remember

and be inspired...

Go down on your knees

Kneel!

I am Liu Jinxi

Liu Jinxi?

I am Liu Jinxi

Tell the truth!

Father!

Who are you?

This is a family matter

so shut up!

Shut up!

Be quiet!

You deny you're Tang Long

My house is on fire

Help!

I'm not going back

You know that "he" wants you back

He won't give up

You are Tang Long

You still are

I'll get you some water

The chief told us to shelter
in the fortress

That's why I'm packing

I've already packed
your belongings

Good

What do you mean?

I can't go with you

So we're not going either

We should...

we should leave

and start a new life
somewhere else

it's useless...

How can you say that?

Have some water

Don't say that

It's too late, do you understand

Thanks for letting me be Liu Jinxi

But I'm not Liu Jinxi

Jinxi

That day by the pond

if the woman you met hadn't been me

Would you have stayed?

Sir, spare my children

Kill me if you must!
They're innocent

Sir, I beg you

Sir...

Please don't...

Sir...

I'm sorry

What happened?

It must be the 72 Demons

It doesn't look good

Even if we capture Tang Long,

the Demons might still ambush us

Nothing will stop them

we should just let them
kill each other

and return later

What for, if he's dead?

He'll receive a death
sentence anyway

Xu Baijiu, what do you
really want?

I must bring him to justice

You promised never to return?

Is this Tang Long?

Tang Long of the 72 Demons

They will come back

Let's wait nearby

let them kill each other

No, we should all stay

Stay if you want to

We're leaving

We'll return for the corpses

The other day in the forest...

why didn't you kill me?

You promised never to return

And you believed me?

I did

Ayu told me something

She said:

Xu Baijiu is a good man

He just doesn't know it

There is no such thing

Good men don't exist

The human body is amazing,
it can trick you

I want to use your body
to trick them

Tang Long

You must die

There are three stages of death:

the brink, the degeneration
and the final death

in the first stage,
we appear dead

Most people will be fooled

I want you to enter
this first stage

you'll be in a coma

Most people can't tell
the difference

He's dead?

But to trick the 72 demons

you need to enter

the more dangerous second stage

When the demons arrive

I'll press the vagus Nerve
in your neck

to induce the degeneration stage

your breathing and
pulse will stop

you 'll show no signs of life

you'll lose all sensation

You can stay in this condition
up to 15 minutes

if I fail to revive you in time

you will truly be dead!

We're taking Tang Long's body
to the court

Step aside!

You drove Tang Long to his death!

# Duo-a... #

# nuo-zi-die #

# The dead will not return #

# come back #

# The soul will return... #

Which one of you is
Tang Long's son?

Tell me, which one of you
is Tang Long's son?

His name is Xiaotian

He's four years old

Tang Long used this hand to kill

I'm returning this murderous
arm to the clan

I'm done with the 72 Demons

You choose a woman and a child

over your own home?

Our brother Tang Long...

is dead

Our brother Tang Long is dead!

You still need to tell the Master

He's waiting for you at home

very nice...

Sing again, grandfather loves it

Altogether, the thumb,
index and middle finger

sing an opera
for the little sister

Grandfather loves to hear
children sing

middle finger, sing an
opera for the little sister

very nice...

You should sing for grandfather
every day

Father

What happened?

I'm no longer with the 72 Demons

Everyone has arrived

Everyone is here

Let's eat

When your father was little

he looked just like me

especially when he was angry

My splitting image

Even if he got lost

people would send him back to me

Don't you agree?

Why do you nod?

Look at him now

He doesn't look like me anymore

But my grandson does

much more than he ever did

The beans are good

Xiaotian

Have some beanie

Beanie beanie, yummy yummy

Eat beanie or be skinny

I didn't tell you to sing

Beanie beanie, yummy yummy

Eat beanie or be skinny

I didn't tell you to sing

Beanie beanie, yummy yummy

Eat beanie or be skinny

I didn't tell you to sing

I beg you, please

Please stop, I beg you...

Stop

Children must do as they're told

When your father was little

he hated it when I was away

Once he stripped the leaves...

...from the tree
in front of the house

I asked him what happened

He said:

I once promised him

when all the leaves had fallen

I would return

That's why he stripped
all the leaves off

Then he said:

the leaves were long gone

but why were you still not back?

In the end, I burned
the tree down

I hated it...

for disappointing my son

Bastard!

After that

Everytime I go out

my son made me take him with me

He said:

Now the tree is gone

how will you come home?

I've cut off my arm for you

We're not related anymore

I will let you go

I'm a fair man

When one leaves...

another takes his place

Your blood is mine

His blood is mine too

Your blood...

It is not the blood of
a Tangut anymore!

Your blood is vile!

The world has abandoned us Tanguts

How could you forget?

How could you raise a family
like you're one of them?

You are a traitor

There's a needle in his heel...

We need another one!

You were given to me by God

But, he let you betray me

Don't blame me

For killing you!

This investigation is now closed

October 1917, 18th fortnight

Xiaotian

More rice or more soup?

Soup

Eat slowly

Jinxi

I'll see you tonight