Tai ji quan (1974) - full transcript

Tai Chi Chuen builds health
and provides self-defense skills

It has flourished over 800 years

Even when westerners speak of Kung Fu
they're bound to know of Tai Chi Chuen

Rumored to have originated from
Cheung San Fung

Its philosophy uses stillness -

to overcome action,
softness to conquer power

Remain tranquil when faced with enemies

Move in response to opponents' movements

Rolling with the opponent's punches.
Make him miss and lose balance

Then retaliate
using the opponent's own force

Pre-empt the opponent once he moves



Every technique responding to
the opponent's moves

Flowing naturally from within.
Executed effortlessly

Conquering without form

Tai Chi should be practiced slowly
to relax body and mind

So as to build health and relax
the body's muscles, tendons -

and joints. Such that
one is nimble and quick -

Agile when responding to opponents,
changing techniques speedily

Practicing the slow rhythm of Tai Chi
will help attain maximum speed

This is Yi Jing's philosophy.
That for every high there's a low

Brother Hu,
we have been waiting since morning

Waiting up till now. Look at the sun.
We can wait no longer

If you don't wait

When your name is called
and you're absent, you've had it!

For this month
you'd have worked for nothing



Whoever fools around with me,
is a dead man

Stop it, let me look into this

What's the matter?

Why haven't the wages been distributed?
We have been waiting since early morning

Stop complaining and keep waiting

Keep waiting, for what?
You should appreciate

Many of them are waiting for the month's
wages to buy food and supplies, -

they've eventually got to be paid

You want to rush me, is it?
Supervisor Tang is inside

Go and urge him yourself

Damn, we have worked hard.
Please be generous

A day off each month is not enough
even for collecting wages. - Right...

Supervisor Tang,
they are starting to quarrel

When the wages are distributed and
they discover -

they've been cheated and paid
just half of it; I'm afraid...

Stop whining...

This isn't my first time as supervisor

I have seen things like these

Whoever is disgruntled can leave

We can easily hire people
with half of their wages

Supervisor Tang,
it's time to distribute the wages

What's the hurry?

We're not under the sun

I want them provoked

If they cause a stir
they play into my hands

Uncle...

Uncle has fainted

Get him out of the sun.
He fainted under the hot sun

Let him rest inside.
And get some water and ointment

Oh, maybe get a girl to serve him too?

What are you joking about?
He fainted under the hot sun

Uncle, wake up

Brother Hu, he has come around.
Let's find another place to rest

No way, I must go in

Try

You dare to strike others

Who is fighting?

You dare deny?

Brother Hu, let's leave.
Why bother to argue with them?

Halt!

Which group do you belong to?
What's your name?

Hu Ping-lien of group Nine

On whose influence are you leaning
against such that you dare strike others?

What power do poor people have?
I haven't struck others either

I saw with my own eyes up there

Nonsense! You call this hitting others.
I merely pushed him

Right, I'll give you a push too

You dare strike me too

Brother Hu, stop fighting

Brother Hu, ask around and check out
who I am before you hit people

Supervisor, he hasn't hit anyone

Who's that? So it's you

I tell you. Striking a supervisor
is a hideous offence

It doesn't matter who struck the blow.
Their wages will be used for medical bills.
Then I'll hit you again

You...

I'm responsible, not Hu

What's your name?

Ku Ting of group 12

Right, you've worked for nothing
this month

For nothing?

Sir, I badly need the money

I'd rather be beaten up

OK, that's fair enough

Take all necessary revenge

Ku Ting

Ku Ting

It's OK

What right have you to beat up others?

The June wages will be distributed now

Half of the wages are deducted?

Really? Why?
For the welfare fund

It'll be returned after
3 years' of service. - Why?

This is as per company rules

If you don't like you may quit

You want to create trouble

Take him for an example

This is unfair garnishing of wages

If you don't like it, don't work here

OK, give me a month's pay

Not a cent more

You've only worked for a month
and have used the company's tools

You'll need to compensate for
replacement cost too

C'mon, off you go

Whoever wants to work, get in line

Yang Chen, when practicing
you need to focus

It's hard to improve like that

Father, is Ku Ting coming today?

He hasn't failed to show up in 10 years

Why hasn't he come?

Master

Ku Ting, come here

Have you met a strong adversary?

He wouldn't fight with other

I think he was beaten up

The supervisors wanted to get at someone

I was afraid of escalating trouble.
So I let them beat me up

This is our principle

We practice martial arts
for health and defense -

not for bullying others

One has to be tolerant

You have trained here for 10 years.
You haven't wasted it

You are my best student

Ten years only to get beaten up

What sort of kung fu is that?

Yang Chen,
perhaps you'll never understand this

Tai Chi turns force against itself

The punch aimed at you,
even if it were powerful, -

you could deflect it
and go unharmed

This is the pinnacle of our style

To get beaten up is also kung fu

I'll never agree for the rest of my life

Come, Ku Ting

Ku Ting

You haven't yet grasped
Tai Chi's philosophy

As said in the doctrine: -

Use the opponent's force
and make him miss

Harness the opportunity

And use minimum force
to deflect maximum power

You must remember the Pa Lien foot work

I'll keep still if you don't move. But
I'll pre-empt your movement when you do

When your stance is weak
I'll use your force against you

Then you'll tumble

Father, I don't believe this.
Let me try

All right

Father,
did you have to use so much power?

This is to teach you a lesson

This is called 'Play the Pi Pa'

This is 'Repulse Monkey'

This is 'Single Whip'

This is 'Turn and Strike with Fist'

This is 'Parting the Wild Horses' Mane'

You ought to remember these techniques

Enjoy wine when you can

Who knows what the future brings!

Waiter

Yes

Today's wine is insipid like water

When a drink gives you blood-shot eyes
you'll know the wine is strong

Brother Hu, stop drinking

Leave me

I'll not leave

Sit down

What's the matter?

What's left of the wages given today
is a meager dollar after deductions

A-Bao's mother is sick again

The money I owe you from last month

I...

Go...

Who's pressing for a repayment?
- Yes, yes

Wait

Take it all

But... Remember...

Though we're poor,
don't appear pitiful

Ku Ting, take him home

All right

This damn kid

Go back home

Damn you, are you blind?
- Sorry, sorry

Look, we already lead a dog's life

Yet, Supervisor Tang wants to deduct half
our wages for the so-called welfare fund

Forget it, whatever it is

We suffer for it

Father

She needs a doctor

I know that too.
But doctors decline to come here

I took her to a doctor in the afternoon

Even before we had gone ten steps of
the way mother fainted from the heat

If you pay a bit more,
the doctor may come

This afternoon someone mentioned -

a woman is here from Shanghai
and is looking for a servant

I hear she is willing to pay well.
I'll see her tomorrow

What is she like?
- I don't know

The word is she's putting up
at Mr. Chin's place

Look

I wasn't deceiving you, right

Mr. Chin is wealthy

What good is all this?

Frankly, if you want me to stay
you should change all the furniture

It should be sent over from Shanghai

Nothing could be easier

With money one can achieve anything

Miss Fan,
is she qualified enough for you?

Too unfashionable

That's OK, I'll dress her up

What's your name?

She's called A-Bao

You must obey me while you're here

Young master,
the masters are here -

and are waiting for you in the back yard

Go, move

Who wants your company?

We will get beaten up again

No alternative unless we can beat him

Enough. Who goes first?

Let's all attack together

Good

Why don't you make your move?

Master Yuan,
is there anyone who can be my match?

It's difficult to find

If Master Yang were here -

We'll know if I have a match

What kind of a fellow is Master Yang?

Young master, disregard him

What use is that old fellow?

Which style is he from?

Tai Chi

Like this

Like catching shrimps

Master Yuan,
ingratiate him all you want, -

but don't insult Tai Chi Chuan

You're also a martial arts practitioner
and should know the status of Tai Chi

Old Yang might not be
young master's match

Never mind that

Master Yuan,
get Master Yang to fight with me

Yes

Go

Quickly...

Hurry up

Quickly...

Don't be lazy

Quickly

What are you doing?

It is not yet rest time

It is not yet rest time

Do you hear?

Breaking the duty rules
will cause deduction of wages

You'd like us to work for free

Why are you still here?

Didn't you say you quit yesterday?

I'm not the only one who quit!

All of them will quit!

Right, we all quit!

Don't listen to him!

My dry lips are cracking.
Still we don't get a drink?
- That's right, go drink some water

Brother Hu, oversee the work here

I have a matter to attend

For this group at month's end
deduct one day's salary

Supervisor Tang,
I think Hu is stirring up trouble

By month's end he'll be a dead man

Please sit

Supervisor Tang, you've ingratiated
yourself with Boss Chin

And have become a supervisor
overseeing thousands of workmen

How can we be equal?

Elder brother, don't talk like that

You call us brothers

Supervisor Tang wants us
for a big time job

I dare not say it's a big job
but rather it is a small token

That's a lot of money.
What do I have to do?

Master Yang, There's something you
don't know. Since childhood -

young master has been interested
in martial arts

He is also courteous

He has heard of your name
and would like to see your skills

You should consent

Master Yang, if you agree
I am sure that Master Chin -

will definitely reward you well

By then you'll know,
I've come with good intentions

We don't need this kind of money
to buy food and supplies

If he is so generous, -

ask him not to treat road workmen
in such a mean way

Yang Chen

Master Yang,
are you going or not?

You should say something
and give me face

I'm not going

You have broken a carrying stick

You think I don't carry enough and
add more weight such that it's broken

I don't care

Your wages will be deducted accordingly

I...

Listen, all of you

You'll all leave one hour later
from tomorrow

No way...

What else are you up to?

What blas? attitude!

When you first arrived
you made your mark on the contract

Didn't you read one condition
in the small print?

If we were literate, we wouldn't be
in this job. - Correct...

Right, I'll read it to you

If required by the job the company
can extend the working hours

Workers cannot refuse

No way...

We're not made of iron

We'll leave at the same time tomorrow

Right...

Ku Ting, you were trained in martial arts

Not really been trained in it

That's good enough for us

Who did you train with?

Master Yang

No wonder you submitted yourself
to the beating

You can't be hurt

What do you mean?

Look, I 'm still bruised

That's nothing

Ku Ting, do your job well

I'll promote you

Ku Ting, let's go!

Coming

Remember, learning from anyone
is better than learning from Hu

Can't imagine in such a small place

There's someone like you

You'll be famous
if you come with me to Shanghai

Famous?

You wouldn't understand now

It's strange! You look very different

What do you want?

What can I want?

Who is it?

Master Yuan wants to see you.
- I know

What's the matter?

Where is that Tai Chi Master Yang?

He wouldn't come. - Nonsense

Didn't you say I asked for him?
Why didn't you say so?

He also scolded me

He must come and see me

Young master,
show him who's the boss

Bring him here
and he will make you angry

Then, get rid of him

I don't want to meet his kind

Young master,
it's easy to kill him

But if anything goes wrong
I'll take care of the worst

What? You doubt my prowess?

No...

This technique to divert your force -

to strike you with your own force

To use strength against strength

Ku Ting, today I'll be able to try out
what you got

Stand fast

Come, hit me

Ku Ting,
your chi has reached my level

How come you couldn't withstand my punch?

You are not focused

What's bothering you?

Nothing

You don't fool me

Tai Chi is different from
other martial arts

An un-focused mind
would just cause confusion

I'd like to leave earlier

What for?

To see A-Bao

A-Bao?

Young master,
where's the young lady?

What do you want with her?

You can tell me

I'd like to go out for a while
to see Ku Ting

I'll be back soon

All right

Thank you, young master

Young master, you...

No, don't

Please don't

No, don't

No, please don't

Although we practice martial arts
nevertheless we should have moral

The assignment given by Chin
is best refused

To perform in public for a living
is better than -

being a running dog of the rich

Master Yang is right

Come on, don't let him get away

Who hired you to assassinate me?

Speak up

Who hired you to come after me?

Chin Ta-hsing

Father, father

Father

Yang Chen,
quick, get Ku Ting

A-Bao, A-Bao

How are you?

Why don't you say something?

A-Bao, what's wrong with you?

Don't you recognize me?

I'm Ku Ting

A-Bao, A-Bao

Ku Ting, Ku Ting!

Cut that racket
in the middle of the night

You're disturbing peoples' sleep

Ku Ting, Ku Ting!
- What's all that noise?

It's middle of the night

People can't sleep

Ku Ting!

Someone's calling me

Wait for me

Master Chin

Ku Ting!

Ku Ting, don't stay here! Come along

Ku Ting, if you don't come with me now
we can't see father anymore. Let's go

Master...
- Father

Go lie down. I'll get the doctor

Ku Ting, you've come at last

I haven't begged anyone all my life

Now I'm asking you a favor

Go with Yang Chen.
- Father

Escape in the middle of the night

Master, you...

Ku Ting, be tolerant in all matters

Yang Chen

Father.
- Master

With people like you working for me
I'm made to look like a fool to all

Where's Yang Tang?

Got himself drunk
in the backyard last night

No one has seen him

Young master,
we have taken care of old Yang

Had I been aware of your incompetence,
I would have done it myself

You said old Yang has a daughter

Who else is there?

A disciple repairing the roads

His name?
- Ku Ting

I'm going out for a while

I'll meet Ku Ting
and then return immediately

This is good

To have established connections with him

Really terrible!
So young

I wonder where she is from

A-Bao?

Good, they know her

What's your relationship with her?

She is uncle's daughter

Go and alert her family

Go quickly

All right

Go...

A-Bao,
I'll beat you if you don't go home

That's strange

Ku Ting hasn't returned the whole night

Quite late last night,
a girl was looking for him

You're worried about him

Ku Ting is not that kind of person

I am not fooling you

That girl is tall, has a braid
and big eyes

She's quite pretty so to speak

She's Master Yang's daughter

Has something happened to Yang?

Inform the supervisor.
I'll start work later

You are Hu Ping-lien?

You're about to die

What?

I say it's time you to die

What?

Hu, you heard me

We are the ones who beat you up

But the one after your life
is Tang Hoi Hay

Ku Ting...

Ku Ting is here

Ku Ting

Ku Ting, you know already?

You are so grieved yourself

How can you comfort uncle and aunt?

Uncle? Aunt?

A-Bao is dead

What did you say? A-Bao, dead?

Let go

A-Bao is dead, he saw it.
- That's right

She was fished out of the water

Ku Ting...

Where's A-Bao?

Speak

A-Bao is at the morgue

Why have you waited till now to come

A-Bao was best friends with you

Why she jumped into the river
you should know

She went to boss Chin's place
to serve a lady

I mean, after only one day...!

I am leaving

Master Chin

Ku Ting, what's the matter?

What's wrong?

A-Bao was killed by the Chin family

Ku Ting, be careful of what you say

If you babble like that
you're the one who'll suffer

Not the powerful Chins.
- Right...

No matter what
the Chin family is involved

Let's take this up with them

Where's Brother Hu?
Why haven't we seen him?

For him to take uncle would be best

Brother Hu heard Miss Yang sought you

And said maybe something
happened to Yang

Yang was stabbed

He died

What?

Ku Ting, uncle's matter is urgent

We can't wait for Hu

Say, why don't you and I
accompany uncle to the Chins

Uncle, I'll take you there

This girl A-Bao;
Did she not take a month's salary?

She got that long ago

That's fine then

What are you grumbling about?

She jumped into the river and died

What nonsense! She had her own free will

If she wanted to jump,
was it up to me to stop her

Master Chin, -

she did work here

Have a heart

Get lost

Have a heart?

How much can I do?

If nothing happened here
A-Bao wouldn't have jumped

Bloody nonsense

You want to blame it on me?

I saw her at mid night yesterday

That's your business

It might be because you failed to rape
her that you pushed her into the river

Get lost at once!

Master Chin, you...

Master Chin, please...

What's the matter?

These three have gone crazy
and want to blackmail me

Oh, you're here as well!

Supervisor Tang, Uncle's daughter
came here to serve the lady

Don't involve me

She jumped into the river and died

What's the big deal?
Go and collect 10 dollars from accounts

Father, don't give a cent

We owe them nothing

If we start a precedence it might appear
we're obliged. That'll be big trouble

Tell them to be gone.
- Get lost... go...

Young master, this is Ku Ting
whom you have been looking for

Drive those two out

Master Chin,
don't you have any conscience?

Don't go

I heard you trained under Master Yang
and trained in Tai Chi Chuen, is it?

Spar with me

Let me see -

what over-rated kung fu is that

If the environment hinders you,
follow me to the backyard

There's plenty of space

See how many punches you can take

Close the door!

What? Will you not strike?

While I did learn kung fu,
it was not intended for fighting

If it's not for fighting,
what's the point?

You wouldn't understand

Oh, so you do?

You killed A-Bao

Rubbish!

Tolerate

You can't deny you killed A-Bao

Nonsense

Take it up with the court

I know you fear not the court;

However you'll fear because
someone has died because of you

You killed A-Bao.
- You dare say that again?

Tolerate

Young master, he's not your match

I'll kill him if he doesn't fight

Open the door...

Young master, he tricked you

He uses your own force against you

That's the essence of Tai Chi

A waste of energy

You can't kill him alone

Let's all join forces and kill him

Why don't you strike back?

You bastard, why don't you fight back?

I know of a way

Young master, push him here

Tolerate...

Ku Ting, fight...

Release Ku Ting...

Why doesn't Ku come out?

Release Ku Ting...

Why Ku Ting didn't come out?

Chin has no reason to retain him.
Not let him go? - Right...

What business is it of yours?

Are you going to release him?

Ku Ting,
are you all right?

I am okay.
- That's fine then

Tang Hoi Hay, fire these people
and never hire them again

We'd rather be beggars
than work for you

Take back your dirty money!

Let's go...

Go

Young master, a man of your status
shouldn't fight with these people

Ku Ting, you're useless

Having trained in kung fu
for 10 years -

all you do is take a beating

And dare not fight back.
Why don't you fight back?

Don't blame him

If he hits Chin, Chin has the money
to get away with murder. What do we have?

Yes, no wonder...

I am useless

I can't deal with them on your behalf

You can only seek Brother Hu's help

Yes, it's about time

Let's go find Brother Hu.
- Yes. Come on, let's get brother Hu

Do your work quickly...

What's wrong? Do it quickly

What's the matter?
- Here comes Ku Ting

I don't know

What are you doing?

Brother Hu... Brother Hu is dead!

Brother Hu was beaten to death
by someone. He died horribly

Where did he die?
- In the graveyard

Brother Hu didn't die peacefully

He died a cruel death

Ku Ting, avenge Brother Hu's death...

Ku Ting, you can't fall.
It's all up to you now

Up to me?

We intended to discuss with
Brother Hu. Now he's dead

Who else can we turn to?

Ku Ting,
Brother Hu has been killed

And A-Bao committed suicide

Even your Master was done away with

You must seek revenge

Ku Ting, you must avenge them!

What are you doing? Back to work!

Father,
I'll avenge you

Who killed master?

Chin and his gang

Father, even if I'm alone,
I'll avenge you

Yang Chen

Just before master died...

Don't say that

You said Master was killed by Chin
and his gang

Did Master tell you that before he died?

No, but I know

Yuen said Chin wanted to see father

Chin went away unhappy

Someone named Wong came at night

Father went out with him -

and returned with a knife stuck in him

Yang Chen, when Master asked us to leave,
it was precisely to avoid trouble

What do you mean by that?

Yang Chen, I long knew you wanted to
stay out of trouble

I haven't involved you in my bid for
revenge

Yang Chen.
- Leave. Go away

My father asked you
not to come here again

Yang Chen, I...

You're useless, wasting your kung fu

Father

Father

Another bottle

Ku Ting,
you've never been the drinking kind

In any event we're closing

Go home

Give me another bottle.
- No

You can't drink anymore.
- Give it to him

Master Yang, you...

I said give him more wine

Master Yang, you don't know...

He is not the drinking kind

Stop grumbling

I know better

If a man wants to drink heavily,
he must have his reason

Are you going to give him more wine?

Yes, yes

One bottle for me too

Yes, yes

Here's the wine

Come with me.
I'll take you to a place to drink.

There. We'll not be disturbed

Friend, what do you do?

Road works

There's someone called Hu Ping-lien

You know Brother Hu too?

What's your name?

Ku Ting

Do you know this?

I've learnt a little from
Tai Chi Master Yang

My master...

Master Yang, he was murdered.
- Tolerate...

Father, I'm going

What's with you?

A girl just went by,
full of fury

Brother Yang,
there's something I've to take care of

What are you laughing at?

I am weak by nature

Hiding behind others,
and tolerating all the time

I haven't done a thing
which has been useful to society

What's the use of kung fu?

Now I'm going to look for someone

You should come with me

Me?

Which lady wants to see me?

Lady, so early in the day

What can I do for you?

I'm here to kill you

Interesting! You know kung fu

I have to kill you...

She's Master Yang's daughter

Even better

Young master, at the site today
no workman has shown up

What's wrong?

Miss Yang, after we've finished
playing here -

let's frolic in the bed

You beast!

Halt

Do you still remember at the graveyard
you killed Hu?

Ku Ting, you want to die?

Supervisor Tang...

Chin Ta-hsing, -

you ruthless murderer!

Yang Tang,
do you want to die?

I have been avoiding to do what's just
and should have died long ago

But you will not live either!

Ku Ting, Ku Ting!

Yang Chen!

Why don't you fight?

Rescue Brother Yang first

Not that easy

Where is Ku Ting?

Brother Yang

Brother Yang...

You've come

I won't make it

Ku Ting, it was Chin who murdered -

your master and raped A-Bao

And also killed your friend Hu

You must avenge them

Ku Ting,
we can't drink together again...

You've spent 10 years
learning kung fu for nothing

You're useless

Yang Chen, come along. Let's take revenge

You little swine,
you can run to nowhere

Chin Ta-hsing,
today is the day of reckoning

What's the big deal about Tai Chi?

Your master was killed by my men

I'll kill you, Chin

Oh? Vengeance, is it

Ku Ting.
- I've killed someone

Until now I never imagined
I'll kill someone

Ku Ting.
- I've killed someone!

I'm not happy at all

The thought is so unbearable

Those people...
Why do they enjoy killing people?

Say no more