Bullet Points: The 36th Chamber of Shaolin

Do you ever select a movie to watch and instantly know you made the right decision?

Seeing Gordon Liu in all his Shaolin Monk glory training with the iron rings on his forearms as the opening credits rolled was pretty awesome. Then he’s suddenly training in the rain and after that he’s punching a waterfall… just a great open, spotlighting the star of the movie who I feel was born to play a Shaolin Monk.

• The Manchu Menace: General Yin has a bold plan to deliver a blow to the Manchu government and rescue six rebels who were captured by the Manchus and set to be executed… but Yin’s plan blows up in his face. Yin falls into a Manchu trap (quite literally) and soon finds himself battling the odds before General Tien Ta (Lo Lieh, King Boxer) steps in and challenges Yin to a fair fight… general vs. general. Yin puts up a fight, but once his right arm is injured it is all but over for him… General Yin meets his demise, the six rebels are executed and the Manchus reign supreme.

• Rise Up: It quickly becomes apparent that General Yin did not die in vain… three students at Teacher Ho’s school find themselves compelled to do their part and rebel against the Manchus, after they go to the town square and see the dead body of General Yin strung up by the Manchus to send a message to all who oppose them. One of those students, young/non-bald Liu Yude (Gordon Liu, Treasure Hunters), looks up at Yin and calls him a hero… the hot headed Lord Tang (right hand man of General Tien Ta) hears this and flips out on Liu Yude. But Yude’s uncle, Uncle Wang, is nearby and steps in and does his best to smooth things over, assuring Lord Tang that Liu Yude is no threat, he’s a simple son of a fishmonger. Then Uncle Wade escorts Liu Yude and his classmates away from town square giving them a bit of wisdom that will keep them alive and out of trouble “One must submit to those who rule”. Well, Liu Yude and his friends don’t want to submit… but the only way to fight the Manchus is to learn Kung Fu at the Shaolin Temple.
• From Bad to Worse: It’s not long before young Liu Yude has nothing left to lose and making his way to the Shaolin Temple is really his only option. Liu Yude’s school is completely massacred, his father and all of his neighbors also meet their untimely demise. This is the moment where Liu Yude and his one remaining classmate leave the city and make their way to the Shaolin Temple… although along the way they are nearly run over by Lord Tang and his horse… and soon Liu Yude is on his own. If that wasn’t bad enough, Yude also injured his leg during the skirmish with Lord Tang and his men. The dehydrated Liu Yude does manage to make it to a restaurant down the mountain from the Shaolin Temple… the owner gives Liu Yude some much needed water and more importantly, a way for Liu Yude to get into the Shaolin Temple!

• Shaolin Temple Blues: The monks discover the stowed away Liu Yude when they unload their food wagon and the Abbott deems that Liu Yude can stay at the Temple while he recuperates. Ten days later when Liu Yude wakes up from his coma, the Abbott asks to see him and despite protest from the Shaolin Justice Officer (Lee Hoi-Sang, My 12 Kung Fu Kicks), the Abbott deems Liu Yude can stay and Liu Yude is now Monk San Ta. After a year of cleaning and doing manual labor at the Shaolin Temple, San Ta speaks up and asks why he hasn’t received any Kung Fu training. Ask and you shall receive at the Shaolin Temple. San Ta’s training gets off to a rough start when he decides he wants to begin with The Ultimate Chamber… he quickly sees the err of his ways and starts at the 35th Chamber like everyone else… but crossing the pond proves to be a huge challenge for San Ta, who ends up in the drink numerous times. But San Ta is not deterred, he keeps trying and trying and trying. Once he gets over the first hump, San Ta starts making great progress and ultimately completing all 35 chambers in just 5 years.
• Suggestion Box: San Ta has impressed the Abbot, who is ready to promote him and allow him to choose which chamber he wants going forward… however the Shaolin Justice Officer isn’t convinced and suggests to the Abbot that if San Ta can beat him in a fight, that he can get promoted and that proves to be the last hurdle that San Ta must overcome and when he finally does he comes up with an unorthodox idea… San Ta wants to create a 36th Chamber where he can teach laymen the Shaolin fighting style so they can defend themselves against the evils of the world. The Abbot declines the suggestion and San Ta fires back… The Abbot is not having it or is he?!? For his insubordination, the Abbot asks the Shaolin Justice Officer to punish San Ta and the punishment is to leave the Temple and go collect alms… it seems to me if San Ta is out of the Temple, he could help train laymen AND if he happened to run into Lord Tang and General Tien Ta, he could fight the evil in the world himself… which was the whole point of him going to the Shaolin Temple to begin with.

Shaw Brothers knew how to make an epic martial arts movie and make no mistake about it, The 36th Chamber of Shaolin is an epic. The scope of the film, the superstar making performance from Gordon Liu, the sets and the years long story that is being told… it is no wonder why The 36th Chamber of Shaolin is considered one of Shaw Brothers’ best.

I do my best to always include some Bonus Bullet Points…

• AKA: The 36th Chamber of Shaolin is also known as Master Killer.
• Familiar Faces: Hon Kwok-Choi played Lin Zhen, one of Liu Yude’s fellow students. When I think of Hon Kwok-Choi I always think of The Gold Connection aka Iron Dragon Strike Back .. Then there was the Abbot in charge of the boxing chamber played by Sam Seed himself, Simon Yuen of Sleeping Fist and Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow fame.
• If You Ever: …wanted to see Gordon Liu make his own three-section staff, then The 36th Chamber of Shaolin is the movie for you.
• More, More, More: Shaw Brothers followed up The 36th Chamber of Shaolin with 1980’s Return to the 36th Chamber and 1985’s Disciples of the 36th Chamber.