Esteemed Monkey-style Kung Fu master and opera performer Chen faces a devious plot designed to exploit his drinking problem and tarnish his spotless reputation among the townspeople where he and his sister, Miss Chen, perform. The plan is hatched by a ruthless gangster, Duan Shiangyuan, a brothel-owner who wants to defame Chen as a master of Kung Fu, destroy Chen and his sister’s opera troupe, and push Miss Chen into the brothel as a worker. To seal his control, Duan and his wife frame Chen for the rape of Duan’s wife, telling Chen and Miss Chen that the punishment for this alleged crime is death. In a cruel twist, Miss Chen offers herself to become Duan’s concubine and live in the brothel indefinitely to save her brother, and Duan agrees—though he also orders Chen’s hands crippled, ensuring his reputation as a Kung Fu master will be ruined.
Years pass, and the tragedy takes its toll. Chen confronts his alcoholism and chooses sobriety, abandoning opera and his distinctive Monkey Kung Fu. He supports himself as a street performer and candy seller, still accompanied by his beloved trained monkey, Ah Mao. The town’s kids gather to watch their act, and a young thief with a decent heart named Monkey steps into the scene, watching Chen and Ah Mao while a gang of extortionists targets them. When the extortionists wreck Chen’s act and scatter his candies in the town square, Monkey intervenes to help, retrieving the loot and bringing back a lavish meal to show his gratitude.
The two men form an unlikely bond as Monkey begins to learn from Chen. Monkey explains that he doesn’t even know his own real name, and Chen, seeing the younger man’s hunger and potential, offers guidance. A hard truth emerges: the world is unforgiving, and strength matters more than luck. The moment comes when Monkey is beaten by the extortionists after attempting to assert himself, and Chen admonishes him for violence while recognizing the raw talent in his companion. He warns that Monkey could be killed if he keeps fighting without true skill, telling him to live and learn.
Moved by the injustice around him, Monkey asks to train, and Chen reluctantly agrees to teach him Monkey-style Kung Fu in the mountains, far from town. Months pass as their mentor-student relationship deepens; Monkey’s prowess grows, and when he returns to town, he quickly vanquishes the extortionists and is led to their boss, the brothel’s owner, [Duan Shiangyuan]. The elder villain dismisses Monkey’s unpolished style, believing he is outmatched by age and experience. Yet Miss Chen—the sister once sacrificed for her brother’s life—steps in with a brave, if costly, stand, only to be killed by Duan in the ensuing struggle.
Grief fuels Monkey’s resolve, and he offers himself as Chen’s hands, agreeing to complete his training in order to avenge the losses suffered by his master and their town. The two train with renewed purpose, their bond transcending a simple master-student relationship as they prepare to confront Duan and his henchmen. When they strike back, Monkey’s speed and determination overwhelm the enemies, and Chen fights beside him with steady skill.
In the climactic confrontation, Monkey defeats Duan in a brutal, decisive exchange. He cripples Duan’s hands by driving them through a thick glass lantern, a brutal payback for the lives Duan has shattered. Chen watches with a restrained smile, recognizing the justice at last, even as Monkey’s rage flares. Duan falls to the concrete below, and the remaining brothel staff watch in shock. Chen intervenes to calm Monkey’s fury, and the two of them leave the brothel behind, their shared quest for vengeance fulfilled but their lives forever marked by the cost of their long fight.
