The 36th Chamber of Shaolin

A young student named Liu Yu-de is drawn by an activist teacher into a local rebellion against the Manchu government. The government quickly discovers and suppresses the uprising, liquidating the school and killing the students' friends and family members. Yu-de resolves to seek vengeance and liberation for the people.

Manchu henchmen wound Yu-de during an escape, but he makes it to the Shaolin temple seeking sanctuary. The journey marks the start of his transformation as he comes under the temple's protection. The Shaolin complex becomes the refuge where his martial path begins.

The monks initially reject him as an outsider, but the chief abbot shows mercy and allows him to stay. The sanctuary at Shaolin becomes his first safe haven, where he can begin his journey in secret. This mercy sets the stage for a lifelong pursuit of discipline and skill.

A year passes and Yu-de is reborn as San Te, beginning his martial arts training in the temple's 35 chambers. Each chamber trains novices in a different aspect of kung fu, laying the foundation for his later mastery. The diverse training prepares him to improvise and combine techniques later.

San Te advances more rapidly than any prior student, quickly rising to the rank of deputy overseer within six years. His talent and determination set him apart as he trains and leads others. These achievements foreshadow his later idea of teaching ordinary people beyond the temple walls.

Challenged by the monastery's Discipline Chief, San Te engages in several exhibition matches and is beaten each time. The repeated losses test his skill and resolve under the eye of masters. These setbacks spur him to refine his technique and push for a major breakthrough.

After inventing the three-section staff, San Te finally prevails in a crucial contest against the Discipline Chief. The victory earns him the chief abbot's permission to become overseer of one of the chambers. The invention marks a turning point in his fighting style.

When San Te expresses his desire to create a new chamber to train ordinary people, the temple quietly banishes him to carry out his mission outside the walls. The banishment is surreptitious to protect the temple's status quo, yet it frees him to reach the common people. He accepts this exile as a chance to implement his vision.

San Te travels back to his hometown and gathers several young men who become his loyal students. They learn basic kung fu to defend themselves and their community, laying the groundwork for a wider resistance. This marks the birth of his layperson-training movement.

San Te's growing movement inspires resistance against oppressive forces, with his students defending townsfolk and challenging the regime under Tien Ta. The conflict intensifies as the revolution gathers momentum. The stage is set for a decisive showdown.

San Te is forced into conflict with Manchu General Tien Ta. A fierce duel ensues, testing his skills against a seasoned opponent. San Te emerges victorious, signaling a turning point in the struggle.

Having achieved a major victory, San Te returns to the Shaolin temple and establishes the 36th chamber, a special class for laypeople to learn kung fu. The new chamber extends the temple's teachings beyond monks to the common people. It marks the completion of his lifelong mission to empower ordinary citizens.