The Bare-Footed Kid

The Bare-Footed Kid

Year: 1993

Runtime: 87 mins

Language: Cantonese

Director: Johnnie To

DramaAction

A poor barefoot young man from the country arrives in the city to start work with the friend of his dead father.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – The Bare-Footed Kid (1993)

Explore the full timeline and setting of The Bare-Footed Kid (1993). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Late Qing dynasty

Set against the backdrop of late imperial China, the capital is ruled by a shifting power structure influenced by Manchu authorities. Corruption, factional strife, and fragile legal processes define the era, complicating attempts to enforce justice. The period highlights the precarious existence of common people amid political maneuvering.

Location

Provincial capital

The story unfolds in a provincial capital where rival textile workshops and gambling dens drive daily life. The city is a bustling center for the Four Seasons Weaver and Tin Lung Spinner, shaping power through commerce and violence. Political tension and crime overlay the urban landscape, affecting workers, owners, and officials alike.

🏙️ Urban center 🧭 Political hub 🧵 Textile district

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 14:42

Main Characters – The Bare-Footed Kid (1993)

Meet the key characters of The Bare-Footed Kid (1993), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Kwan Fung-yiu (Aaron Kwok)

A poor, illiterate young man who seeks refuge in the provincial capital after his father’s death. Naive and easily drawn into a dangerous power struggle, he becomes a pawn in Hak Wo-po’s schemes and is pulled deeper into violence and conflict.

💬 Innocent 🥊 Inexperienced ⚔️ Involved

Pak Siu-kwan / Miss Ho (Maggie Cheung)

Owner of the Four Seasons Weaver, she wields influence in the textile economy and becomes a key ally to Fung-yiu. She navigates love, rivalry, and danger within a city ruled by powerful men and corrupt interests.

🧵 Textile magnate 💪 Independent ❤️ Strategic

Hak Wo-po

Owner of the Tin Lung Spinner, a ruthless power broker who uses violence and manipulation to reshape the city’s balance of power. His gambling dens extend his control over both the economy and the underworld.

💼 Crime lord 💥 Ruthless 🗡️ Manipulator

Magistrate Yuen Tin-yau

The newly appointed magistrate determined to eradicate Hak’s influence, aided by his instructor Wah. He embodies reformist ambitions in a corrupt system and works to uncover truth amid political intrigue.

⚖️ Justice 🧭 Reform 🗺️ Authority

Lin (Wah’s daughter) / Hua Huang Lien

Wah’s daughter who forms a bond with Fung-yiu and navigates loyalty between family, love, and the turbulent power struggle around her. She represents a bridge between rival factions and a beacon of hope amid chaos.

💞 Romance 👩‍🎓 Courage 🕊️ Hope

Mr. Wah

Lin’s father, a craftsman whose workshop ties him to the capital’s economic and social currents. His presence anchors family loyalties as the conflict unfolds.

🛠️ Craft 🧱 Stability 🕵️‍♂️ Loyalty

Tuan Ching-Yun

A fugitive who changes his name to hide in the dye factory, his secret past and hidden affections add layers of deception and destiny to the narrative.

🌀 Identity 🕵️‍♂️ Escape ❤️ Secret

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 14:42

Major Themes – The Bare-Footed Kid (1993)

Explore the central themes of The Bare-Footed Kid (1993), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

⚖️ Authority

Power struggles ripple through the city as Hak Wo-po uses wealth and intimidation to bend events. The magistrates strive for justice but are hampered by limited evidence and the sway of capital. The film probes who truly holds authority when law and order clash with criminal influence. Each move by the powerful reshapes the balance of control.

🪡 Labor

Textile workshops and dye factories define the social fabric, with owners like Pak Siu-kwan controlling livelihoods. Fung-yiu’s arrival exposes him to exploitation and the precariousness of poverty in a competitive industry. Rival factions fuel violence, making workers bargaining chips in a larger power play. The pulse of the city rests on labor and its fragile security.

🎭 Identity

Characters grapple with disguises and shifting loyalties, mirroring a world where names and pasts can be rewritten. Tuen’s hidden identity and Fung-yiu’s naiveté propel a web of deception. Romantic ties intersect with political schemes, forcing characters to question who they are and what they owe to others. The drama hinges on how truth surfaces under pressure.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 14:42

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The Bare-Footed Kid Summary

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The Bare-Footed Kid Summary

The Bare-Footed Kid Timeline

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The Bare-Footed Kid Timeline

More About The Bare-Footed Kid

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