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Action drama

Five Shaolin Masters (1974): Cast & Plot

Five Shaolin Masters (1974) movie poster

Five Shaolin Masters is a 1974 action drama directed by Chang Cheh, starring Sun Jung-Chi as Shaolin Student Killed by Twin, Johnny Wang Lung-Wei and Alexander Fu Sheng. It runs 1 hour 50 minutes.

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Five Shaolin Masters (1974) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 50m (110 min)
Director
Chang Cheh
Genres
Drama , Action
Original language
Chinese
Studio
Chang's Film Company
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Five Shaolin Masters About?

The premise of Five Shaolin Masters without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

After Qing soldiers burn the Shaolin Temple, Hu Te and four monks flee, using secret codes to find patriots, recruit allies and hunt the traitor who sold out Shaolin. Qing fighter Ma Fu Yi joins elite troops to crush the rebels, but is exposed by Ma Chao‑Tsing and captured. Hu teams with bandits to free Ma, uniting them with Shaolin patriots.

Five Shaolin Masters Themes & Keywords

· 23 tags
  • revenge
  • escape
  • martial arts action
  • cow pulling hay cart
  • kung fu classic
  • violence
  • bald hero
  • monastery
  • buddhist
  • buddhist temple
  • bald
  • buddhist monk
+11 more
  • shaolin monk
  • shaolin temple
  • shaolin kung fu
  • fistfight
  • brawl
  • fighting style
  • fight choreography
  • martial arts training
  • martial arts
  • fight
  • shaolin
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Cast & crew

Five Shaolin Masters Cast & Characters

Sun Jung-Chi leads the cast as Shaolin Student Killed by Twin, with Johnny Wang Lung-Wei as Ma Fu-Yi and Alexander Fu Sheng as Ma Chao-Hsing. Directed by Chang Cheh; 49 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in Five Shaolin Masters

· 45 more
Show all 49 cast members
From the director

More from Chang Cheh

More films directed by Chang Cheh: Journey to the West, Shanghai 13, The Nine Demons and Death Ring.

Full filmography
Plot

Five Shaolin Masters Plot Summary

What happens in Five Shaolin Masters from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Five young fighters survive to escape the burning Shaolin temple as Qing soldiers destroy it, and they quickly form a tight-knit group. They establish secret codes to identify themselves and other patriots, swear vengeance, and decide to recruit more loyal fighters while they plot to flee the Qing forces. They also set out to uncover the insider who betrayed Shaolin, making their mission not only personal but deeply strategic.

The tale thickens when the traitor Ma Fu-Yi, Johnny Wang Lung-Wei, joins forces with top Qing fighters to finish off the rebels, hoping to erase Shaolin’s revived will. He is soon exposed by Ma Chao-Hsing, Alexander Fu Sheng, one of the five escapees, and is captured, a bitter blow that hardens the survivors’ resolve and tightens their alliance against the invaders.

Full summary

The whole story of Five Shaolin Masters, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Videos

Five Shaolin Masters Trailers & Videos

2 videos: 1 trailer and 1 teaser.

Five Shaolin Masters (1974) - Trailer
  • Teaser Five Shaolin Masters (1974) Shaw Brothers **Official Trailer** 少林五祖
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Five Shaolin Masters?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
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  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

Who destroys the Shaolin temple at the start of the story?
Details

Five Shaolin Masters Also Known As

18 alternative titles, including “5 Masters of Death” and “Shao Lin wu zu”.

Also known as
  • 5 Masters of Death
  • Shao Lin wu zu
  • 5 keravnoi tou karate
  • Gigantes tou shaolin, keravnoi tou karate
  • Siu lam ng jo
  • Пять мастеров Шаолиня
  • Five Brethren of Shaolin
  • 5 Shaolin Masters
  • Os Cinco Mestres de Shaolin
  • Die gnadenlosen 5
  • Pět mistrů Shaolinu
  • Los 5 Maestros de Shaolin
+6 more
  • Az öt shaolin mester
  • 소림오조
  • Петимата от Шао Лин
  • 5 Maîtres de Shaolin
  • Pięciu Mistrzów z Shaolin
  • Thiếu Lâm Ngũ Tổ

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Movies Like Five Shaolin Masters

Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Five Fighters from Shaolin, Shaolin Rescuers and Shaolin Martial Arts.

FAQ

Five Shaolin Masters FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date

Runtime, release date, director, cast, post-credit scenes and language of Five Shaolin Masters, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Five Shaolin Masters?

Five Shaolin Masters runs 1 hour 50 minutes (110 minutes).

When was Five Shaolin Masters released?

Five Shaolin Masters was released on December 25, 1974.

Who directed Five Shaolin Masters?

Five Shaolin Masters was directed by Chang Cheh.

More films by Chang Cheh

Who is in the cast of Five Shaolin Masters?

Five Shaolin Masters stars Sun Jung-Chi as Shaolin Student Killed by Twin, Johnny Wang Lung-Wei as Ma Fu-Yi and Alexander Fu Sheng as Ma Chao-Hsing, among 49 credited actors.

Does Five Shaolin Masters have a post-credit scene?

No. Five Shaolin Masters has no extra scene during or after the credits.

What language is Five Shaolin Masters in?

The original language of Five Shaolin Masters is Chinese.

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