Once Upon a Time a Hero in China (1992): Cast & Plot

Set in Foshan, China, during the late Qing dynasty, the story follows a tapestry of loyalties, clashes, and personal vows that shape a city on the edge of upheaval. On a ship, the famed martial arts instructor Wong Fei-hung witnesses a lion dance that becomes a moment of tension when nearby sailors mistake the sound of firecrackers for gunfire and strike back. In the chaos, Wong seizes the lion head and completes the performance, and Liu Yongfu, commander of the Black Flag Army, hints at China’s perilous position before handing Wong a hand fan inscribed with all the unequal treaties signed with foreign powers.