Chen Kaige, Monk Comes Down The Mountain

The master told me, He Anxia, to fight my fellow monks.

Dad came of age in hard times. The temple couldn't feed all its monks.

A fight would decide who could stay.

Master, I won! Dad thought he'd won the right to stay.

Wrong! You won.

You have talent. Pack up.

You can fend for yourself. Huh?

If you don't leave, you'll never discover the road home. It's another world out there.

You'll meet saints and sinners.

Be polite and work hard. Practice your kung fu.

Don't let trouble scare you. I won't.

Remember this. Some will do anything to succeed.

But a hero stays true to himself.

Got it.

Here, for you!

What for?

Pig's head meat! Have a taste!

One more, please. Here you go. For you.

Hey, stop! Are you talking to me?

I want that chicken. You should've asked.

I'd have got you one. This one's spoken for. Give it to me.

No. Lend it, then. No.

Hey! You little thief! You little thief!

Stop running! Stop right there!

Stop!

I'll get you.

Help!

I blame myself. Why didn't I just give it to you?

Thank you for saving me. You're welcome! -What's your surname? -Don't have one. The abbot named me "He Anxia."

My fault for stealing. We're even. Why'd you become a monk?

Ask my folks. Why dump a baby at a temple?

That abbot, he saved my life!

Your folks must've been in trouble. I don't hate them. They're the only parents I have.

But I'd like to know my birthday. Everyone else has one! Then today's your birthday.

First night out and eating like a king. Isn't that like a birthday?

Uncle, thanks for the chicken! Where will you sleep?

Wherever I can! I don't even know your name. I'm Mr. Tsui.

Want enough to eat every day? Sure! Do you have any debts?

Never even had any money! Any unkept promises? I promised to feed myself.

Not quite there yet. Are you really an orphan? Want me to call you "Dad"?

Dad! Call me "boss."

DAO NING PHARMACY This way.

Come.

-What is this place? -A pharmacy. The shop in front, home in back. It's my inheritance.

You're an herbalist? I am a doctor.

Of Western medicine. And a surgeon.

My wife.

Coming, coming. You're back.

Who saw you home? Daorong.

So my brother went to the opera, too. You didn't want to go.

You didn't want me to go. How was it? Great.

Where's that chicken? I'm starving. Oh, sorry. I...

Forgot? I ate it.

Who is this? A monk who left the temple.

I brought him home. You could've asked me first. It just happened.

Anyway, I'm so busy. I could use a helper. As you wish.

How many of these can you eat?

Okay. Slow down. There's congee, too.

Here.

Thanks!

Get up. Anxia. Coming.

Cut it out. I wasn't curing the blind. Just giving her an eyelid fold.

Am I pretty? Very. Beauty really is skin deep.

Jerk. Dr. Tsui. We're here. Don't cry. Just a quick snip.

Don't cry. Good boy.

Anxia, distract him.

Master, that scalpel of yours sure cuts open those wallets!

You helped, too.

Teach me your skills. I'll be like a son to you both.

Okay. Half the money goes into a satchel.

We'll go see my brother. Okay.

Wow, Dr. Tsui himself. I do home delivery, you know.

I hate putting you out like this. I wanted to see how you are.

That's it? Count it. If you're not buying, why the cash?

You think I'm a charity case?

It's a foreign game. Give it a try. I don't know how.

Oh, come on.

Daorong, show me some respect. Come to play big brother, then?

Fine. I'll take it. Here's your aphrodisiac.

We're square. Why talk to me like that? We're brothers. What's mine is yours.

Work harder, you'll do well. Why be a slave to work?

No point to life if you can't have fun. By the way, business is bad, so I sold the shop.

You what? For a gem once owned by an emperor. Now I feel like an emperor myself.

Our ancestral home? Without asking me?

You gave up monkhood for a woman. Who'd you ask?

Hey, hold on. My darts.

Master. Master, are you okay?

Maybe Daorong is right. Hard work gets you nowhere.

I'll tell you a secret. I was once like you. A monk in a mountain temple.

I was seeking immortality, but all I thought about was sex. Nature was all birds and bees to me.

It made me crazy.

Without her, what was the point of immortality?

"Alone amidst falling petals, "swallows flying two by two."

I would trade 1,000 years of life for one night of joy.

What's so funny? What do you know about sex?

It's like leaping off a cliff.

True.

I'll teach you Meridian kung fu. The abbot says it cures desire.

Forget it. I'll stick with desire.

Master, how should I live my life? No one can tell you that.

I need another plaster.

You're horny as a toad. You never get enough.

Of you.

Daorong's aphrodisiacs don't do much. I buy them as a form of charity.

You are brothers, after all. I've always supported him. And still, he sells the shop for a ring.

This time, he could end up on the street, but he won't get another cent.

Back to bed. You'll kill yourself.

Come here. I have enough money

for several lifetimes.

Master, where is Madam? Lunch is ready. Buying flowers, I think. Oh, and go get me more aphrodisiac.

Madam.

Got the plasters? Uncle Daorong wasn't there.

I know where you went.

If the master knew what you were doing with his brother, it'd break his heart.

My love life is my own business.

I've got nothing left. The debt collectors took it all.

Now I just want a noose.

But I can't even afford the rope.

Your brother has money. I'll get him to lend you some.

How much does he have? So my brother says the plasters aren't working?

Have him try this pill.

Yuzhen.

You need money? Why not just ask me?

It's not for me. Daorong's in trouble. He's suicidal.

Daorong chases me the way you used to.

I thought Anxia told you. It's over.

I won't see him again.

"He Anxia." What kind of dumb name is that?

The abbot who found me said, "He anxia? Where to put him?"

But in this new world, I don't know where to put myself.

Don't worry, kid. You'll never go hungry at my table.

Yuzhen? Yuzhen.

Where should the rooster go? Wherever. Let's go to the lake tonight.

I'm hungry. What do you want to eat? You!

No one's going anywhere. It's the seventh day of mourning. Master's spirit will be back.

Then tell him we're out having fun.

-Move. -Daorong.

Come on. Have a drink. Your brother is dead.

Aren't you even a little sad? With him gone, you're all mine, right?

And we've got money to burn. It was you.

What? You killed your brother. He asked for it.

He should have let me live with you. Come on, drink.

Do it.

Strip.

A leak. A leak.

Help.

My name is Rusong. I'm the abbot here. May I offer you any help?

No. Is the Buddha no help either?

Wait. A couple just drowned at West Lake.

What do you know about that?

Tell the truth. It was his fault. He murdered my master. You both committed murder.

If he's guilty, so are you! See evil, fight evil. I learned that as a Taoist monk.

Then why come here to pray?

I'm scared. I want to hide. Hide from your sins in a temple?

Your sins are a part of you. How can you hide from yourself?

Kneel before the Buddha.

Did that hurt? Yes!

You feel pain. Good.

Now repent. Ask yourself

if you were doing good or evil.

The moment he sank the boat, 20 years of instruction

in goodness and compassion overturned.

He meditated for seven days, full of remorse.

The Buddhist sutras say, "Remorse can make a dead tree bloom."

The tree bloomed, but Dad still didn't know if his actions were right or wrong.

-How did you get in? -Sorry. I need some medicinal wine. I knocked, you didn't answer.

You broke my lock!

How? It was on the inside, and the door is okay!

Little buddy, my kung fu penetrates walls.

Bull! Show me, or I'll call the cops.

What the heck was that? It's hard to explain. What do you want?

Medicinal wine for my master. It's his birthday tomorrow.

What kind of medicine? For internal injuries. In a few hours,

I have to fight him. Huh? Fight your own master? It was his idea.

If I do hurt him, the wine shows my loyalty.

Thank you! What's your name? Zhao. Zhao Xinchuan.

Thanks again.

Huh? You brought medicinal wine?

The wine? It's a birthday gift. I wouldn't forget your birthday.

Happy birthday, Master.

Now, what did I teach you? Never let down your guard.

Just then, I could've killed you. The wine is in your hands.

I'm content.

If you don't like it, I'm fine with that. You refuse to be provoked.

Good. Let's fight!

Now you're talking! Don't you go easy. I'm not. As you wish, Master.

Master!

Well? Give up? No way!

How about now? No!

Thanks for the wine.

Today, you defeated me. I learned Nine Dragons kung fu

behind your back. I'm old. The new head of Taijimen

has to be you. You earned it.

Your son should be the head. Kung fu isn't a closed shop.

Come back with me.

-After you, Master. -You first.

You can't blame me. With you around, my son can't get any respect.

Besides, bad move, stealing my Nine Dragons!

We're closed. Didn't you see the sign? Pal, do me a favor

and I'll share some meat. Do I look like I'm starving? What are you after?

Something for internal injuries. Wait here. Can I use your stove? I just caught this critter.

Should be yummy. The stove's lit. Help yourself.

Being at home is the best. I like the Happy Inn,

but you can't cook there.

Is the medicine for you? For my dad. How old is he?

In his 50s. How was he injured?

My dad got beaten up. Fifty and still brawling?

What? "Brawling"? It was a championship fight!

Have a whiff.

You said you'd share. I lent you my stove! Nothing is free.

I have a question for you. Go on. Do you know a guy called Zhao?

Why? He's the one who hurt my dad. I know he came here.

Now, tell me the truth. Where is Zhao?

His master killed him. Bullshit. We trained together.

I was there. His master had a black umbrella. Huh?

I never saw his face.

Madam!

-What's in the meat? -It's the heart. It's like a drug.

There's nothing you won't do.

So, what do you wanna do? Screw my master's wife.

What else? I know a little temple

with a donations box. Let's grab it and get drunk.

Now we're talking.

There!

Come in if you must.

-Give us that box! -Now! It's on the table.

Take it yourself. Close the door,

or the flies will get in.

Missed.

Wow. Amazing. If he'd been serious,

that would've been your head.

Let's scram. He doesn't scare me.

Not even a big wind can shake a true master's flame. Depends on who brings the wind.

Anxia, do something!

Still want to play? I'm all yours.

Going back for more? Know who that is? Ten of us couldn't beat him.

Who is he?

Master,

I'm sorry. We did wrong. Good you know that.

You were drugged. It was in something we ate.

I reversed it. You'll be fine. Master, take me as a disciple.

Go study with Qizi's father. You know Qizi? No.

I recognized the kung fu.

Master, did we make trouble for you?

Not really. But my quiet life here is over.

Shut the gate behind you.

Is that him?

Did he recognize you? He could've hurt me, but he didn't.

Why? Because he didn't want to.

It had to be your training brother, Zhou.

Is Qizi here? And you are... Coming! -Your medicine! -Thanks!

How'd you find me? The Happy Inn, right? Thanks!

You really trained with Zhao? Who was that?

The herbalist. A little monk. I met him at the pharmacy. You told him about Zhao?

No. He knew him from before. So where is Brother Zhao?

He stole my Nine Dragons Strike. If I let him live, could you take over?

I did it for you.

And where is Zhou Xiyu? At a Taoist temple. Why were you at a temple?

It was the little monk's idea. What? So he knows Zhou Xiyu, too?

No. Yes! He didn't leave with me.

He went back to see him.

Master, I'm going back to the temple!

Go on, then! I'll miss you, Master.

I'll miss you, too.

Good. -What are you praying for? -A son.

Master!

Let me be your disciple! I mean it! I don't take in idlers.

I'm no idler! You won't have to sweep again!

Give me that.

Master, I finished. You think so?

Give me the broom.

Take it. Learn to focus.

Master? Are you my savior?

Savior? You're kidding. I had my fortune told. It said

I'd meet my savior here. So it has to be you, right?

I need your help. With what? Turn around so I can say it.

I want a baby.

A boy would be best. Or my husband's family will make him divorce me!

He'd better get to work, then! The Taoist books say

it's not the woman's fault. My own family relies on my in-laws.

Even my mother blames me. You're lucky.

At least you've got a family. As for me, I was born an orphan.

I found myself a family. Then I lost them. I'll help you! I'll do that.

No need. Let me! You can go to Mingguang Temple.

I know the abbot. I go every year. I'm going tomorrow.

"Pray to Guanyin, get a son." I don't know. It used to work.

Not anymore.

Finished sweeping? No, it's an endless task! So you'll keep going?

You bet!

Come in. Okay.

You got a good fortune, right? You'll get your wish!

If that's true, you really are my savior.

Master, I need to talk to you. Sit down.

Put your hands together. Buddha is in your heart.

Now, what's up? Why did Guanyin stop giving out sons?

What's it to you? A girl I know prays every year for a son.

She's back today. With no son, she's in trouble? That's it!

There's a room under Guanyin Hall where other men got the women pregnant.

Since taking over, I meditate in front of the door, which I've locked for good.

I ask you, were the men who did that sinners or saints?

I don't know what that even means! I just want to help her.

You!

What are you doing here? What's this about?

No wonder you said to come here. It wasn't Guanyin!

Men got those women pregnant! How do you know that?

Master Rusong told me. After he took charge, he locked the door.

So how'd you get the key? Master Rusong gave it to me. Why'd he do that?

Because I told him I wanted to help you.

Stop there.

Come.

I can't ever see you again. What's your name?

Not telling. I can't let you find me.

Her name is Xiangning. Nice name.

I'll never see her again. Nothing is certain.

That's how life is, right?

Master, who are you, really? Why hide away in a temple?

I'm not hiding. I'm practicing my kung fu. Yeah, the kung fu of sweeping.

Fallen leaves are like worldly cares. You sweep day after day, sweep and sweep,

and you cultivate patience. It's endless. So you just keep going.

Seeing how all things die fosters compassion.

My greatest desire is to return something to its owner.

That was the day my master died. He asked to see the heir to Ape Strike.

Father.

No, not you. But I'm your son!

Zhou Xiyu will be my heir.

Wait. I hoped it could be you.

But you don't have what it takes.

Yes, Master. I understand.

Father!

Your master sure knew his son. If he knew Ape Strike, there'd be carnage!

Go back inside. Stay there unless I call you.

I'm not going anywhere. I'm sticking by you.

Brother.

It's been years. I didn't think I'd see you again.

Pathetic! My father wasted his time on you.

I was always pretty ordinary.

Give me the secret manual. I've told you, Brother,

Ape Strike has no secret manual. Our Master's teachings

are all in my head. I have only this notebook.

For 10 years, I wrote down what I learned

from practice. Now,

I give it to you.

Brother, I used to think I was so talented,

that of course I'd be the heir.

But after all this time, I can see how much it hurt you.

If only I'd stayed, we could've learned it together.

I wish to pay my respects.

Come on, let's have a little play. Let me bow to you first.

Stay out of this. Move away.

Master, watch out!

See you.

Something's up.

Look out!

Master, make me your disciple! Teach me this kung fu! I'll do anything!

All my life, I've only had one love. And I'll give her up, too. I'm not into fame or fortune.

I'd walk through fire for this! I'll do anything!

Really? Really!

Neither forsake nor abandon. Neither forsake nor abandon. No anger, no hatred.

No anger, no hatred.

Dad?

Dad! Dad! Dad! Don't move me.

Get the medicine. You know where it is.

It's a wonderful world. There's light and darkness,

the sun and the moon.

All plants worship the sun. Even tree rings take its shape.

Flowers turn towards the light. Yet animals chase the moon.

Animals are active at night. When the moon is full, it electrifies them.

We're animals, too, with a trace of sun in our eyes.

Sadly, they shine with hatred.

Unlike other animals, apes have eyes that can take the sun.

They can stare at it. It makes them wise and strong

and able to run like the wind.

Whether we practice by day or night, it's to achieve that speed.

Change the speed and you change nature.

My friend and I trained together. Him by the sun, me by the moon.

So many years in the mountains, in bitter cold and blazing heat,

it almost broke us. We came close to dying. Then we suddenly heard the wind outside

as the earth, whistling. Thunder and lightning, as the coupling of yin and yang.

I could hear grass growing, flowers blooming,

snowflakes falling. We'd mastered it.

As I came back to life, I grasped the truth of Ape Strike.

I saw how grass can move rocks.

And how even if birds fly thousands of miles for food, they always find their way home.

Such is to "neither forsake nor abandon."

It's late. Master.

Who did this?

Who shot you? I'm cold.

Give this to Boss Zha.

Take me to him. Who's Boss Zha?

Master!

Master Rusong! Why are you here?

Who's that? My master. He's dying.

Please save him. Free his soul, let him make peace with death.

Master! Can't you see people are eating?

Go clean him up first.

Master Rusong, he turned his back on vengeance. But it got him in the end.

Now, he can't let go. If he can't let go,

how can he free himself?

Master. What are you doing?

My son, fate is like this ladle.

Touch it and it spins. It's the hand of the gods that throws the ladle.

As flowers bloom and wither, so goes the cycle of reincarnation.

Calm your heart, dwell not on karma, and there's no place for sadness.

My master says he understands now. It is the wheel of karma turning.

He thanks you.

Master, I wanted to see someone

but couldn't.

Have you not seen him in your heart?

Farewell, my son.

You shot him? Rusong told my dad

that to find Boss Zha, he had only to walk into a theater.

Boss Zha!

Boss Zha! I'm Zhou Xiyu's disciple. Master Zhou is dead!

You can't die. You can't die! On that quilt

is my master's blood. Who are you? His disciple.

Bullshit! Zhou Xiyu had no disciples!

Neither forsake nor abandon. No anger, no hatred.

They shot him. Before he died, I took him to Abbot Rusong.

Master Zhou said he needed to see someone.

The abbot asked, "Do you not see him in your heart?"

Master Zhou smiled. He had seen you.

Know how we met? Ape Strike. You trained together.

Yes. But that's not how we met. Are you crazy? There's snipers!

I'm waiting for that bullet! Get down!

You a new conscript? None of your business. You've never heard gunfire, huh?

It'll scare the hell out of you. Gunfire can't be worse than stage drums.

Are you a performer? I was booted out for smoking opium.

And you? Why'd you sign up? I'm hiding from someone.

Slept with his girl, eh?

I went into withdrawal. When the gunfire started, it scared me to death.

Don't run! Halt!

Stay calm, don't panic and you'll survive!

Don't be scared!

Do you know who killed him? He didn't say.

I'm sure it was Qizi's father. They fought. I was there.

Today, we celebrate Wan Zhen's birthday.

She's 18. So she says. Who'd believe it?

She doesn't look a day over 16!

Who'd pay that much for a show? Heard of the Police Commissioner? Mr. Chao?

It's his concubine's birthday. He's doing it for her. Mr. Zhao came from the Triads.

Even now, he's secretly their chief.

Looking good! I apologize,

but something has come up. Because of this, I can't perform tonight.

I'll make it up to you later. I am very sorry.

He's making me lose face. Break his legs.

I accept my punishment.

I'll take my leave.

But my birthday!

Come down if you're man enough. Get down!

Here I am.

Nobody move.

Guys. Guys! Help me! Help me!

My dad said Chao's pistol sweet-talked Qizi's dad into helping him whack Boss Zha.

That day, he and Boss Zha went to Happy Inn.

Please! Have a seat.

I have a question for Peng Qianwu. Is it to do with Zhou Xiyu's murder? How can you prove it was Peng?

It had to be him! My master knew who did it but wanted no more revenge.

He wanted to stop the bloodshed. I want Peng Qianwu to tell me himself.

Peng Qianwu is already in my hands.

Come out!

But first to our little problem. I didn't mean to hurt your men. My apologies.

If you mean it, say it on your knees.

Tomorrow, before sunset, I'll take Peng Qianwu to Nine Mile Pine.

We'll deal with this then. Got the guts to show up?

See you there.

My men will be there. But tomorrow,

don't disappoint me. I won't.

Zhou and I said goodbye here after mastering Ape Strike.

I stood here. He stood there.

That day, we left our cave forever.

Are we really leaving here?

Yes. Didn't you tell me the true path lies in nature?

Nature is part of ordinary life. The Ape Strike is ours alone!

No. It is like your theater.

All are welcome.

You should marry and have children.

I hope you return to the stage, too.

And you?

I'll find an unsullied place to live a quiet life.

Will I see you again? Of course you will.

Come by any time. I'll be there for you.

Neither forsake nor abandon.

The battle was set for sunset. The next day, although Peng's men all came,

Chao was still worried, and had one of his men shoot first.

How rude of me! Imposing on you like this.

Buddhism, like kung fu, centers on meditation. Liberated from my physical self,

I am as youthful as you. Well? Shall we have a little play?

If you murdered Zhou Xiyu, I will show you no mercy.

Master!

You're wounded. Nonsense!

My sword is so sharp that the wound closed

before it began to bleed. It wasn't your sword.

So it was one of my men. You still fell into my trap.

We'll both start afresh!

By rights, victory should be mine. Kung fu is about artistry, not "rights."

I ask you, did you murder Zhou Xiyu?

I did. It was me. I shot him dead.

Not true! It was me! Let my father go, or I'll shoot you, too.

Don't move! One move and I'll shoot!

It was you who killed my master? Yes.

Don't move.

Tell me.

I killed him. When I shot him,

he saw me. But he never told anyone.

I remember you said he wanted to end the cycle of vengeance.

But one life pays for another, so go on.

It wasn't you, so you're spared.

But I take responsibility for it. Spare my son! Dad!

Beg him to teach you. Bring Ape Strike back to the family! Go!

Dad! It's not loaded!

Run him over. Run him over!

My dad returned to the mountain. He finally understood why he was sent away that first time.

Greatness abides in the Way and in life. To understand life and how the world works

is the first step to studying the Way.

Only by experiencing good and evil can you truly appreciate the Way.

My dad later told his disciples the true heart can hold all things,

the mountains, plains and rivers, and an eternal cosmic universe.

陇山陇西郡

Monk Comes Down The Mountain

A young monk embarks on an adventurous journey after being kicked out of his monastery. As he faces the trials, tribulations and seduction of the real world for the first time, he encounters many masters along the way.

Release date

Running time

Audio

Subtitle

Actors

Director

Genres

Transcript