Huo Yuanjia (2008 TV series)
| Huo Yuanjia | |
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.jpg) DVD cover art |
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| Also known as | The Legendary Fok 2008 |
| Genre | Martial arts, historical drama, biographical |
| Written by | Chan Kiu-ying |
| Directed by | Kuk Kwok-leung |
| Creative director(s) | Stanley Kwan |
| Presented by | Sheng Xiaodong Ren Xiaojie Wang Dafang |
| Starring | Ekin Cheng Jordan Chan Bryan Leung Zhou Muyin Ding Li Qu Yue |
| Opening theme | Man Lei Cheung Sing Wing Bat Dou (万里长城永不倒) performed by Johnny Yip (in Cantonese) |
| Ending theme | Ye Shang (夜殇) performed by Mao Ning and Chen Ming (in Mandarin) |
| Composer(s) | Chris Babida |
| Country of origin | China Hong Kong |
| Original language(s) | Mandarin |
| No. of episodes | 42 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Wu Jieqiang |
| Producer(s) | Guo Jun Li Cheng Wang Zhizhong |
| Location(s) | China Hong Kong |
| Running time | 45 minutes per episode |
| Production company(s) | 天津津源影视有限公司 华夏视听环球传媒有限公司 东阳环宇影视文化传媒有限公司 北京吉安永嘉影视文化传媒有限公司 |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | ATV |
| First shown in | 2007 |
| Chronology | |
| Followed by | Jingwu Chen Zhen (2008) |
| Huo Yuanjia | |||||||
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| Chinese | 霍元甲 | ||||||
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Huo Yuanjia is a television series based on the life of the Chinese martial artist Huo Yuanjia. It includes a subplot on the story of Chen Zhen, a fictional student of Huo Yuanjia and the protagonist of the 1972 film Fist of Fury. The series was directed by Kuk Kwok-leung and starred Ekin Cheng, Jordan Chan, Zhou Muyin, Bryan Leung, Ding Li and Qu Yue in the lead roles. It was first released in 2007 and was later broadcast on various television channels in other countries in the following year. A sequel titled Jingwu Chen Zhen was released in late 2008, in which Jordan Chan reprised his role as Chen Zhen.
Plot [edit]
Huo Yuanjia was born in Jinghai County, Tianjin, in a family of martial arts practitioners. He is asthmatic since childhood and his father Huo Endi strongly discourages him from learning martial arts, but he does not give up and practises secretly. Huo Endi and Zhao Shengxian are both trained in mizongyi, but they have a disagreement over how the martial art should be practised and have since been at odds with each other. Despite the rivalry between their respective fathers, Huo Yuanjia develops a close friendship with Zhao Shengxian's daughter Zhao Qiannan. One day, Cheng Tianxiao, Huo Endi and Zhao Shengxian's senior, shows up and challenges them to a match. Huo Yuanjia surprises everyone by displaying his skill for the first time when he defeats Cheng. Huo Endi then officially permits his son to learn their family's martial arts. Huo Yuanjia defeats Cheng in a match later and the latter dies. Cheng's student Chen Zhen sees Huo as a sworn enemy and vows to avenge his teacher. However, Huo accepts Chen as his student instead, hoping to resolve the feud between them. Chen initially harbours a grudge against Huo and seeks to kill Huo, but dismisses the idea as he becomes more impressed with the latter's sense of chivalry and patriotism.
One day, Zhao Qiannan's cousin Long Haisheng comes to Jinghai on a business trip. Long is actually plotting to dominate Jinghai's market by running an illegal opium industry but Huo Yuanjia foils Long's plans and destroys the opium in public. Long hates Huo and sees him as an arch-rival. He frames Huo for murder later and Huo is forced to flee from Jinghai. Huo travels to Tianjin with Chen Zhen and Liu Zhensheng, where he gradually becomes involved in the affairs of the martial artists' community in Tianjin. Huo makes his name by defeating an aggressive Japanese fighter in a match and he emerges victorious in subsequent matches with foreign challengers. Huo moves to Shanghai and, with help from Nong Jinsun, he founds Jingwu School, to groom martial artists to serve and defend China from foreign aggressors. Huo is targeted by a Japanese secret agent called Wang Xiwen, who plots his downfall. In the meantime, Chen Zhen strikes up a romantic relationship with Wang's subordinate, Wang Xiuzhi, without knowing that the Wangs' true identities.
Huo is chosen to represent China in a martial arts tournament held in Shanghai, with champions from various countries participating. Huo defeats all his opponents until he meets Itō, a brutish Japanese fighter. As Huo had been secretly poisoned by Wang Xiwen's men, he collapses during the match but manages to defeat Itō before dying. Chen Zhen continues Huo's legacy by upholding the Jingwu spirit and he seeks to bring Huo's murderers to justice. The final scenes in the last episode are reminiscent of Fist of Fury, where Chen charges into the Hongkou dojo and takes down every opponent single-handedly before killing Wang Xiwen. The final scene shows Chen charging with a flying kick towards a line of armed soldiers firing at him.
Cast [edit]
- Ekin Cheng as Huo Yuanjia, the founder of Jingwu School.
- Jordan Chan as Chen Zhen, Huo Yuanjia's student.
- Zhou Muyin as Zhao Qiannan, Zhao Shengxian's daughter and Huo Yuanjia's love interest.
- Bryan Leung as Huo Endi, Huo Yuanjia's father.
- Xiu Qing as Long Haisheng, Zhao Qiannan's cousin and Huo Yuanjia's rival.
- Ding Li as Wang Yun, Huo Yuanjia's wife.
- Qu Yue as Wang Xiuzhi / Hideko, Wang Xiwen's subordinate and Chen Zhen's love interest.
- Hou Yu as Liu Zhensheng, Huo Yuanjia's servant who later becomes his student.
- Zhang Songwen as Nong Jinsun, a revolutionary who co-founded Jingwu School with Huo Yuanjia.
- Lau Kar-wing as Zhao Shengxian, Huo Endi's rival.
- Yuen Shun-yee as Cheng Tianxiao, Chen Zhen's original teacher who was defeated by Huo Yuanjia.
- Ben Ng as Wang Wu, Huo Yuanjia's original teacher.
- Ge Lei as Huo Yuanjia's mother
- Simon Chui as Xu Huaishan
- Marco Li as Huo Yuanwu, Huo Yuanjia's brother.
- Chen Kai as Huo Yuanying, Huo Yuanjia's brother.
- Liu Weihua as Wang Xiwen / Mitsui, a Japanese secret agent.
- He Jinling as Itō, Miyamoto's junior and Huo Yuanjia's final opponent.
- Yan Hongzhi as Miyamoto, a Japanese fighter defeated by Huo Yuanjia in Tianjin.
- Ye Yong as Zhao Zhennan, Zhao Shengxian's son.
- Zhang Dalei as Zhao Zhenbei, Zhao Shengxian's son.
- Li Zhenqi as Liu Yao
- Li Qingxiang as Long Shaoji, Long Haisheng's father and a diplomat.
- Wang Feihong as Lu Da'an, Huo Yuanjia's student.
- Wang Xi as Xiaomei
External links [edit]
- (Chinese) Huo Yuanjia on Sina.com
- (Chinese) Huo Yuanjia official page on ATV's website
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