In 1903
Shanghai
...is a dream of Chinese
If they work hard, they can
take care of their family
To create the career,
they even risk thei lives
There is just one moral code
"the survival of the fittest"
Some people here work very hard
for a better future
But the number of people go wrong way,
...enter the gangs is much more than that.
The seduction of wine, money blinds them,
and the finally consequence is death
However,
Young people continue to flow into
this city more and more,
to find the dreams
Beat him!
Brother Ma.
Son, you shouldn't live in this village
You and Xi Shi take Zai Hua
to Shanghai to find her father
Your left arm with terrible power,
can injure people in fighting.
In the future, if you want to fight,
think about me first.
We have arrived Shanhai.
Money or cheer are acceptable!
Thanks!
Scoundrel!
We arrived.
Welcome to Shanhai.
Daddy!
Is this the Shanghai's villa that
brother Niu said?
So bad!
This is better many times than our village
Who are you looking for? Scoundrel!
- Brother Niu.
- Which Niu?
Niu En Guang, brother Niu.
Niu En Guang? It's no wonder that...
Lunch time!!!
Brothers, hurry up.
You get late and there will be nothing left
- Let me through. - Why do you come so soon?
- Master Bing.
Are they your fellow?
Yeah. They need my help
Being a bigbrother,
atleast I have to provide them food
Don't continue your business anymore
let's find a manual job
it's more stable for both of you
and your brothers.
You can not ask for a
delay of rent too long
I just give you 2 days
Ok, ok.
Brothers, let's eat!
This kind of inn in Shanghai
if the signboard is fallen
many people will be crush
No way. I think Master Bing is a good man
Good man?
Good man in Shanghai are just like
public vehicle.
Everyone get get on and sit.
I'm your Bigbrother
so tonight, I will show you
what is "Shanghai by night".
Are you so hungry?
Brother Niu.
People say that Shanghai
is a prosperous city
Why is it so deserted?
This is now the situation of Shanghai
"the survival of the fittest". Only
people who know their times can survive.
Right. Shanghai in some years ago
was the same as what you're imaging.
Properous, brriliant, wine, money,...
Just like a delicious piece of meat
that many people want to eat.
At the moment, Japanese also want to share
But don't worry.
The Japanese can't eat it now.
Because Shanghai
was original under the rule of
4 Axe Gang's ringleaders.
Dan Jia, Jie Zhang Zi,
Master Bai, Cheng Pou
4 people hold the power of this city.
But there's a happening this year.
That is the appearance of a person,
his name's Long Qi
Long Qi is the man who
make the big change of
situation in Shanghai
People who is walking on streets this time,
are ganster or someone
get bored with his life.
When Long Qi came to Shanghai,
he was even poorer than
us, had no influence
But now he has everything
How could he do that
That is thanks to his punch.
Using punch to usurp streets.
Before this cigarette is reduced to ashes,
if you can survive
I will permit you to continue to
be the owner of San Zhong Tian
This is the business of you and Long Qi
I just come to listen to music
If you want to fight, I can't stop
Pawn just retreat when it scare of death.
I was born in Shanghai,
there's no way to get back.
Therefore, we should enjoy this life
especially when you are living in Shanghai.
From now on, this restaurant belong to me
We won't call it San Zhong Tian anymore,
call it Qi Zhong Tian.
Any objection?
Any?
You also don't object, do you?
Jie Zhang Zi, why are you still here?
Great, do me a favour!
Inform this news.
Shanghai,
a half of it is mine
the rest is you three.
This street is our frontier,
the area near the sea is mine.
The rest belong to you three
and share it yourself.
Do you have any opinion?
Let's do that.
People say that you sing very well,
sing a song.
"Do you think about me?"
"Could you bring me with you
...if you said, you can't stay here?"
"The way back is so dark"
"I will be so worry if you travel alone"
"Maybe I'm not gaceful enough
to share your sadness"
"But if I don't say,
the reget will stay in my heart forever."
Brother Niu.
Is the old man that is lying on the floor,
Cheng Pou that you said?
I just want to tell you,
this is Shanghai
Everything could be changed in a twinkling.
The power of 4 ringleaders,
even can't not affect Long Qi
Is he Long Qi?
Yeah! Long Qi is that man.
See? He has noble appearance
Bulky legacy.
About feat,
noone in Shanghai can
suffer 10 punchs of him
Shanghai needs him.
He belongs to Shanghai.
Master Qi, congratulation!
Cheng Pou have trained 20
years his inner force,
but being crushed just
in seconds by Long Qi.
He died so quickly,
that's very lucky for him.
After that,
Yi Bei, Chu Dong belong to us.
The rest is him.
San Zhong Tian is now the frontier,
if we cross, he will fight.
Half of Shanghai is our
The rest is his part.
Where is our dignity?
Have to share a half of
income to the other.
Money of underworld flow
in to Long Qi's pocket.
Three of us fight Cheng Pou
in 3 years continously.
More than 100 people were dead.
He's still alive up til now.
Long Qi appear and kill that barstard.
Is that what we want?
You meant "fishing in trouble water".
But don't forget that,
Feeding this cruel dragon,
but you can't control him.
In some recent years, the
emergent young men is so many.
But they all finally died like dogs
Master Bai, do you think...
...that we will be like
Cheng Pou in somesday
You have to cut like this
If you can't, you better have your hand cut
We will wait until that
kid usurp more domains
Water it, fertilize it and we harvest
Is that happier?
Funny?
Get back!
Wait for me!
Brother Liu, I'm Guang.
Great drinking capacity.
Just like water.
Please trust me, Brother Liu
The man I introduce to you this time,
is not a normal man.
He has terrible power.
Morever, he can work instead of 3-4 people
just by himself.
Is there really that kind of
strong man in this world?
Yeah! My fellow, Ma Zhong Zhen.
1, 2, 3. Dangerous
One more person. Come! Come!
1, 2, 3.
One more.
1, 2, 3
Brother Ma, so great.
1, 2, 3.
So great, so tough.
Shit! Rubbish!
Boy, if you can suffer in 1 minute.
I will hire you.
Ok.
Big brother, I also have two brothers.
If I can suffer 3 minutes,
could you also recruit them
Try hard!
Brother, this clock is
valuable, don't damage it.
Impressive!
Ok, 3 cents a day.
Provide food not provide home.
Thanks Brother.
Brother Hac Mao is so generous.
This is not so good
So what's this now?
Zai Hoa, Zai Hua.
Dad.
I have gift for you.
Fireworks.
After the dinner, we will play with it.
Sister Kut Er, let's see.
This is fireworks that
father bought for me.
Sister Kut Er.
Brother Ma, come here.
Brother Ma, please sit down.
- Brother Ma.
- What is this?
Brother Ma, I'm sure you don't know that,
the Dong Yang tea pack in depot today,
are actually opium.
Brother Ma, this pack is
cost 600-700 dollars.
Give it back for them.
Brother Ma, you're still young,
I'm now just a disabled person.
If you use all of this life
to work hard in Shanghai
You can't be rich.
Daddy, go. Burn the fireworks.
I come now. You go first.
Brother Ma, I know you're a good guy.
Rice comes, Rice, comes
Zai Hua, we will never
live in seperation again.
Life will be better gradually.
Let's have dinner.
Eat.
Zai Hua, this time you
travel to Shanghai alone,
it's quite difficult for
a young girl like you.
Before mother pass away, she said,
from then, she can't not
take care of you anymore.
You tramped about strange land through
thick and thin must be strenuous
She said that I have to take responsibility
of taking care of you.
Dad, that's ok.
Our lives will be better for sure.
Zai Hua, how about I take
you to HongKong to study,
Do you like it?
Yeah. Take mom too
Ok, bing her ashes.
Dad, this big piece of meat is for you.
That's your portion, I had my own.
No. You have to eat it.
Ok. Eat quickly, daughter.
Listen up! Ma Zhong Zhen,
I want to apologize you.
You...
What? That's my fault.
I thought that you are the
same as En Guang-a scoundrel.
You're not only not that kind of people,
but also looked for jobs for people here.
I have misjudged you, I'm sorry.
- You don't need to do that.
- But I need.
You're always mumble, are you a true man?
So you can apologize.
I have already done it, haven't I?
I accept it.
I will treat you well.
- How is "well"
- I won't scold you.
That's good.
Don't misunderstand, I
just want to say sorry.
People who work in depot, come out now.
Today, when checking goods,
I discover there is a lost.
Unpredictable, you barstard,
dare to steal goods of Axe Gang.
My father is a good man.
He never steals.
Now I will count to 3
You better give it back to me.
If not, I, Hac Mao will demolish
your fucking hole.
1, 2. Damn it!
Drawing out weapon to
deal with children, women
...is not act of swashbuckler.
Whatever, tonight,
I have to get back what I lost.
We are honest workers.
Don't care about your weapon world.
They said they didn't do that.
Please leave now.
This matter is still not end yet.
- Daddy.
- Are you OK?
Is this pack worth 1 human life.
Of course,
even killing all people
in that fucking whole is still not enough.
Captain Huang, what should we do
with that lot of opium?
Yeah. What should we do, Captain Huang?
Captain, let's see.
Mr. Tang, please pass on Mr. Shinji.
We can't give this lot of opium to you.
Sorry, Mr. Shinji.
Bureau of Investigation said
they can't give the goods back to you.
What if we keep on getting it back?
Let's go.
You break the business of
Japanese and Axe Gang.
They won't ignore you.
What is this world?
Smuggling opium, discount human lives.
I also want to deal with them.
Shanghai is not suitable place
for vulgar like you.
There are many kinds of people here,
everything can happen.
Young people always go wrong way.
Before travelling to Shanghai,
I promised my mother
I won't enter gangs.
Many people have said like you.
And I'm the man spray the first
fistful of sand on there coffin.
The only one who still survive until now
is Long Qi.
I'm different from him.
Of course.
He can do everything in this city.
He also knows well this time.
But how long could he survive?
"Night, brilliant lights and flowers"
"Dating with venus and dance"
"Meet her, a marvellous beauty.
"stir his heart"
"a vague kiss"
She take the coat of to fly with him.
Fly up to the sky, just
want to live together.
Night, drunk.
Brother Long.
When do Japanese deliver goods?
Tonight.
You knock them?
Right.
You also want to take this goods?
Yeah.
Who are you?
Ma Zhong Zhen.
Ma Zhong Zhen.
Ma Zhong Zhen, do you know who I am?
I have met you once.
Long Qi, right?
People say that noone can
suffer 10 punchs of you.
But I think I can.
I don't know about that.
Oh, let's see, before this
cigarette is reduced to ashes,
if you're still not defeated,
that goods is yours.
Don't harm innocent people!
It's burnt out.
It's burnt out.
Why do you stop?
I don't want to kill you.
Did you hear what they said?
Your cigarette burnt
out, the goods is mine.
Ma Zhong Zhen.
Do you have matches?
How could you use fire to burn opium?
Use lime water for the next time.
Long Qi, take your lighter.
Keep it. Come to me if you need my help.
Who said the cigarette had burnt out?
Get on the cars.
Damn it!
Destroy all of our goods.
They don't deal with you but with me.
If you are still alive, you're so lucky.
Just keep on doing heroic things.
Don't make me to be involved. Get out!
Brother Ma, if you want to fight
sons of others,
think about your mother.
She give you that gem bangle,
you think just for wearing?
Brother Ma, we quitted the job.
We'll follow you.
Right. Let's us follow you.
Brother Ma, we also quitted the job.
We'll follow you.
Ma Zhong Zhen.
I don't come here for fighting.
So, you don't come here for fighting?
You surely want to drink. You
have to tell me earlier.
Long Qi, do you need to hire people?
Except fighting, what can you do?
Swepping the floor, whashing
dishes, loading, anything.
But not helping you to fight.
Are there your inferiors?
Yeah.
Good man. You also have inferiors.
How many?
Six, including me.
Who's the guy with hat?
He do the business, not these things.
8 cents a day, ok?
I'll pay each one 2 dollars. Come!
From now onward
Ma Zhong Zhen is my best friend.
Welcome them to Qi Zhong Tian.
Very good.
From now on,
noone are allow to kindle
cigarette for this girl.
But me.
Music.
Are you in pain?
When I come to Shanghai
everyday I have to fight and in pain.
There are alot of wound,
that I don't know what is painful.
So, why did you do that?
Everything I have now is
thanks to fighting.
So what?
Althought you're the king of Shanghai,
you are also lonely.
From now on, you don't have
permission to say the word "lonely"
with a lonely man.
I don't know how to wheedle,
don't say honeyed words.
And don't use trickery.
Why do you like me?
I like your self-important.
Long Qi, Ma Zhong Zhen,
The leage of black and white.
- That girl's a good dancer!
- Yeah, very beautiful.
But his face's the same as your.
Why do you come here?
- We are all dismissed.
- Right.
Still not eat anything?
Sir, give each of them a bowl of soya-cake.
Let's play.
Ma Zhong Zhen.
Take it, eat when you feel hungry.
- What's this?
- Hot dog.
So mucky?
You don't know anything.
Eat it, really delicious.
Let me tell you a story.
In 1904, Saint Louis, USA,
threre's a Germany emigrant.
He sold sausage but...
are you listening to me?
Do you eat this?
But that dish was both hot and salty.
It was not convenient for customers.
Therefore... Is it really delicious?
Great!
Ma Zhong Zhen, why do you come to Shanghai?
Because I'm poor.
People say that there are alot
of opportunities in Shanghai.
So I come here for opportunities.
Ma Zhong Zhen, you shouldn't think so.
You live in a place just like
a hole, how could you suffer that?
People with kungfu,
if you don't join with them
you'll be a thorn in their sides,
do you know that?
So cooperate with me.
I want to defeat 3 old man of Axe Gang.
Kick Japanese ass.
There are some people need to be beaten.
No, no.
I won't enter underworld.
But you don't need to care about me.
We are good brothers until die.
Why do you wear that gem bangle?
One punch of mine can kill a cow.
So my mother give me this bangle.
Killing cow provides you no benefit.
Do you know how many people that I killed?
Every old man I see, I kill immediately.
Do you know how old Cheng Pou is?
He's even older than my father.
You killed people, but have
you ever killed a cow?
Of course!
I eat beefsteak every day.
I killed them myself.
So does my tiger.
What time now?
Why do you get home so late?
Is that me?
Scoundrel!
"I think that I'm not
tender gentle enough...
to share your sadness"
"If I don't say,
the reget will stay in my heart forever."
"Leave me alone with the painful."
"You just go away with your beauty."
"Do you think about me?"
"Do you?"
I want to see you at the lake.
Don't get home too late.
What're you looking at?
Hey, this's very delicious.
Delicious?
Yeah. But what's this?
- Hot dog.
- What? So mucky and merciless!
Listen to me,
in 1904, there's an emigrant
from German to USA...
Ok. Who told you these things?
Long Qi.
Long Qi? He fights all days.
It's not fighting. It's
putting into practice.
He's a trustful man.
What? What's putting into practice?
You two just want to use punch.
There're some people need to be beaten.
What're you saying?
Hey, don't fight anymore, ok?
My father don't want
people who always fight.
Could you give me a kiss?
Scoundrel!
What's in your mind?
I promised Mr. Hashimoto that
I'll sing in the yearly celebration
of Japan Commercial Partnership.
Are you scare of them?
I'm just a normal singer.
Have no stuff.
My voice is more valuable than my life.
I can sing some songs to keep this life,
that's so lucky for me.
With me, you don't need to scare of anyone.
Why do you raise the tiger in your house?
Because I'm also a wild beast.
You used to be wild beast.
Because the nature of a wild beast
can predict the danger.
However, when you meet Ma Zhong Zhen,
you are gradually becoming a human.
Why I have a feeling that
staying with you is not secure anymore.
I want to be your woman forever.
But you can not
always the king of Shanghai
Or, could we leave Shanghai together?
I'm the head of Japan
Commercial Partnership.
Hashimoto Koichi, this my pleasure.
Head of Japan Commercial Partnership,
are you secret agent?
You come here for war or business?
We very appreciate Chinese culture.
Of course I hope we can
cooperate for business.
So what you can't deal
you will rob, right?
If you want to say about robbing,
you, Long Qi
has robbed our Dong Yang tea packs.
If those packs are actually tea,
it's normal to present it to us.
That's opium, alot of money.
Why did you burn it?
I also don't know why.
That's just a great felling.
Like Japanese massacred
Chinese in Dong Bei.
Brother Long Qi, that's war.
Every war has death.
That's not war, that's invade.
Brother Long Qi, we very appreciate you.
I hope we can cooperate
honestly and friendly.
Cooperating with Japanese
is understanding what they say.
Appreciate me,
want to cooperate
Could I translate that...
I have great influence
Give me some benefits, and
I'll become your lackey
Don't think that Chinese
are "Dong A yi yuan"
Please get out!
Brother Long Qi, if you
said these words to me
You just have one conclusion.
By the way,
Sheng Xiang Jun won't sing
at the yearly celebration
of your commercial partnership.
Because that day is
100 days celebration of Qi Shang Tian.
Very sorry.
Long Qi thinks that he's
the king of Shanghai.
He almost become king.
So who is the king of Shanghai?
People here are friends.
So we have one enemy in common.
We should cooperate.
Cooperate what?
Extirpating Long Qi.
Find Ma Zhong Zhen, he will be useful.
I found him long time
ago, in Yi Bei with Bing.
I know this day will come,
get on the car with me.
Brother Bing, are your living ok?
It could be better.
So it's currently not good.
So you want to rebuit your career?
I didn't mean it.
Ma Zhong Zhen in Yi Bei
robbed our goods.
He even cooperate with Long Qi.
That's so clear.
I just use kungfu to do the business.
Not dealing with you.
Brother Bing.
You have a subordinate like Ma Zhong Zhen,
is so great a thing.
More than that, he has good
relationship with Long Qi.
He has no relation with Long Qi,
just a worker for him.
Brother Bing, I'll tell you,
we want he help us to defeat Long Qi.
The rest is the business of us and Ma.
Chinese have an idiom:
"The one knows his time is truly hero"
The influence of Japanese in Shanghai,
is very terrible.
Cooperating with them
bring us many benefits.
What do you think, Ma Zhong Zhen?
You cooperated with Japanese
to invade mother land,
Betraying mother land for
your personal benefit.
Help you to work, I'm a lackey.
Cooperating with you, I'm also lackey.
I'm not that kind of people
Do you know that if you say so,
many people will be involved?
Your way is threaten the
life of a person's family.
But I'm alone.
I don't scare of you.
So this's just your problem?
His problem is also my problem.
Master Bing, we have appreciated you alot.
Don't think that you're
still our Big brother.
After your wife's death.
You never show your face.
Now you're so obscure.
Sacrifice your life to this guy.
Ma Zhong Zhen is my son in law.
He is intended of my youngest child.
This time he come here for marriage.
He will leave Shanghai,
on the last train tomorrow.
He'll never relate to anything
of your criminal world.
I have profanced you,
I apologize.
Please forgive this guy.
That meant he will
never come here, right?
I warrant that he'll
never relate to anything like this.
Master Bing, why do we
have to scare of them?
Now this's not just your own matter.
You have to leave Shanghai now.
What problem?
Brother Long, please sign.
Hurry up, collect your luggage.
What happen?
Long Qi.
Long Qi.
Destroy his place.
Father... sister...
Father...
Father...
Father...
It's a waste of money that Mr.
Hashimito give you.
Right. I regret.
Why?
You'll never understand that.
Long Qi.
You should leave Shanghai,
have a better life.
Long Qi
Long Qi
Long Qi
Long Qi
Long Qi
Long Qi
Long Qi.
In the next incarnation,
we'll be brothers again.
Long Qi.
Long Qi, I very appreciate you.
I scare of being a normal man.
Have to live under the rules
of European and Japanese.
Long Qi.
Master Bing.
Don't get into fight. Stay
with the person you love most.
Give her a peaceful life.
That's what a man should do.
Don't fight anymore.
There's no existence of
Long Qi in Shanghai now.
Now, this is our world.
No, not just Shanghai...
also this Dong A,
will be land of Japanese.
From now on,
the domain of Axe Gang will be under
Japan Commercial Partnership.
The tax each year is 80%
We will warrant your business,
make it develop.
Now, you have no choice.
If the number of members of Axe Gang
become more and more,
just like a fistful of sand.
The person that you can't address,
I will address him for you today.
Is this thrown by you?
Ma Zhong Zhen.
Ma Zhong Zhen.
There're some people need to be beaten.
Ma Zhong Zhen, as you saw.
- My plan...
- Get out of China now!!!
New world.
Ma Zhong Zhen,
Listen carefully!
I want you get back unbroken.
From now, you are my only relative.
How many years is not important,
I will wait for you.