Mystery of Chessboxing
Encyclopedia
Mystery of Chessboxing is a kung fu film
released in 1979 and directed by Joseph Koo
, starring Mark Long, Jack Long and Lee Yi Min.
.
Lee Yi Min attends a local kung fu school but is bullied by the seniors. However, the school's cook (Yuen Siu Tien
) helps the boy and teaches him some moves. These prove to be adequate for his day-to-day living but cannot fulfill his deep desire for revenge. When Lee Yi Min is found in possession of the Ghost Faced Killers' symbol, he is expelled from school. Still wishing to learn kung fu, he turns to an old xiangqi
(a.k.a. Chinese chess) master Chi Sue Tin (Jack Long), recommended by the cook, for training. The master is an old enemy of the Ghost Faced Killer who reveals his former identity: he was a former kung fu chief who held sway over the area with his fellow fighters, but he was forced to go into hiding after being badly injured in a fight and also coming under scrutiny by the Ghost Faced Killer. Chi Sue agrees to teach Lee his chess boxing kung fu.
Lee finally learns the strategic link between chess and kung fu. He and Chi Sue Tin team up using double horse style, a reference to xiangqi, and they defeat the Ghost Faced Killer.
Martial arts film
Martial arts film is a film genre. A sub-genre of the action film, martial arts films contain numerous fights between characters, usually as the films' primary appeal and entertainment value, and often as a method of storytelling and character expression and development. Martial arts are frequently...
released in 1979 and directed by Joseph Koo
Joseph Koo
Joseph Koo Kar-Fai, MBE, SBS is one of the most respected composers in Hong Kong. He used the pen name Moran for Mandarin songs. He is the younger brother of famous Chinese singer Koo Mei .-Career:...
, starring Mark Long, Jack Long and Lee Yi Min.
Plot
Lee Yi Min stars as a young boy who wants to learn kung fu so that he can avenge his father's death at the hands of the Ghost Faced Killer (Mark Long). The Ghost Faced Killer meanwhile is hunting down a number of clan leaders who all conspired to have him killed. Before attacking, the killer always throws down his "ghost face killing plate," a decorated metal plate with a red face. He then uses his distinctive five elements styleXingyiquan
Xingyiquan is one of the major "internal" or Wudang styles of Chinese martial arts. The word translates approximately to "Form/Intention Boxing", or "Shape/Will Boxing", and is characterized by aggressive, seemingly linear movements and explosive power...
.
Lee Yi Min attends a local kung fu school but is bullied by the seniors. However, the school's cook (Yuen Siu Tien
Yuen Siu Tien
Yuen Siu-tien was a Chinese martial arts film actor in the late 1970s. Yuen is perhaps best known as Beggar So in three films: Drunken Master, Story of Drunken Master and his final film Dance of the Drunk Mantis...
) helps the boy and teaches him some moves. These prove to be adequate for his day-to-day living but cannot fulfill his deep desire for revenge. When Lee Yi Min is found in possession of the Ghost Faced Killers' symbol, he is expelled from school. Still wishing to learn kung fu, he turns to an old xiangqi
Xiangqi
Xiangqi is a two-player Chinese board game in the same family as Western chess, chaturanga, shogi, Indian chess and janggi. The present-day form of Xiangqi originated in China and is therefore commonly called Chinese chess in English. Xiangqi is one of the most popular board games in China...
(a.k.a. Chinese chess) master Chi Sue Tin (Jack Long), recommended by the cook, for training. The master is an old enemy of the Ghost Faced Killer who reveals his former identity: he was a former kung fu chief who held sway over the area with his fellow fighters, but he was forced to go into hiding after being badly injured in a fight and also coming under scrutiny by the Ghost Faced Killer. Chi Sue agrees to teach Lee his chess boxing kung fu.
Lee finally learns the strategic link between chess and kung fu. He and Chi Sue Tin team up using double horse style, a reference to xiangqi, and they defeat the Ghost Faced Killer.
Cast
- Li Yi Min – Ah Pao
- Jack Long – Chi Sue Tin
- Mark Long – Ghost Faced Killer
- Simon YuenYuen Siu TienYuen Siu-tien was a Chinese martial arts film actor in the late 1970s. Yuen is perhaps best known as Beggar So in three films: Drunken Master, Story of Drunken Master and his final film Dance of the Drunk Mantis...
– Master Yuen (cook) - Jeanie Chang – Chi Sue Tin’s granddaughter