Course:ASIA325/2025/A Kung Fu Kick-Off: How Shaolin Soccer Champions Hong Kong Culture in a Westernizing Industry

A Kung Fu Kick-Off: How Shaolin Soccer Champions Hong Kong Culture in a Westernizing Industry

Group Members' Contributions

	Contributor(s)
Introduction	MF
Stories Behind the Film	GP
Histories of the Film's Reception	MF/GP
Scholarly Literature Review	GP
Comparative Analysis	SW/JF
Alternative Interpretation	SW/JF
Conclusion	MF

Introduction

Shaolin Soccer is a 2001 film directed by Stephen Chow. The film was released on July 21st, 2001 and stars Stephen Chow, Zhao Wei, Ng Man-tat and Patrick Tse.

The film is a sports comedy which focuses on Sing, a passionate Shaolin monk determined to spread Shaolin kung fu to the world. He meets and partners with Fung, a former superstar soccer player. Assembling a team with his former Shaolin brothers, they enter an open soccer tournament. Easily defeating the rest of the competition, they reach their final match, which pits them against Team Evil, led by Hung, the very man who crippled Fung and ended his career twenty years ago. Fung and the Shaolin Soccer team overcome Hung's Team Evil, and by the film's end Shaolin kung fu is shown to be a worldwide phenomenon.

The following sections begin by exploring the facts about Shaolin Soccer’s production and reception, as well as the historical and cultural context in which the film was created. Next, the literary reviews from various scholars are dissected and discussed, touching on themes like nationalism in regard to a rapidly Westernizing landscape. Then, using Fist of Fury, a similarly themed film as comparison, themes of national identity, colonial resistance, and cultural pride are analyzed, as well as filming techniques such as narrative structure and cinematic style. Finally, alternative interpretations of current ones are raised, thus allowing for a more nuanced understanding of the film’s cultural significance and broader socio-political implications.

Stories Behind the Film

In a 2023 interview, Chow reflected that one of his goals behind producing Shaolin Soccer was to revitalize the Hong Kong cinema industry, which had largely fallen out of favour in the late 1990s. Productions from that era were deemed as cheap and of poor quality, especially when compared to the Hollywood productions, which were gradually beginning to surpass local films in popularity. One of the intentional decisions Chow made to help entice local audiences to his new film was the usage of CGI visual effects and wireworks. The film enlisted the help of Centro Digital Pictures Ltd. in order to produce the CGI effects. In fact, Chow himself stated that he had the idea for something akin to Shaolin Soccer for many years, but that he and his team “had to wait for the CG [sic] technology to mature”.

The Shaolin Brothers swarm a shelf of Puma shoes.

The martial arts were choreographed by famed action choreographer Ching Siu-tung, who famously directed the A Chinese Ghost Story trilogy. However, despite desires to recapture local audiences, Chow admits that the action in the film is far from being traditionally Chinese. He cites the Japanese manga series Captain Tsubasa as being a huge influence on the film, and calls the martial arts in the film “anime [and] manga-inspired and greatly enhanced by visual effects.” He even admits the outright absence of “real, traditional martial arts”, mostly due to how the special effects result in the characters possessing supernatural powers.

In regards to casting, Chow selected mostly unprofessional actors, even using his scriptwriter and production manager as two of the Shaolin brothers. Chow himself trained physically for a year before filming began, and when it came time to produce a dub for the United States he even learned English to reprise his role as the protagonist. The film also acquired sponsorship from Puma, which provided many of the shoes, clothes, and even soccer balls used in the film. They are credited at the end of the film for this contribution.

Histories of the Film’s Reception

Shaolin Soccer was the highest-grossing film of 2001, and was the highest-grossing Hong Kong film of all time up to that point, grossing at 60 million HKD. The film won awards at the Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival, the Hong Kong Film Awards, the Golden Bauhinia Awards, and the Blue Ribbon Awards. It also won the 2001 Hong Kong Film Critics Society Award for Best Picture.

While the film achieved worldwide success, critics praised Chow’s work for its return to Hong Kong sensibilities. In an era marked by trepidation over local industry being pushed out by a looming and expanding Hollywood, Chow’s seminal work served as a pushback, aesthetically standing apart from American productions and being a film that evoked the hallmark style and qualities that aligned with Hong Kong tastes. Outside of local acclaim, the film managed to break into the international market, receiving generally positive reviews worldwide.

Chow’s films often feature his unique sense of humour, which was refreshing for viewers compared to more serious themes of the time, such as the plethora of films related to the uncertainty of the handover of Hong Kong. Along with the use of impressive stunt work and CGI, Chow perfected his particular formula for success with Shaolin Soccer. Aside from the more technical aspects of the film, martial arts as a theme had been internationalized in the 1970s by film production companies such as Shaw Brothers Studios and Golden Harvest. Appealing to the greater Chinese diaspora as a representation of Chinese culture, Shaolin kung fu provided many people with Chinese heritage with something to identify with whilst living in a completely different world. Be that as it may, Shaolin Soccer did receive some negative feedback. Similar to when the famous Hong Kong martial artist Bruce Lee opened martial arts classes in the United States, the film was criticized for “spreading Chinese secrets to outsiders”.

Overall, the film garnered mostly positive comments, and the success cemented Chow as a serious director and gave him the impetus to produce his next project, Kung Fu Hustle, which surpassed Shaolin Soccer as the highest-grossing Hong Kong film.

Scholarly Literature Review

Peter Hitchcock briefly looked at Shaolin Soccer for his article on niche films. Discussing the comedic aspects of it, Hitchcock praised Chow’s ability to blend the niche and the mainstream. Chow’s specialty, mo lei tau comedy, is an esoteric style that only Hong Kongers could properly enjoy; however, the director also openly references properties such as The Matrix and Bruce Lee as a means of permitting the film into worldwide audiences. In regard to this aspect of the filming, Hitchcock notes that by blending both locality and nationality Chow creates “a parable about the fate of cinema production based on place”. However, alongside this the director also makes the local equal to the global, and the niche becomes something which can provide valuable counterpoint to the mainstream.

Another detail Hitchcock observed were the aspects of self-awareness. He notes that the protagonist Mighty Iron Leg’s motive and modus operandi are identical to that of Chow. In the fictional world, Iron Leg has no interest at all in soccer, but merely is looking for a platform to market Shaolin kung fu to the world; Hitchcock observes that what might be considered an act of abasing a sacred art is entirely apropos with a business where “nothing is sacred except the bottom line.”

Sing enters into a Matrix-esque bullet time before kicking the soccer ball.

Vivian Lee’s examination on contemporary martial arts films touches on the representation of martial arts in Shaolin Soccer. Specifically, she points out how the film exists in a space of “intertextuality”, one that blends both the tradition of old martial arts films and the new digital style invented by The Matrix. Through blending both real martial arts with technological alterations brought about by CGI, Lee states that Chow pays homage to the “popular culture imaginary” by both depicting the truths and fictions that compose it. In current-day Hong Kong and Chinese culture, terms like “Shaolin” and “kung fu” mean the deep-rooted history of genuine martial arts training as much as they refer to the mythos and fiction generated via storytelling and cinema. Through this blending of the digitally falsified with culturally authentic, Chow perpetuates “a hybrid, multiply coded, culturally ambiguous, and therefore transnational visual medium for global consumption.”

Gary Bettison also looks into the implications Chow’s usage of CGI has on Shaolin Soccer. Some critic would argue that Chow is one of many directors whose usage of digital technology marks a turn in Hong Kong cinema away from the rich tradition of the region’s film towards both Hollywood Westernization and Mainlandification. While there are some elements of modernization in Chow’s films, Bettison states that the usage of CGI is not one of these hallmarks; in fact, he states that Chow uses technology as a means of advancing and improving his locally influenced comedy. Bettison goes as far as to state that his blending of Mainland, Hollywood, and Hong Kong proved to be a monumental influence not only on Hong Kong cinema, but even had the inverse effect of creating a “Chowification of Mainland Chinese cinema.”

Gary Bettison also looks into the implications Chow’s usage of CGI has on Shaolin Soccer. Some critic would argue that Chow is one of many directors whose usage of digital technology marks a turn in Hong Kong cinema away from the rich tradition of the region’s film towards both Hollywood Westernization and Mainlandification. While there are some elements of modernization in Chow’s films, Bettison states that the usage of CGI is not one of these hallmarks; in fact, he states that Chow uses technology as a means of advancing and improving his locally influenced comedy. Bettison goes as far as to state that his blending of Mainland, Hollywood, and Hong Kong proved to be a monumental influence not only on Hong Kong cinema, but even had the inverse effect of creating a “Chowification of Mainland Chinese cinema.”

Comparative Analysis

If Bruce Lee’s Fist of Fury (1972) is the introduction of kung fu to the Western moviegoer, then Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) is what revitalized and cemented the Chinese martial arts film genre. These seminal pieces brought Chinese wuxia and martial arts media to mainstream Western audiences, inculcating a kung fu fever through their fantastic portrayal of spectacle and violence. The early 2000s saw various martial arts films debut (Zhang Yimou’s Hero (2002), and his House of Flying Daggers (2004) are just some examples), signalling a broader shift in moviegoer markets. Shaolin Soccer (2001) is Stephen Chow’s interpretation of the kung fu genre through mixing of local and foreign elements. Through the medium of soccer, Chow portrays the struggle of self-enlightenment, revolution, and anti-Westernism.

Fist of Fury was one of the most successful kung fu films of its era, primarily due to the breakout success of its star: Bruce Lee. It was pivotal in creating a more powerful image of nationalist physical hero, and it is undeniable that some details in the shots of Fist of Fury have shaped the traditional image of Chinese martial arts. Such an influence can be seen in Shaolin Soccer. The backgrounds of the two films can be said to span a century, from the early 20th to the early 21st, revealing the social and cultural issues faced by Hong Kong in different time periods. The two director’s interpretation and connection of the identity of kung fu films are evident, showing the both the differences and similarities between their identifications with the Chinese nation. Both incorporate nationalism brought by physical strength, both realize self-worth through kung fu and both have an anti-Western institutional structure.

Portrayal of the Nationalist Body

The Shaolin Monks awaken their powers. The scene is accompanied with Buddhist chanting in the background.

As mentioned earlier, director Lo Wei portrayed Chen Zhen (Bruce Lee) as a tough and personal national hero, The film Fist of Fury itself brought national pride and physical masculinity to the Chinese people; while in Shaolin Soccer, Mighty Steel Leg Sing (Stephen Chow) won the victory with weakened physical authenticity, but both obviously narrated the same point: a strong body represents the nationalist revival of strength. The film's storyline is simple but it already shows the recurring theme in kung fu films: the process of changing in a way of physical performance. When Shanghai was under Japanese occupation, Chen Zhen challenged the Japanese dojo through martial arts. He broke into the hall alone, and smashed the plaque of "​​Sick man of Asia" (东亚病夫) (25:04). His body symbolized a significant weapon that threatened Japanese and Western powers in Shanghai. Chen Zhen became a tool in which Chinese strength could be represented, at a time when both law and politics were ineffective. The colonial context of occupation, of both Shanghai and Hong Kong, has Chen Zhen playing the hero under two Chinese identities. Interestingly, Chen Zhen never fails in battle, while his brothers were seriously injured in the competition. The Jin Wu school represents kung fu and strong physical strength supported nationalism, but their weak bodies supplemented the disadvantage, and established Chen Zhen as prototype of a national hero in the wake of their lack of strength. Similarly, in Shaolin Soccer, the body is also used, but as a means to synthesize the body and cultural values. In the match against Hung's Team Rebellion, the audience could clearly identify when the Shaolin team's seemingly fragile bodies regained martial arts. When Mighty Steel Leg Sing (Stephen Chow) said: "I can feel it, they are all coming back." (55:17), the scene cuts to Small Brother striking an elegant and contrasting pose. The monks each awaken their respective abilities as they reclaim their bodies when the background is symbolically lit ablaze. Upon awakening, the goalkeeper's hair slicks back, strikingly resembling Bruce Lee. This physical and cosmetic transformation is most indicative of the return of the brothers, but the scene as a medium to represent the return of the body, as if it were possessed by the national spirit.  

Foreign Power and Structures

Chen Zhen denied entry at the park. The Sikh guard points to this sign.

The setting of Japanese imperialist Shanghai, and a globalized Hong Kong post-colonialism also plays a significant role in the two films. In Fist of Fury, the might of Japanese imperialism is demonstrated through physical symbols and structures. This can be seen in both the sign of “No dogs and Chinese allowed” and the Western-style building structures in the Shanghai settlement. The sign of “No dogs and Chinese allowed” shows the Chinese are seen as weak, backward, and equivalent to dogs. The appearance of the settlement itself and the control of justice in the film imply that Chinese culture is excluded by the Western. Translator Wu and Hung could be seen as parallels: both have shunned traditional Chinese ethics and values in favour of imperialist powers, and Westernized technology. Their similar viewpoints on the weak (when Wu mocks Chen and Master Huo for being sickly; Hung mocks Fung for being a cripple) represents the discrimination and inferiority many Chinese felt. From the perspective of Shaolin Soccer, Hung's Team Evil and Hung himself are symbols of the bourgeois, capital controlling class. When Hung said: "I'm the chairman of the board, so I decide if you can enter or not" (1:00:30-1:00:35), the director has outlined to the audience the Westernized system of power hierarchy. The soccer matches are rigged, full of black whistles (黑哨) and doping, preventing Sing's team from scoring a goal. The soccer board committee all work with Hung, and the referees are all on Team Evil’s side. It is akin to institutional oppression whereby Sing’s team are the revolutionaries and Hung’s soccer empire is the authoritarian state. These two films explain the extent of Western institutional structure that embody capital and colonial violence. In such a climate, a strategy of using kung fu to fight against it has become a way of propaganda to express cultural claims.

Context of Kung Fu

The space in which kung fu films reside could be considered a twilight zone. There is a need to balance modernity, in which firearms and advanced weaponry threaten to overpower the mythical strength of kung fu, and the use of cliche stereotypes and antiquated mise-en-scene. Audiences perceive a real and authentic physical expression of kung fu, but understand that its basis is rooted in a falsified world - that there are conventions that allow for the expression of kung fu to take place.

In Fist of Fury (1972), the presence of firearms is only shown when Japanese forces are present. Besides that, at a time when Shanghai is occupied by Japanese forces, the lack of guns amongst the Chinese population seems unnatural. The only scene that shows firearms in action is during the ending (1:46:02) when the Japanese and Western police aim their weapons at Chen Zhen, and gunfire can be heard. The premise of the film is Chen Zhen’s dominance through kung fu, and it is within this vacuum of firearms (and therefore power) that levels the playing field for Chen Zhen. This balancing act is analogous to what Li describes as the liminal space in which kung fu representation lies - it is a cultural imagination of the past through heroic bodies and fantastical portrayals of strength, yet it must construct justifiable and logical means in which kung fu can reassert itself.

Shaolin Soccer (2001) on the other hand constructs a postwar context for kung fu to reappear. There is no war present; it is a time of globalization, peace. For Chow, there is no need for a balance of power. Sing (played by Chow) is a Shaolin kung fu master who wants to promote the martial arts and display its practical benefits to the world. In a series of observations (9:24-9:50; 10:15-10:25), Sing points out the convenience of kung fu, and how it would benefit others to learn it. Kung fu is not portrayed as a weapon, but rather as a tool of convenience in the modern age. While Sing does deprecate the significance of martial arts through its use in mundane or tedious tasks, his statement to Fung contrasts this airy notion, and signals something greater.

Sing. Kung fu is for everyone. People mistake it as violence. Kung fu transcends all else. It’s a complete way of life. (11:18-11:40)

Sing is encouraging people to engage in kung fu and, through this, a reinvention of oneself, or a self-revolution. Fist of Fury represents Chen Zhen’s struggle with Japanese imperialism, encroaching Western powers, and the discrimination the Chinese felt. His kung fu and body represents the Chinese: their nationalism and pride which embodies a physical revolution. Within Shaolin Soccer, no physical revolution takes place. Instead, the conflicts that arise, while still using martial arts to be solved, are not based on the physical strength of the actors. Their impressive physical stunts are augmented with CGI, and the wuxia and fantastical elements make use of stunt wires, choreography, and editing techniques. Sing’s revolution is predicated on Hong Kong’s postwar development: the proliferation of Westernization, and the pervasiveness of capitalism. Thus, Chow’s characters engage in only a revolution of the self, and insofar a successful cultural revolution as denoted by the ending, when Sing and Mu are on the cover of TIME magazine.

Camaraderie and Revolution

Chen Zhen engaging the students of the Hong Kou dojo. The students are pressed back.

The Jin Wu school portrayed in Fist of Fury is fractured following the death of their master, Huo Yuan Jia. The legendary martial artist died supposedly of pneumonia, prompting the return of Chen Zhen, his disciple. Already, the audience is shown the depth of Chen Zhen and Master Huo’s relationship, as his student desperately claws at the dirt burying his master (3:52-4:20). None of the other students had such an extreme reaction, and they restrained themselves from fighting the Japanese dojo members under the pretext that Master Huo encouraged them not to seek conflict. None of them join Chen Zhen in his fight against the dojo: his all versus one scene portrays Chen Zhen as a paragon of martial arts, an unparalleled warrior. When the dojo hall members return to the Jin Wu school, none of the students are able to confidently stand up to them. Kung fu is not a team sport; it is based on individual merit and strength. There is no camaraderie in the Jin Wu school, Chen Zhen is ‘othered’ because of his strength. Upon returning to the school, he is chastised for not informing the Elder Brother, and making a mess in the dojo hall; he is not praised for his acts of defending Master Huo's name. Without those around him to support Chen Zhen, his physical body (which harbors the revolution) cannot succeed. When the Japanese killed the remainder at the Jin Wu school, Chen Zhen lost the remainder of the people that could support his revolution. At the end, it cuts to a freeze frame of Chen Zhen in a flying kick, towards the Japanese and Western police. The purposeful use of a freeze frame symbolizes the protracted nature of a revolution, currently at its standstill as Chen Zhen struggles against his oppressors in an ambiguous ending. Does Chen Zhen live? Does the revolution continue? The non-diegetic gunshots creates an illusory effect, wherein the audience knows the gunfire is not natural, and that Chen Zhen could have survived.

In Fist of Fury, Chen Zhen does not need the help of anyone else to defeat the Japanese dojo. He defeats Petrov, Suzuki, and those responsible for Master Huo’s death, but he is ultimately left alone to bear the responsibility of the Jin Wu school. The emphasis of individual strength, contrasts Chow’s approach to how soccer is played by the Shaolin brothers. While they each possess a powerful ability, they cannot defeat the other team alone. In the match against Team Rebellion, Sing and his team struggle to score a point against the ragtime team until Iron Head is humiliated by an opposing team member. Upon watching Iron Head put dirty underwear on his head, and suffer a beating, Sing proclaims his brothers were awakening. In an incredible display of physical feats, the Shaolin monks kick into the air, score jaw dropping goals from afar and defeat Team Rebellion. Soccer is about team play: without certain roles and positions, the team cannot function. The stylistic choice to choose soccer and fuse it with kung fu, in itself could be seen as successfully revolutionizing the niche movie scene.

Within the film itself however, the ending denotes Sing’s success in his cultural revolution, spreading the influence of martial arts globally. As a character, Sing has achieved immense success, paralleling Chow’s rise in Hong Kong, and mainstream Asian cinema. The cover of the TIME magazine article in the ending scene of the movie shows Sing and Mu with the subtext below saying: Shaolin Soccer Craze Reaches America. Chow recognizes that the mou lei tau humor ubiquitous throughout the film and Hong Kong requires no subtext. They are over the top gags, no brain nonsense visual spectacles that offer additional humor to those that understand the language. Its transnational appeal lies not only in its gags but in the content as well, which combines both Chinese influence in the form of Shaolin kung fu and Western influence in the form of soccer. As Hitchcock puts it, it is the niche of the film that puts it into the markets, and the quotation devices that lead people to desire further to bite outside the apple.

Alternative Interpretation

In the early 21st century, scholars viewed Shaolin Soccer as a revival of the kung fu wave, while Peter Hitchcock held a similar thought, Shaolin Soccer promotes the revival of traditional culture and the film essentially instills the point: Sing is actually not interested in the sport of soccer itself, but focuses on the innovation of combining soccer and martial arts to promote Shaolin kung fu. Hitchcock considered this combination to be entirely apropos; it is actually an act of devaluing martial arts contrary to his point of view. The comedy and mythological packaging did not really promote kung fu, but reinforced the concept of commercialization and the loss of the sanctity of martial arts.

Scene 1 (44:12-47:10):

The former Shaolin disciples, who had never experienced soccer training, gathered together to retrain in kung fu in preparation for a soccer match. It seems Sing and his brothers are resuming training in this scene, but what is hidden behind the training is the core value of kung fu that has lost its seriousness. Stephen Chow's choice to make a comedy to cater to the taste of audiences has actually turned martial arts into a form of visual entertainment. The comedic montage and cheerful music with non diegetic sound replaces the hard work value in kung fu training, while the small brother's (light weight) repeated snatching of eggs and the exaggerated movements that the brothers had during training reflect the visual expression of kung fu's retraction in the public eye. For Chow to revitalize kung fu, there must be spectacle; in turn, however, it portrays kung fu as a complete failure in modern times. The training is not rooted in reality, and that goes for not only the Shaolin team but also for Team Evil. Their use of American steroids to overpower the monks during the tournament match is indicative of the public perception of kung fu - that steroids can overcome the efforts of training, and to an extent, one’s commitment to their self-revolution. From another perspective, the breaking of the egg is also a metaphor and irony. Kung fu, a tradition that symbolizes Chinese national culture, is completely marginalized in the market and eventually broken. At this time, this scene no longer shows cultural inheritance, but cultural consumption.

Scene 2 (1:43:06-1:45:36; 1:47:13)

Sing's final shot was slowed down, and the focus on the ball presented a surreal kung fu, which was equivalent to the superpowers in Hollywood movies. The viewing value was greater than the practicality of traditional kung fu. At the end of 1:47:13, Sing and Mu were featured in the American Time magazine. Although the magazine symbolized Sing's success and indeed promoted martial arts and brought Shaolin kung fu to the world, it also symbolized that Sing was no longer a Shaolin disciple, but a cultural idol and commercial brand. Shaolin kung fu was repackaged into a product representing popular culture. In the competition, kung fu became a special effect action and lost its original meaning.

Conclusion

Although Shaolin Soccer may appear to be merely a light-hearted comedy on the surface, the film engages with deeper themes such as nationalism, offering a reflection of Hong Kong’s sociopolitical context at the time of its release. As a result, it received positive reviews both domestically and internationally, as evidenced by its box office gross and abundance of awards.

Our group found Shaolin Soccer generally entertaining, as the action scenes were well-choreographed and the CGI was done tremendously. We think viewers would also appreciate this aspect of the film the most. Our main qualm with the film is the fact that mo lei tau comedy is something almost only native Hong Kongers could understand. Three of four members could not enjoy this comedy style, while our sole member from Hong Kong only found it mildly humorous, partly due to the generational gap. As a whole, we still think this film is worth checking out, as it is still very entertaining even without the comedic aspect.