Return to the 36th Chamber
Return to the 36th Chamber
少林搭棚大師
Overview
"A con man who happens to look exactly like the legendary monk San Te impersonates him to scare off corrupt mill owners exploiting their workers. When the ruse is discovered, he genuinely attempts to join the Shaolin Temple, only to be rejected and forced into manual labor constructing scaffolding, inadvertently learning 'scaffolding kung fu'."
Iconic Tracked Scenes
- ▶
Chou Jen-chieh comically attempts to pass himself off as the legendary San Te to intimidate thugs, using cheap tricks and loud acting.
"impersonating san te""fake monk" - ▶
While building scaffolding around the temple, Chou unknowingly develops massive arm and grip strength by constantly tying bamboo knots.
"scaffolding training""bamboo tying" - ▶
Chou returns to the dye mill and absolutely wrecks the bosses using his unconventional scaffolding techniques and bamboo poles.
"dye mill final fight""scaffolding kung fu fight"
Why It's Remembered
- ★The hilarious attempts to impersonate San Te using fake props and acting.
- ★The 'roof tying' training sequence that builds incredible arm strength.
- ★The final showdown at the dye mill where the protagonist uses scaffolding techniques to dismantle the bosses.
Cultural Context
- ◈A meta-comedic sequel to 'The 36th Chamber of Shaolin', serving as a lighthearted subversion of the original's stoic tone.
- ◈Gordon Liu returns to star, but plays a completely different character (who merely looks like his iconic role from the first film).
- ◈Brilliantly turns manual labor (tying knots, lifting logs) into a devastating martial arts style.
About the Action Elements
Return to the 36th Chamber is widely celebrated among martial arts cinema fans for sequences involving impersonation, fake, san te, comedy, scam. One of the most memorable sequences features Gordon Liu naturally executing impersonating san te, where the choreography and unique set pieces become the unexpected highlight of the film.