In the 1930s, the city of Foshan in southern China is renowned for its martial arts masters, and none is more respected than Ip Man. A wealthy gentleman and Wing Chun grandmaster, Ip Man lives a comfortable life with his wife Wing Sing and young son, spending his days practicing martial arts and graciously accepting challenges from other schools. His skill is so far beyond his peers that he defeats challengers effortlessly, always with humility and restraint.

Everything changes when the Japanese army invades and occupies Foshan. The prosperous city is devastated — homes are seized, businesses destroyed, and the Chinese population is forced into poverty and servitude. Ip Man’s mansion is confiscated, and he must work in the coal mines to feed his family. The Japanese general Miura, himself a karate practitioner, establishes fighting matches where Chinese martial artists can earn rice by fighting Japanese soldiers — but the matches are brutal and often fatal.

When Ip Man witnesses the murder of his friend Master Liu during one of these matches, he can no longer remain passive. He challenges ten Japanese fighters simultaneously and defeats them all in a display of Wing Chun mastery that shocks both the Chinese workers and the Japanese command. This act of defiance makes Ip Man a symbol of Chinese resistance, ultimately leading to a climactic confrontation with General Miura that represents far more than a martial arts contest — it is a battle for dignity, honor, and national pride. Based on the true story of the man who would later become Bruce Lee’s legendary teacher.

Director & Cast

Director: Wilson Yip — the Hong Kong filmmaker whose collaboration with Donnie Yen produced one of the most successful martial arts franchises of the 21st century.

Cast: Donnie Yen as Ip Man, Simon Yam as Chow Ching-chuen, Fan Siu-Wong as Jin Shanzhao, Lynn Hung as Cheung Wing-sing, Hiroyuki Ikeuchi as General Miura, and Gordon Lam as Li Zhao.

Behind the Scenes

Donnie Yen studied Wing Chun for nine months prior to filming, training under Ip Man’s actual student Ip Chun (Ip Man’s eldest son), who also served as a consultant on the film. The famous “one vs. ten” fight scene took over 20 days to choreograph and film. The film was a massive hit across Asia and spawned three sequels, establishing Donnie Yen as the biggest martial arts star of his generation.