The literal translation of the title of this movie is: The Boxer.
This movie is a masterpiece of introspection on traditional Confucian teachings. Many other Chinese movies do the same thing, but all of them concentrated on the dross of the discrimination against women. However, there is another type of dross in the traditional Confucian teaching in that a son must revenge his father's killing. Even if the killing was accidental, in the traditional Confucian teaching, one cannot expect the late-father's son could be friend with those who accidentally killed the father, not mentioning the fact that the son would have to take orders from those same people. This movie does an excellent job in criticizing this type of dross because in any society, we are governed by law, not by personal vengeance.
This movie is a masterpiece of introspection on traditional Confucian teachings. Many other Chinese movies do the same thing, but all of them concentrated on the dross of the discrimination against women. However, there is another type of dross in the traditional Confucian teaching in that a son must revenge his father's killing. Even if the killing was accidental, in the traditional Confucian teaching, one cannot expect the late-father's son could be friend with those who accidentally killed the father, not mentioning the fact that the son would have to take orders from those same people. This movie does an excellent job in criticizing this type of dross because in any society, we are governed by law, not by personal vengeance.