Wong Fei-Hung (Once Upon a Time in China)

Doctor Wong Fei-hung is the main protagonist of the Once Upon a Time in China movie series. He is a philanthropic physician of the Po Chi Lam clinic and the greatest warrior of Real Life 1875 Canton. Possessing a skill in the Martial Arts that was matched only by his kindness and mastery in healing, Master Wong was respected by friend and foe alike, protecting the citizens of Canton from the predations of The Triads and the Tongs and the greedy Western invaders who sought to exploit China's great riches. He inherits his father Wong Kei-Ying's title as one of the Ten Tigers of Canton - the greatest warriors of Southern China. He is played by Jet Li.

History
The story begins when the love of his life, "13th Aunt" (not by relation, but because their fathers are sworn brothers), returns from a 3-year education in England. Though the perspective and charm derived from her western education fascinates Fei-hung, an awkwardness forms in their relationship, as it clashes with his traditional eastern values. On that same day, a young, unemployed-acrobat - Lian Kuang (played by Jackie Chan film veteran Yuen Biao) - wanders into Canton seeking instruction in the martial arts. Instead, he blunders into and insults the Sha-Her ("Sand-River") Gang - a vicious Triad that terrorizes and fleeces the innocents of Canton, already destitute from simultaneous British and American exploitation.

A great warrior though Wong Fei-hung may be, he can only watch helplessly as the western government indiscriminately guns down many innocent Chinese at an opera performance in an attempt to apprehend assassins targeting Western dignitaries. He is then framed for the crime by the Sha-her Gang and confined to his clinic by his own government so he could heal those injured and dying from the massacre. Now unhindered, the Sha-her Gang start to kidnap scores of women to be sold into prostitution in America and gain the alliance of Yen Jer Dong - a martial artist whose skin can be broken by no weapon. With Lian Quan as his apprentice, Master Yen seeks to break out of poverty by challenging Master Wong to establish his school in Canton through the fame and respect of defeating the Tenth Tiger. It is in this desperate climate that Doctor Wong Fei-hung must fight not only to save the people of his country, but also to reconcile with what it means to be an idealistic and heroic Chinese warrior in an increasingly cynical and westernized world.

Powers and Abilities
Master Wong is the greatest martial artist in perhaps the entire world. He can accomplish impossible acrobatic feats and defeat legions of the best martial artist in existence in mere seconds. He’s inhumanly fast, nimble, dexterous… and in total control over his body.

He is perfectly adept at handling melee and missile weapons. Any object becomes a deadly weapon in his hands, including small pellets or his own jacket. A pellet can be thrown with the force of a powerful gun and a piece of cloth can be used as a whip powerful enough to make holes in a concrete wall (the so called ’cloth-line‘ Manoeuvre).

He is also able to block bullets by his bare hands.

Not only is he impossibly agile and physically impressive, but he’s also intelligent, strong-willed and charismatic. He is a medical expert (he’s actually a doctor of acupuncture) and has a nice way with words. Although completely fluent in both Cantonese and Mandarin, he has real trouble with English.

Of course, Master Wong is a also a very courageous spirit and will fight near-impossible odds at any time.

Wong’s reputation is so great that his name will be shouted wherever he appears, by either friend or foe. Opponents or rivals will often soon call him Master.