Flirting Scholar

Plot

In the Ming Dynasty, there were four scholars, whose literary and artistic skills are unmatched in China. Tong Pak Fu (Stephen Chow) is the most famous, for having eight wives in addition to his expertise as an artist, poet, and calligrapher. However, Tong's wives are all gambling addicts, unappreciative of Tong's artistic skills. This leads to Tong's quest for a woman who truly appreciates his strengths.

The Tong Family have been generations of martial arts masters and has two major enemies: the Evil Scholar, a notorious swordsman known for The Deadly Scholastic Sword (書生奪命劍), and an evil ex-girlfriend of his father. Due to these rivalries, Tong Pak Fu is forbidden by his mother to use any form of martial arts.

One day, Tong stumbles upon the convoy of the House of Wah, and meets Chow Heung (Gong Li), one of the four maids in the House of Wah. This chance encounter convinces Tong that he has finally found his true love. On the advice of a boatman, Tong pretends to be a lowly servant in order to gain employment in the House of Wah.

Tong finds life as a servant very difficult, until after a night incident (which involved the saving of Chow Heung from rape by the Wolf gang), Madame Wah (Cheng Pei-pei) discovers that Tong is actually educated. After some persuasion by Chow Heung, Tong is hired as an assistant tutor for Madame Wah's two young sons.

After the accidental death of the main tutor of the House of Wah, Tong is promoted as senior tutor and manages to get closer to Chow Heung. However, the House of Wah is suddenly visited by Chancellor Wah's political rival, Prince Ning, who is planning a coup. The visit goes violent as the Evil Scholar, now a subordinate under Prince Ning, fights Madam Wah. Madame Wah is injured, and Tong steps in to finish the battle in the House of Wah's favor. Prince Ning seizes the opportunity to blame the House of Wah for insulting him. Embarrassed at being utterly defeated at the hands of a tutor, Prince Ning leaves hastily, vowing revenge. In reproducing a painting, Tong reveals his real identity to Madame Wah, who is revealed as the former love rival of Tong's mother and still hold grudges against his father.

Several days later, the Evil Scholar returns to annihilate the entire House of Wah. Madame Wah attempts to defend the family, but is almost killed. Tong appears and after a fierce battle, Tong kills the Evil Scholar and earns Chow Heung's hand in marriage as a reward. Tong then discovers that Chow Heung is just as much a gambling addict as his previous eight wives.

Cast

Release

Flirting Scholar was released in Hong Kong on 1 July 1993. It grossed a total of HK $40,171,804.