History Film / TaiChiMaster

* EnemyMine: [[spoiler:The army abandons Tienbo to his fate, and after he's dead, they let Junbao and Siu Lin go free.]]

* AmbitionIsEvil: Tienbo started off wanting to become number one at the Shaolin Temple. After getting expelled, he wants to make a lot of money and buy a house. His ambitions keep growing from there [[spoiler: which leads him to betray the rebels, his former best friend and his superiors]]
* AnOfferYouCantRefuse: After [[spoiler: betraying the rebels]], Tienbo demands Junbao join him, promising great career opportunities in the military. [[ScrewTheMoneyIHaveRules He doesn't take it]] so Tienbo tries to kill him.
%%* BackToBackBadasses

%%* BareFistedMonk: Junbao and Tienbo, literally!

* EvilDebtCollector: The government raises taxes at the drop of a hat. After Junbao and Tienbo start making money as human punching bags, the government official He-kun extorts their earnings by charging a bevy of arbitrary taxes, then offers them to join the army which Tienbo accepts.

%%* HenpeckedHusband: The man married to the governor's niece also turns out to be Siu Lin's ex-husband

* PragmaticVillainy: He-kun, Tienbo's former commanding officer scolds him for abusing his troops and warns that they'll turn against him.

* ChasteHero: Junbao during the first half of the movie was actually scared of touching Siu. He was raised to be a monk, so this is justifiable.

%%* ChronicBackstabbingDisorder: Tienbo

* NormalFishInATinyPond: Junbao and Tienbo are maybe slightly more talented than the other junior monks training at the Shaolin Temple. Outside of it, they're practically the strongest fighters around.

* NormalFishInATinyPond: Junbao and Tienbo were maybe slightly more talented than the students training at the Shaolin Temple. Outside of it, they're practically the strongest fighters around.

* {{Adorkable}}: Junbao may be a badass, but he's pretty naive on worldly matters for the first half of the movie.

* ALighterShadeOfBlack: The Eunuch Governor Liu-jin, just barely. He's still an evil and deplorable JerkAss villain, but his soldiers don't hate him like they do Tienbo. He also counts as a bit of a subversion of the trope because even though he isn't as psychotic or as unstable as Tienbo, he's still enough of a despicable HateSink character that when [[spoiler: Tienbo kills him for good]], it's still a legitimate KickTheSonOfABitch moment.

* DramaticallyMissingThePoint: Tienbo cannot understand why he being expelled from the monastery for nearly killing a fellow monk when everybody saw the latter cheat. The fact that he cannot comprehend that he was suppose to show restraint in the face of the monk used of foul play to try to win is completely lost on him [[spoiler: and only foreshadows the majority of his actions for the remainder of the story]]
* EvilDebtCollector: The government raises taxes at the drop of a hat. After Junbao and Tienbo start making money as human punching bags, the government official He-kun extorts their earnings by charging taxes on sales, entertainment and use of land, then offers them to join the army which Tienbo accepts.

* KickTheSonOfABitch: Tienbo when he [[spoiler: kills the eunuch Liu-jin]]. Granted most of the troops didn't hate [[spoiler: Liu-jin]] but up to that point, the guy had spent most of the film being a SmugSnake with plenty of his own KickTheDog moments that it's hard to sympathize with him.

* MartialPacifist: Junbao, especially after his powerup. He easily disarms and dispatches a group of soldiers without killing them.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: One of the rebels plays with a ball using Tai chi-esque moves and philosophies.

* WeCanRuleTogether: After [[spoiler: betraying the rebels]] Tienbo demands Junbao join him, promising great career opportunities in the military. [[ScrewTheMoneyIHaveRules He doesn't take it]] so Tienbo [[AnOfferYouCantRefuse tries to kill him]].

* ALighterShadeOfBlack: The Eunuch Governor Liu-jin, just barely. He's still an evil and deplorable JerkAss villain, but his soldiers don't hate him like they do Tienbo. And at one point in the movie, after he chastises Tienbo for still being attached to women and Tienbo in return [[spoiler: kills Miss Li]], Liu-jin says that he never actually [[spoiler: told Tienbo that he ''had'' to kill Miss Li]], implying that he didn't really care if Tienbo kept her as a love slave but simply meant for him to realize he shouldn't let a woman get in the way of his ambitions. He also counts as a bit of a subversion of the trope because even though he isn't as psychotic or as unstable as Tienbo, he's still enough of a despicable HateSink character that when [[spoiler: Tienbo kills him for good]], it's still a legitimate KickTheSonOfABitch moment.

%%* HeroicBSOD: [[spoiler: Junbao]] has a BIG one lasting several days.

* KlingonPromotion: [[spoiler: Tienbo]] assumes this, however it doesn't really take since TheDogBitesBack.

* LadyDrunk: Siu Lin repeatedly [[DrowningMySorrows drowns her sorrows]] over her ex-husband's infidelity, until Junbao snaps her out of it.

* MartialPacifist: Junbao, especially after his powerup. He easily disarms a group of soldiers without killing them.
* MeaningfulName: Junbao was renamed [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhang_Sanfeng Zhang Sanfeng]] by the doctor who tried to treat his madness. Sanfeng was explained in-movie as meaning "3-times crazy". Junbao later mistook the Feng part to be prosperity.

** Which is interpersed with scenes of Tienbo abusing his troops.

* WorldOfBadass: After leaving the monastery, the first thing that happens to the duo is they encounter a street mugging thwarted by an ActionGirl, then take refuge in a restaurant where a fight breaks out between a street musician and the governor's niece. That night they accidentally find out that the restaurant is a rebel base camp.

* ALighterShadeOfBlack: The Eunuch Governor Liu-jin, just barely. He doesn't quite count as a NobleDemon or AntiVillain because he's still an evil and deplorable JerkAss villain, but his soldiers don't hate him like they do Tienbo. And at one point in the movie, after he chastises Tienbo for still being attached to women and Tienbo in return [[spoiler: kills Miss Li]], Liu-jin says that he never actually [[spoiler: told Tienbo that he ''had'' to kill Miss Li]], implying that he didn't really care if Tienbo kept her as a love slave but simply meant for him to realize he shouldn't let a woman get in the way of his ambitions. He also counts as a bit of a subversion of the trope because even though he isn't as psychotic or as unstable as Tienbo, he's still enough of a despicable HateSink character that when [[spoiler: Tienbo kills him for good]], it's still a legitimate KickTheSonOfABitch moment.

* CrapsackWorld: The government is corrupt, the peasants will kill you if offered money... even in the temple there were bullies.

-> "Earning money is so easy!"

* IndirectKiss: Tienbo looks on enviously at Miss Li giving Junbao some bean-curd with her chopsticks. He perks up immediately when she hands him roast pigeon with those same chopsticks.

%%* CounterAttack: Just look at the title.

* CurbStompBattle: Junbao's fights after developing Tai Chi becomes this.
* TheDogBitesBack: The army turns its back on [[spoiler: Tienbo]] when he tries to take over, largely because [[KlingonPromotion his promotion wasn't exactly legal]] but mostly because they were sick of his treatment.

* KickTheSonOfABitch: Tienbo does this when he [[spoiler: kills the eunuch Liu-jin]]. Granted most of the troops didn't hate [[spoiler: Liu-jin]] but up to that point, the guy had spent most of the film being a SmugSnake with plenty of his own KickTheDog moments that it's hard to sympathize with him when Tienbo finally [[spoiler: cuts his throat open]].

* IndirectKiss: Tienbo (clearly obsessed with Miss Li) looks on enviously at Li giving Junbao some bean-curd with her chopsticks. He perks up immediately when she hands him roast pigeon with those same chopsticks.

* LadyDrunk: Siu Lin repeatedly drowns her sorrows over her ex-husband's infidelity, until Junbao snaps her out of it.

* MadeOfIron: Junbao and Tienbo. A group of hired guards beat them up at one point. Their reaction? Pick the coins on the ground.
---> "Earning money is so easy!"
%%* MartialPacifist: Junbao, especially after his powerup.

* WorldOfBadass: After leaving the monastery, the first thing that happens to the duo is they encounter a street mugging thwarted by an ActionGirl, then take refuge in a restaurant where a fight breaks out between a street musician and the governor's sister. That night they accidentally find out that the restaurant is a rebel base camp.

* ALighterShadeOfBlack: The Eunuch Governor Liu-jin, just barely. He doesn't quite count as a NobleDemon or AntiVillain because he was still an evil and deplorable JerkAss villain when it came down to it. However, the soldiers who serve under him don't hate him like they do Tienbo. And at one point in the movie, after he chastises Tienbo for still being attached to women and Tienbo in return [[spoiler: kills Miss Li]], Liu-jin says that he never actually [[spoiler: told Tienbo that he ''had'' to kill Miss Li]], implying that he didn't really care if Tienbo kept her as a love slave but simply meant for him to realize he shouldn't let a woman get in the way of his ambitions. He also counts as a bit of a subversion of the trope because even though he isn't as psychotic or as unstable as Tienbo, he's still enough of a despicable HateSink character that when [[spoiler: Tienbo kills him for good]], it's still a legitimate KickTheSonOfABitch moment for him.

%%* BareFistedMonk

* TheDogBitesBack: The army turns its back on [[spoiler: Tienbo]] when he tries to take over, largely because [[KlingonPromotion his promotion wasn't exactly legal]] but mostly because they were sick of his treatment of them.

%%* EvilFormerFriend
%%* FaceHeelTurn: [[spoiler: Tienbo]].
* {{Foreshadowing}}: One of the rebels plays with a ball using tai chi-esque moves and philosophies.
%%* HeroicBSOD: [[spoiler: Junbao]] has a BIG one.

* LoveInterest: The two women seem to be this for our protagonists. However [[spoiler: only Siu actually is; Li gets killed for refusing to be Tienbo's concubine. They're not specifically shown to have gotten together, though.]]

%%* OriginStory: ... of tai Chi.
* RealityEnsues: Tienbo found out the hard way that mistreating his soldiers wont earn him complete loyalty.
* ThePollyanna: Junbao, but even it has its breaking point (his best friend's [[spoiler: FaceHeelTurn, specifically]]).

%% ZeroContextExample entries are not allowed on wiki pages. All such entries have been commented out. Add context to the entries before uncommenting them.

''Tai Chi Master'' (also known as ''Twin Warriors'') is a 1993 martial arts films starring JetLi and MichelleYeoh. It tells the story of two childhood friends, the [[NiceGuy nice if somewhat slow Junbao]] (Li) and the more hot-tempered Tienbo, who grew up in a Shaolin Temple. They would often get in trouble either because of Tienbo's temper or for being bullied by other students. [[EccentricMentor Only one Master in particular liked them, though he pretended not to]].

* ALighterShadeOfBlack: The Eunuch Governor Liu-jin, just barely. He doesn't quite count as a NobleDemon or AntiVillain because he was still an evil and deplorable JerkAss villain when it came down to it. However, the soldiers who serve under him don't hate him like they do Tianbo. And at one point in the movie, after he chastises Tianbo for still being attached to women and Tianbo in return [[spoiler: kills Miss Li]], Liu-jin says that he never actually [[spoiler: told Tianbo that he ''had'' to kill Miss Li]], implying that he didn't really care if Tianbo kept her as a love slave but simply meant for him to realize he shouldn't let a woman get in the way of his ambitions. He also counts as a bit of a subversion of the trope because even though he isn't as psychotic or as unstable as Tianbo, he's still enough of a despicable HateSink character that when [[spoiler: Tianbo kills him for good]], it's still a legitimate KickTheSonOfABitch moment for him.

* BadBoss: [[spoiler: Tianbo after his FaceHeelTurn. He applies TrainingFromHell which actually kills his soldiers and [[GrievousHarmWithABody uses them as human missiles against Junbao in their final battle.]] They eventually desert him.]]

* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Tianbo. [[spoiler: Until after his FaceHeelTurn.]]
* KickTheSonOfABitch: Tianbo does this when he [[spoiler: kills the eunuch Liu-jin]]. Granted most of the troops didn't hate [[spoiler: Liu-jin]] but up to that point, the guy had spent most of the film being a SmugSnake with plenty of his own KickTheDog moments that it's hard to sympathize with him when Tianbo finally [[spoiler: cuts his throat open]].
* KlingonPromotion: [[spoiler: Tianbo]] assumes this, however it doesn't really take since TheDogBitesBack.

* MadeOfIron: Junbao and Tianbo. A group of hired guards beat them up at one point. Their reaction? Pick the coins on the ground.

* MeaningfulName: Junbao was renamed Zhang Sanfeng by the doctor who tried to treat his madness. Sanfeng was explained in-movie as meaning "3-times crazy". Junbao later mistook the Feng part to be prosperity.

%%* OriginStory: ... of tai chi.
* ThePollyanna: Jet Li's character, but even it has its breaking point (his best friend's [[spoiler: FaceHeelTurn, specifically]]).
* TrainingMontage: Several times. Notably Tienbo's TrainingFromHell for his troops plays this wildly differently than most martial arts movies.
%%* TheMole: Tienbo. [[spoiler: Not]].

** Doubles as a case of RealityEnsues as mistreating your soldiers only results in your soldiers betraying you.

* ALighterShadeOfBlack: The Eunuch Governor Liu-jin, just barely. He doesn't quite count as a NobleDemon or AntiVillain because he was still an evil and deplorable JerkAss villain when it came down to it. However, the soldiers who serve under him don't hate him like they do Tianbo. And at one point in the movie, after he chastises Tianbo for still being attached to women and Tianbo in return [[spoiler: kills Miss Li]], Liu-jin says that he never actually [[spoiler: told Tianbo that he ''had'' to kill Miss Li]], implying that he didn't really care if Tianbo kept her as a love slave but simply meant for him to realize he shouldn't let a woman get in the way of his ambitions.

* {{Adorkable}}: Junbao may be a BadAss, but he's pretty naive on worldly matters for the first half of the movie.

'''''Tai Chi Master''''' (also known as '''''Twin Warriors''''') is a 1993 martial arts films starring JetLi and MichelleYeoh. It tells the story of two childhood friends, the [[NiceGuy nice if somewhat slow Junbao]] (Li) and the more hot-tempered Tienbo, who grew up in a Shaolin Temple. They would often get in trouble either because of Tienbo's temper or for being bullied by other students. [[EccentricMentor Only one Master in particular liked them, though he pretended not to]].

* Adorkable: Junbao may be a BadAss, but he's pretty naive on worldly matters for the first half of the movie.

* ActionGirl: Siu, Li, and even the Governor's niece.

* BadAss: Tianbo, Junbao, the monks.

* BareFistedMonk

* ChekhovsGun: [[spoiler: The scroll.]]

* CounterAttack: Just look at the title.

* EvilFormerFriend
* FaceHeelTurn: [[spoiler: Tienbo]].

* HeroicBSOD: [[spoiler: Junbao]] has a BIG one.

* LaResistance

* MartialPacifist: Junbao, especially after his powerup.

* MidSeasonUpgrade: Or rather mid-movie upgrade.
* OriginStory: ... of tai chi.

* TheMole: Tienbo. [[spoiler: Not]].

* {{Wuxia}}
* WireFu

* [[spoiler: EvilFormerFriend]]