THE LEGEND OF THE IRON BOW

During China’s Ming dynasty, Chen Xiuying, the daughter of the garrison commander of Taiyuan, runs a teahouse together with her mother. Shi Lun, the son of the Governor of Taiyuan, harasses Xiuying in the teahouse. He wants to make her his concubine, but is sharply rebuked by Chen’s mother.

At this point, the officer Kuang Zhong happens to pass by the teahouse. He tries to mediate, and spontaneously makes use of the iron bow hanging there. Xiuying, impressed by his fighting skills, feels drawn towards him. Chen’s mother, in accordance with her late husband’s final wishes, arranges an engagement between the two. Kuang Zhong agrees, but takes his leave for the time being.

Filled with jealousy, Shi Lun, along with his father, plots against Kuang Zhong. Shi Xulong sets a trap for Kuang Zhong. He is transferred to the border. Shi Lun uses the opportunity to force Xiuying into marriage. But using great skill she kills him, then disguises herself as a man and flees, together with her mother. On their way through the Taihang Mountains, Xiuying pretends to be Kuang Zhong’s friend Wang Fugang. She meets Guan Yueying, the daughter of a bandit leader, and is invited up the mountain, where she eventually assumes military command of the bandit gang.

Xiuying leads her troops to besiege Taiyuan. She kills her enemy Shi Xulong and calls out for Kuang Zhong on the battlefield. The military governor Wang Yuanlong summons the real Wang Fugang for help; the two namesakes confront one another, and the battle comes to a standstill. Finally, Wang Yuanlong recalls Kuang Zhong from the border, and the betrothed couple are reunited on the battlefield.