After a corrupt general occupies his village and terrorizes his family, San Te (Chia Hui Liu) vows revenge and leaves home to study the ancient fighting arts. He becomes a monk at the mythical Shaolin Temple, where he learns the secrets of all 35 chambers in a rigorous seven-year apprenticeship. But when he proposes a 36th chamber to teach the masses to defend themselves, he's cast out of the temple in this Shaw Brothers kung fu classic.