Wong Fei-hung remains an enduring, classic character in Hong Kong martial arts cinema, and Tsui Hark's Once Upon a Time in China recasts this legendary kung fu master in the late Qing dynasty, a period of Chinese history marked by widespread unrest and vulnerability to Western aggression. Jet Li’s performance brings the character of Wong to life by highlighting both his traditional Confucian virtues and kind-heartedness, and also his bewilderment at Western culture and advancements in technology. The newly introduced character, Thirteenth Aunt (Rosamund Kwan), is not only Wong’s love interest, but someone who inspires him to embrace change and modernity. The climax of the film is an enthralling showdown on bamboo ladders within an enclosed warehouse space between Wong and his rival Yim (Yam Sai-koon). A perfect showcase of Li’s dextrous skills, Tsui’s meticulous mise-en-scène, and action choreography by Yuen Cheung-yan, Yuen Shun-i, and Lau Kar-wing, the fight scene is one for the history books. In the end Yim dies by gunshot, and his corpse is collected by his student Leung Foon (Yuen Biao)—a dual commentary on the clashes between the East and the West, as well as traditional bonds between teacher and student in Chinese martial arts culture. The film clinched four wins at the 11th Hong Kong Film Awards, including Best Director and Best Action Choreography.

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