The Shaolin Warriors

*The Shaolin Warriors*
The Shaolin Warriors
	DVD cover art
Also known as	Shao Lin Seng Bing
Chinese	少林僧兵
Hanyu Pinyin	Shàolín Sēng Bīng
Genre	Wuxia, costume drama
Written by	Wang Qiuyu; Li Zhixian
Directed by	Raymond Lee
Starring	Sammo Hung; Cui Lin; Jeanette Aw; Christopher Lee; Li Man; Sammy Hung; Cui Peng; Liu Ying
Opening theme	Shaolin Si (少林寺) performed by Kung-Fu Pop
Ending theme	Zuihao De Shiguang (最好的時光) performed by Jeff Chang
Country of origin	China
Original language	Mandarin
No. of episodes	34
Production
Executive producers	Shi Yongxin; Chen Juncong; Zhou Liming; Zhang Heyun; Li Hua
Producers	Wang Maoliang; Shi Yongxin; Gao Xiaoping; Chen Lizhong
Production location	Wuxi
Running time	45 minutes per episode
Production companies	Shenzhen Media Group; Shaolin Temple Culture Broadcasting (Dengfeng); China Television Media; Beijing Yibo Film Production;
Original release
Network	CCTV-8
Release	3 November –; 14 November 2008

The Shaolin Warriors (Chinese: 少林僧兵) is a Chinese television series directed by Raymond Lee, starring Sammo Hung, Cui Lin, Christopher Lee, Jeanette Aw, Sammy Hung, Cui Peng, Liu Ying and Li Man. The series was first broadcast in November 2008 on CCTV-8 in mainland China. It is the first wuxia television series to filmed in direct collaboration with Shaolin Monastery and features some rarely seen martial arts techniques.^[1]

Plot

The story is set in the Ming dynasty during the reign of the Jiajing Emperor. General Qi Jiguang enlists the help of Shaolin Monastery's warrior monks to defend China from the wokou (Japanese pirates) and other invaders.^[2]

Cast

Sammo Hung as Big Feet Monk
Cui Lin as Yuewen
Christopher Lee as Qi Jiguang
- Hong Zhibin as Qi Jiguang (young)
Jeanette Aw as Haiqing
Li Man as Hideko (Xiuzi)
Sammy Hung as Yuekong
Cui Peng as Kazego (Fengyu)
Liu Ying as Li Ruolan
- Luo Jiaxu as young Li Ruolan
Chen Zhihui as Yu Dayou
Qin Yan as Xiaoshan abbot
Wang Jianxin as Wang Zhi
Shen Baoping as Hu Zongxian
Cai Gang as Yan Shifan
Xu Seng as Jin Ke
Fang Zhoubo as Wan Biao
Ren Xihong as Sasaki (Zuozuomu)
Guo Changhui as Miyamoto (Gongben)
Liu Weihua as Li Zhongcheng
Dai Hekang as Mao Haifeng
Hai Yan as Xiao Lin'an
Zhou Yunshen as Sun Haixiao
Ding Xiaohu as Liu Qianhu
He Xianwei as Wu Jingui
Cao Shuai as Wang San
Liu Kai as Yuejian
Xue Jiangtao as Yueman
Shi Ziliang as Yiben Daming
Zhou Jie as Zhou Zhiyuan
Hao Han as Xiao Fu
Sun Lufei as Xiao Fu's mother
Meng Yansen as Xiao Shun
Fan Libo as Xiao Shun's mother
Zhao Gang as Qi Jingtong
Shu Shouqin as Wang Zhifu
Zheng Rugao as Wangshi Zuzhang
Li Junliang as Qiangmazi
Gao Jiafu as Tian Zhong
Tao Jinlong as Fengchen Xiuji
Lu Jidong as Zhitian Cilang
Yuan Shichao as Li Qiangzong
Li Ke as Zheng Zhifu

Production

The series had a costly budget. In addition to the participation of Hong Kong television series director Raymond Lee as the overall director, 120 warriors monks and 200 secular students from Shaolin Monastery were involved in the production as well.

The project was completed in late 2007 after more than three months of shooting in Wuxi's Film and TV Studios.

Shaolin Monastery's abbot, Shi Yongxin, expressed his desire to spread Shaolin history and culture to the rest of the world through this television series.^[3]

United States release

The series premiered in the United States with English subtitles on Toku from 12 July 2017 to 21 February 2018.^[4]

International Broadcast

Network(s)/Station(s)	Series premiere	Airing dates	Title
China	CCTV-8	January 11, 2015 - (November 3, 2008-November 14, 2008)	少林僧兵 ( The Shaolin Warriors; lit: )
Thailand	BBTV PSI (73)	July 11, 2018 – August 27, 2018 (Every Monday to Friday 08:45-09:30)	ศึกเส้าหลิน สองมังกร (The Shaolin Warriors; lit: )
Thailand	5HD1	11 September 2020 - 2 November 2020 (Tuesday October 13: No broadcasting), (Friday, October 23: no broadcasting), (Tuesday October 27: No broadcasting) (Every Monday to Friday 22:40-23:30)	ศึกเส้าหลิน สองมังกร (The Shaolin Warriors; lit: )