一介贫民仁杰(刘家辉)为惩罚平时靠鱼肉百姓过日子的恶霸高峰(王龙威),假扮三德和尚对其展开攻势,不想被对方识破反遭一顿痛殴。其后,仁杰来到少林寺请求三德和尚传授功夫,但不被对方作正眼旁观。 有感于仁杰的诚心,三德和尚最终允许他留在少林寺,但不教授功夫,只让他负责搭棚修葺的工作。仁杰在工作之余,不忘初来志愿,见缝插针恳求三德和尚收他为徒,终惹怒对方,在对方的示意下,仁杰明白搭棚亦是少林功夫的一种,从此刻苦学习。The workers of a dye factory have their pay cut by 20% when the factory owner brings in some Manchu thugs to try and increase production. Desperate to reclaim their full wages, the workers hire an actor to impersonate a priest and kung-fu expert from the temple of Shaolin. The factory owner proves the actor a fraud, and punishes all those involved. The young actor feels he has let the workers down, and promises to atone. He sets out for Shaolin, determined to be accepted as a kung-fu pupil at the elite temple.