The Bund

The Bund is a Hong Kong period drama television series first broadcast on TVB in 1980. It is praised as "The Godfather of the East" and spawned two sequels, two remakes, and a film adaptation. The theme song, which shares the same Chinese title as the series and was performed by Frances Yip, also became a memorable Cantopop hit. Plot The series is set in China in the 1920s. Hui Man-keung is a Yenching University graduate who served three years in prison for participating in the May Fourth Movement. He decides to make a fresh start in Shanghai, where he meets and befriends Ting Lik, a fruit vendor. He invites Ting to be his partner after becoming the leader of a small gang. He also builds up a good relationship with Fung King-yiu, a wealthy tycoon and gang boss, after saving Fung's daughter, Ching-ching, who had been taken hostage. Fung wants Hui to work for him but Hui declines the offer. Ching-ching falls in love with Hui. After Ting kills a rival in a dispute over a woman, other gangs attack Hui and Ting and destroy their small gang. Hui and Ting then join Fung's bigger gang for protection. Later, Hui discovers that Fung is collaborating with secret agents from the Japanese right-wing Black Dragon Society to destroy the Chin Woo School, a Chinese martial arts school committed to defending China from foreign aggression. He enters a dilemma on whether to side with Chin Woo School or turn against Fung. Hui eventually decides to help the Chin Woo School and he kills a Japanese spy, Yamaguchi Kaoriko, in a gunfight. Furious upon learning of Hui's betrayal, Fung sends his men to hunt down and kill Hui. On account of their friendship, Ting secretly helps Hui escape from Shanghai. Hui fakes his death to evade Fung's men and settles in Hong Kong, where he marries So Wong-tai, starts a new life with her family, and opens a small restaurant. Meanwhile, in Shanghai, Ching-ching is unable to accept the news of Hui's death so she visits Hong Kong when she hears rumours that Hui is still alive there. She meets Hui there but refuses to believe him when he tells her he is already married. Hui then brings her home to show her his family. Unknown to them, Fung's men had secretly followed them and they kill Hui's family while he was out. After learning that Fung's men had murdered his family, Hui swears vengeance on Fung and returns to Shanghai to take his revenge.