Best Taiwanese history movies

9th century China. Ten year old general’s daughter Nie Yinniang is abducted by a nun who initiates her into the martial arts, transforming her into an exceptional assassin charged with eliminating cruel and corrupt local governors. One day, having failed in a task, she is sent back by her mistress to the land of her birth, with orders to kill the man to whom she was promised – a cousin who now leads the largest military region in North China. After 13 years of exile, the young woman must confront her parents, her memories and her long-repressed feelings.

An indigenous clan-based people living in harmony with nature find their way of life threatened when violent interlopers from another culture arrive, intent on seizing their natural resources and enslaving them. Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale - Part 1: The Sun Flag is Part one of the two-part, four-hour Taiwanese edition of the film Warriors of the Rainbow.

The story of a family embroiled in the "White Terror," the Kuomintang government's anti-communist political repression that was wrought on the Taiwanese people from 1947-1987.

After the uprising at Wushe, Mona Rudao faces a guerrilla war against the militarily superior Japanese and Seediq clans. He and his followers must fight for their dignity and honor so that they can truly be "Seediq Bale" or "real men." Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale - Part 2: The Rainbow Bridge is Part two of the two-part, four-hour Taiwanese edition of the film Warriors of the Rainbow.

Set in the island Kinmen, often seen as the most dangerous military base because it’s geographically close to China, "Paradise in Service" follows the adventure of a boy who serves his military service in Unit 831 from 1969 to 1972, in preparation for a war that could erupt anytime. Through an unlucky lottery draw result, Pao, a twenty-something young man from Southern Taiwan has to serve the military in the remote and perilous Kinmen. Moreover, he is assigned to the Sea Dragon (ARB), a unit noted for the toughest physical training. It never occurs to Pao, however, that the greatest challenge in his military service lies not in the Sea Dragon but in Unit 831, a special task he is later appointed to… In this peculiar assignment, Pao vows to keep his virginity against all odds.

[INTERNATIONAL VERSION] Mouna Rudo was born and raised among the Seediq people, an indigenous tribe in Taiwan, and as he grew to be a man he became a member of the Seediq Bale, a courageous band of native warriors. However, Rudo's way of life is threatened under the yoke of occupying forces from Japan, who took over the nation in 1895. As Rudo sees the traditions and honor of his people stripped away, he realizes the time has come to fight back, and in 1930 he brings together a group of former Seediq Bale soldiers, many of whom have been reduced to infighting, and molds them into a revolutionary army. Rudo and his comrades make their stand when they confront Japanese occupation troops at a youth athletic event, leading to a violent confrontation between the Seediq forces and their oppressors.

In 1920s Taiwan, Jou, a controversial woman with a tragic past, seeks to change her life after falling for a man named Che. Meanwhile, a man named Wei seeks to buy the freedom of Fumiko, a dying young woman.

On Green Island in the 1950s, the female thought prisoners chose to fight for freedom, but were more forcefully suppressed by the authority. They held on to their beliefs and hoping for true freedom to come.

An actress preparing to play in a historical epic is terrorized by someone faxing her pages from her stolen diary; has colorful flashbacks of her affair with a now-deceased man; and imagines black-and-white film-within-a-film scenes of the movie she is about to appear in.

As battle rages in Shanghai, a single battalion of soldiers led by Xie Jinyuan is ordered to hold back the Japanese forces at the Sihang warehouse. Girl scouts risk their lives to deliver food and medicine to the defenders.

King and prison escapee join forces. Hsu Feng & Carter Wong Play Yuan Loyalists who thwart an attack from the Mongol General and Mantis Master Chang Yi.

The movie revisits the shooting of then-president Chen Shui-bian and vice president Annette LU on the eve of the presidential election in 2004. After the shooting, the two won the presidential election. Moreover, the crime suspect was drowned in a near port days after the incident. The assassination case has been investigated by the authority for 15 years; however, several questions surrounding the "319 Shooting" remain unanswered to this day. The movie approaches a dark period of Taiwan history and shows the mechanics of power - in a witty and creative way.

'Such a Life' is quite a sad film. It is set in the sixties, in a village on the west coast of Taiwan, where many are succumbing to 'black foot', a disease caused by drinking contaminated well water. The only 'cure' is to amputate the afflicted limb, and to avoid drinking the contaminated water. Many in the village were already sick, and few could afford to have tap-water installed. At the center of the story is Ah Chung, who lives with his grandfather, who has already lost one leg to 'black foot'. In the same village also live an opera family, who are finding things increasingly difficult there, an oyster farmer, who complains that his oysters are being poisoned by a nearby pharmaceutical plant, and an assortment of children who enjoy swimming in the sea, and who bully Ah Chung. A significant portion of the action also takes place in the village school, where Ah Chung is having trouble keeping up with the fees.

Through a famous painting "South Street Festival", a Taiwanese college boy unexpectedly travels 100 years back in time, back to the 1920's, when Taiwan was under Japanese rule. He is stuck, he panics, he wants to return to 2014 but soon changes his mind, not just because of the prettiest geisha girl in town...

During the declining years of Ming dynasty, Mongolians sent secret agents to intrude central China and try to obtain "The Light sword". A mighty sword which can gather all brave wanderers. The son of Lung Chen Ying, master of the Light Sword style, learns of the plot and kills the leader of the secret mission and temporarily stops the Mongolian's ambition.

The elderly photographer, Chie, told a childhood story about her sister Iòng-Hâ and the sister's admiration Kong-Suī, in a time when Taiwan's cultural and linguistic identity have undergone dramatic changes after the Pacific war.

Six crippled kung fu students are each given an Imperial Decree starting an anti-Ching rebellion, and are instructed to deliver them to the Commander-in-Chief.

1945-1947, Taiwan. A teenage couple were deeply in love despite objections from the girl’s family. Their tragic story is played out in travelling troupes, tea-houses and western-style cafes, with the backdrop of Japanese occupation and the 28 February Incident.

Hsi Shih: The Beauty of Beauties was one of the most ambitious films made in the Taiwan film industry in the 1960s. After leaving The Shaw Brothers studio in Hong Kong and moving to Taiwan, filmmaker Li Han-hsiang mounted this historical epic. Told through the story of Xishi (Hsi Shih), one of the 'Four Great Beauties' of Chinese history, the film portrays the war between two Chinese Kingdoms during the Warring States Period (475-221 B.C). After the kingdom of Yue is defeated by the kingdom of Wu, King Goujian of Yue takes pains to prepare for his revenge and rebuild his country. Knowing that King Fucha of Wu is lewd and lustful, he offers Xisi to the court of Wu to serve as Fucha’s concubine, with Fucha unaware that she is also a spy. She uses her charm to draw Fucha away from his office and governance, while King Goujian rallies his forces together to attempt to reclaim his lands.

Patriotic extravanganza concerning early 20th century political events in Taiwan (i.e. the Republic of China), told in an ensemble format

Hong Kong superstar Jimmy "One Arm Boxer" Wang Yu stars as the Bamboo blade, China's top swordsman. His services are rendered by the Imperial treasury who want him to infiltrate a powerful gang of Highwaymen and get back the stolen silver bullion. After numerous deadly encounters the gang are beaten by the bamboo sword and only the gang leader remains, however he is a lot tougher than was originally bargained for.

Follows a young girl as she embarks on a perilous journey to earn funds to reclaim her family's remains.

As the director and the cameraman of a documentary project, Meng and Jianxian are travelling around Taiwan filming statues of religious and historical figures. Their conversations and debates on the statues often touch the political reality of Taiwan. Meng's girlfriend, Ning, is involved in a mediocre commercial feature film (initially as location scout and subsequently as an actress). Instead of realizing her ambition, she finds herself being exploited by the filmmakers. On the other hand, Meng and Ning's relationship is gradually faded.

Taiwanese historical drama about the Buddhist monk Huineng.

Forbidden Imperial Tales is a Taiwan History movie

Secret of Tai Chi is about a young martial-arts aficionado who duels with a nasty Chinese military man.

Two halves of a treasure map owned by two brothers is the one thing that the Golden Dragon Gang wants to get, and they'll kill anyone who gets in their way. When the gang quickly dispenses with the two brothers in a blitz home invasion, their third brother, returning from ten years of wandering, arrives and teaches the gang a lesson they'll never forget--that is, if they survive at all! Henchman after henchman gets filleted like a brook trout as our hero literally cuts his way through a jungle of sword-wielding thugs, a trio of fancy-weapon gang leaders, and a masked ninja assassin that's killing people on both sides. Who will be left alive to claim the treasure? Find out in this high body-count wuxia classic.

1980 Taiwanese action packed Wuxia film directed by Lin Ying; written, produced and co-directed by Gu Long. The title characters are based on Gu Long's Chu Liu Xiang novel series set during the Sung dynasty.

During the Sino-Japanese War, Tsui-Ying flees with her father from the Japanese occupation. She meets a young man, Ling-Yun, and falls in love. Yet Tsui-Ying chooses to leave Ling-Yun and marries his uncle, a traitor who serves the Japanese. Out of heartbreak, Ling-Yun leaves the country to study abroad. In the meantime, Special Agent 001 leads the resistance against the Japanese. After Ling-Yun returns to Shanghai from the UK, he is surprised to find out his ex-lover has become the wife of his uncle Chao-Chun. Special Agent 001 continues their sabotage and the identify of the agent finally is revealed. The first Taiwanese-language spy film produced in Taiwan, The Best Secret Agent is a remake of the 1945 movie of the same name that caused a sensation in Shanghai.

Recounts the so-called 'Battle of Inchon', an episode at the end of World War II during the amphibious invasion of Korea, resulting in a decisive victory and a strategic reversal in favor of the Allied forces.

A film based on the Oath of the Peach Garden which is a fictional event in the 14th-century Chinese historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms by Luo Guanzhong.

Tsui Hark stars as Chinese artist and Buddhist monk Li Shutong, a.k.a. Master Hong Yi. Li travels to Japan to study Western artistic practices, and revolutionizes the teaching of art in China upon his return. Set during the turbulent era of the Russo-Japanese War circa 1905.

Around 1992, when Taiwan's documentaries had not yet sprouted, Chen Yingzhen produced a documentary about the 228 Incident, titled "Testimony February 28th", and compiled the testimonies into a book by Yeh Yun-wan.

LIU PI-CHIA, a biographical documentary depicting the life of a veteran who joined tens of thousands of others to work on national infrastructure construction projects in the 1960s, is considered Taiwan’s first cinéma vérité film.

The first color widescreen film from Taiwan.

The One Legged Fiend wreaks havoc throughout the central plains of China. Two young martial artists are trained in various forms of combat to bring the Peg Leg fighter to justice.

After the cession of Taiwan to Japan in 1895 by the Manchu government, people on the island staged a series of anti-Japanese revolts to oppose the tyrannical rule of the Japanese militarists.

Tang Bohu for a generation of flamboyant characters, concubines eight, but also everywhere in love. Once on the way to meet the pretty girl Qiu Xiang was her beauty absolutely produced face attraction, surprised by the heavenly beings. After the temple to meet the gods, Qiu Xiang looked back with a smile, the Tang Bohu to see the soul of the crazy; Bohu determined, vowed to win the return of the beauty. In order to get close to the beauty, Bohu does not sell himself in the House of Tai Shi as a servant.