In the late Ming Dynasty, former Shaolin Monastery monk, Tianlong ("Heaven Chinese Dragon", played by Yu Hai), and his younger brother, Yilong ("Earth Chinese Dragon", Hu Jianqiang), raise eight orphan boys whom they saved from murdering bandits ravaging their home village. The children refer to Tianlong as their father and Yilong as their uncle and are taught Shaolin kungfu by the two. All have taken the last character name of ''Chinese dragon'' (龙/龍). They settle at the mountainous area at River Li where they stay in a hut.