The Iron Monkey (1977) on Netflix

Plot summary

In a village under Qing rule, Iron passes his time gambling and picking fights. He does not know that his father heads an underground movement with ties to the Shaolin temple. A spy inside the rebellion gives the family away, soldiers seize them, and the General sets the executions for the next day. A witness warns Iron, who gets out of the village before the troops find him. He lives wild in the woods, stealing food from the Shaolin temple and watching the students train. They catch him at it and remark on his monkey-like quickness, and Fung Kong follows him into the trees to suggest he become a pupil. The Abbot accepts him, sees anger in him and, since Iron says nothing of his past, gives him the name Iron Monkey.