King of Beggars is a 1992 Hong Kong martial arts comedy film directed by Gordon Chan and starring Stephen Chow. The film follows the story of Chan, who is the son of General So, the illiterate and slothful governor of Canton. Chan is educated but still somewhat naive and gullible, owing to his sheltered upbringing.
Chan falls in love with the beautiful Yau Yuk-nam (Sharla Cheung), a courtesan who is desired by many men. In order to win her over, Chan decides to take the national exams for Martial Arts Scholar, hoping to impress her with his bravery and skill. Despite being physically gifted, however, Chan struggles with the written portion of the exam and ends up cheating to pass.
When his fraud is discovered, Chan is stripped of his titles and forced to become a beggar, a punishment he initially despises due to his snobbish upbringing. However, after encountering a group of downtrodden beggars and seeing the injustices they face, Chan becomes motivated to help them improve their lives. He eventually becomes the leader of the Beggars Association and gains the loyalty of his fellow beggars.
Soon, Chan is caught up in a plot to overthrow the Emperor, as a power-hungry warlord named General Tin (Ng Man-tat) seeks to establish his own rule. With the help of his fellow beggars and Yau Yuk-nam, Chan leads a rebellion against General Tin and saves the Emperor. In the end, Chan gains the respect of his father, who realizes the error of his indolent ways and joins his son in helping the poor.
King of Beggars is a classic Stephen Chow comedy, filled with slapstick humor, witty one-liners, and impressive martial arts action. The film's message about the importance of helping others and standing up to injustice is also a powerful one that continues to resonate with audiences today.