Having defeated the best fighters of the Imperial Japanese army in occupied Shanghai, Ip Man and his family settle in post-war Hong Kong. Struggling to make a living, Master Ip opens a kung fu school to bring his celebrated art of Wing Chun to the troubled youth of Hong Kong. His growing reputation soon brings challenges from powerful enemies, including pre-eminent Hung Gar master, Hung Quan.
In 1950, Yip Man (1893-1972) has left Foshun for Hong Kong. With his wife expecting their second child, Yip opens a martial arts school to teach Wing Chun. Things start slowly and even when he has students, Yip doesn't always collect tuition. Yip also runs afoul of the local guild of martial arts masters: they demand that he defeat each of them before they will let his school continue; the elder of the group, Master Hong Zhen Nan, also demands a sizable payment. Yip is defiant. Then, things go terribly wrong with the British when their boxing champion insults Chinese martial arts at a public demonstration. Master Hong steps up to defend Chinese honor, but will that be enough?