取材自新文化運動先驅李叔同的年輕事跡。滿清末年國力衰弱，遭列強宰割。1905年，日本與俄羅斯兩大強權為爭中國領土，在東北戰場開打，知識份子忿忿不平。同年，熱衷文藝的上海富家公子厭倦紛擾，赴東京留學，欲尋淨土潛心精進藝術。他學畫、習樂、演新劇，並與日本女子相戀，異鄉成了溫柔鄉。然而，憤青好友力勸其加入革命黨，時局壓力亦步步迫近。亂世當前，誰能置身事外？

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.