Released in 1928, this movie is based on the popular wusia novel Jianghu Cisia Jhuan by Pingjiang Busiao Sheng, a novel that can be regarded as the turning point of Chinese sia stories and the avant-garde of the modern wusia novel. This book is about two martial arts schools Kunlun and Kongtong fighting for a wharf called Shuiling, and it includes episodes about the political conspiracy to replace the Cing with the Ming Dynasty as well as folktales and anecdotes. The movie is a folktale-based section of this book. It starts with the monk JhihYuan of the Hongliansih temple, who, a hypocrite and actually a gang member, set many traps and devices in the temple, which is a de facto gang den. The martial arts mistress Lu Siaocin found out his secret but was trapped in the temple. She was rescued by Lyu Chih fortunately; before long Pu Syunfu, an imperial inspector, was also tapped. Lyu had a mission to rescue Pu, which led the temple to be burnt.

      The amazing box office response of this movie encouraged the movie producer to make two sequels within the same year; the famous actress Fu Die was also listed on the cast. There were six sequels released in 1929; seven in 1930; and two, which were banned by the government, in 1931. Altogether the number of the sequels of this movie broke the records.

      In addition to the popularity of the movie and its sequels, the name of this movie, huoshao "to burn", was expansively adopted by other movies at that time, such as 'Huoshao Cisinglou' (meaning "Burning of the Seven Stars Tower") directed by Ren Yutian in 1929, "Huoshao Baicyuesih" (meaning "Burning of the Small White Bird Temple") by Wang Tianbei in 1930; 'Huosao Jianfongjhai' (meaning "Burning of the Jianfong Stockade") by Ren Sihfan and Bi Bocing in 1929; 'Huoshao Diaojiajhuang' (meaning "Burning of Diao Village") by Hu Zongli in 1930, 'Huoshao Baihuatai' (meaning "Burning of the One Hundred Flower Terrace") and its sequel in 1929; and 'Huoshao Pingyang Cheng' ("Burning of Pingyang City") with its six sequels in 1929.