Summary

• Jet Li's mastery of Wushu, a Chinese fighting style focusing on precision and artistry, propelled him to stardom in action films.
• Li's training in Wushu, baguazhang, tai chi, and xingyiquan brings a unique and varied martial arts approach to his performances.
• The discipline of Wushu, with its emphasis on forms and grace, perfectly complements Li's wuxia action movie roles, making him an iconic star.

Though versed in multiple forms of martial arts, action star Jet Li is a master of a particular Chinese fighting style. While actors like Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan brought kung fu to the forefront of martial arts movies, not all Chinese actors practice this fighting style on screen. Li, who is a national champion in his central style, practices a form of martial arts that is perfect for flashy action movies of the wuxia genre. Since these seem to be the actor's preferred projects, it's no wonder Li's mastery made him such a star.

Li made his acting debut in the 1982 movie Shaolin Temple, which made him an instant star in China, where it was filmed. From there, the actor starred in several more Chinese martial arts movies, like the film series Once Upon a Time in China (1991), Fist of Legend (1982), and Hero (2002). Finally, the martial arts star brought his career to the United States, where he gained notoriety for his villainous role in Lethal Weapon 4 (1998), Kiss of the Dragon (2001), and many more. Li brought a variety of martial arts styles to these roles, and at the foundation of his performances was always Wushu.

Jet Li Is A Wushu Expert

Li is a master of the fighting style called Wushu, which is simply the Chinese term for "martial arts." It was developed after the Chinese government determined the need for a standardized practice for martial arts in 1958, so Wushu itself is a combination of many styles. The primary focus of Wushu is its forms, which are precise and artistic in appearance. This makes Li's style of fighting perfect for action movies and is why Wushu was popularized in Hollywood after the actor was cast in Mel Gibson's 2004 movie Lethal Weapon.

By the 1970s, Wushu training was a government-sponsored program that was commonplace in early education establishments, and since this was when Li was a young student, he began to learn when he was only eight. It quickly became apparent that Li was a prodigy in the sport, and he began competing with the Beijing Wushu Team in the early 1970s. He caught the notice of coaches like Wu Bin and Li Junfeng, and with their help, Li claimed the title of all-around Wushu champion at the Chinese National Martial Arts Competition in 1974 when he was only 11.

Li kept his championship title at the Chinese National Martial Arts Competition for five consecutive years, a streak no competitor has yet to beat.

Jet Li's Wushu Training Explains Many Of His Movie Roles

Wushu is more about forms than combat, making it perfect for choreographing epic fight scenes meant for the screen. This martial arts style is all about perfection, grace, and discipline, which is precisely the flavor of traditional wuxia films. Therefore, when looking at Li's filmography, his status as a Wushu champion makes perfect sense. Movies like Shaolin Temple (1982), Last Hero in China (1993), The Warlords (2007), Hero (2002), and Fearless (2006) provided the perfect opportunity for Li's talents in Wushu.

The discipline of Wushu also puts various weapons to use, and this has been an asset to Li's film career as well. The 2011 wuxia movie Flying Swords of Dragon Gate saw the star use a Daoshu (broadsword) and Jainshu (straightsword), and the 2006 movie Fearless put Li's expertise with such weapons to particularly exciting use. Of course, the actor has also done several modern movies, but his Wushu has been incredibly effective in old-school martial arts movies.

Other Martial Arts Styles Jet Li Practices

Since Wushu is a combination of multiple styles of martial arts, Li is proficient in a great many. Among the most notable is baguazhang, which utilizes circular or spiral movements within its forms. This style is observable in many of Li's movies since the constant movement of baguazhang is highly appealing on screen. In addition to this, Li is a master in tai chi, which is a self-defense-focused style of martial arts that centralizes balance and meditation to promote both mental and physical health.

Another style Li utilizes on screen is xingyiquan, a quick and aggressive form of martial arts that provides an added flare to onscreen combat. Of course, this isn't the end of the actor's expertise—drunken boxing, Eagle Claw, and Northern Praying Mantis are all styles that Li has added to his resume, all of which bring something unique to his performances on screen. With so many styles perfected by the star, including Wushu, it's no surprise that Jet Li has become the icon he is today.