Donnie Yen gets serious in Ip Man 4: The Finale. Photo: Mandarin Motion Pictures
Source:
https://scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/article/3051414/china-will-win-coronavirus-battle-ip-man-star-donnie-yen-donates Martial Arts
‘China will win the coronavirus battle’: Ip Man star Donnie Yen donates HK$1 million to frontline medical workers in Wuhan
- The 56-year-old star and film producer posts a 28-second video clip on Weibo thanking frontline medical staff
- The Hong Kong actor’s donation comes at the back of two successful movie releases lately
A sombre Donnie Yen thanks medical workers in his 28-second video clip on Weibo. Photo: Weibo
Ip Man star Donnie Yen Ji-dan will donate HK$1 million to medical staff working on the frontline in the fight to eliminate the coronavirus. And he believes China will win the battle.
Yen has been in the news lately with his finale of the Ip Man franchise bringing the curtain down on a highly successful series. His latest movie release, Enter the Fat Dragon, has also received positive reviews, giving him a solid foothold in the martial arts movie industry this year.
The 56-year-old Hong Kong martial arts star and film producer turned to a more serious note when he told thousands of his followers on Chinese website, Weibo, that he wanted to thank all medical workers in China in their fight against the coronavirus.
The Guangzhou-born star said paintings drawn by his two children, Jasmine and James, would also be donated to Wuhan to help “spread cheer” to frontline workers.
Wuhan is the epicentre of the coronavirus that has ravaged much of Hubei province and other parts of China. The deadly virus has spread to more than 25 countries.
Ip Man 4 is a fitting end to the franchise. Photo: Mandarin Motion Pictures
Speaking in Mandarin, Yen made a 28-second video which he posted on Weibo. A sombre-looking Yen said: “Hello everyone, I am Yen Ji-dan. I want to take this opportunity to thank all the medical frontline workers [in China]. In this critical moment, everyone please protect yourself well by wearing a mask and washing your hands more often. Distance yourself from the virus but don’t distance love. I believe our country [China] will win the battle against the virus and have the situation under control. Wuhan add oil [come on], China add oil.”
Having wowed movie audiences with the fourth and final instalment of the highly popular Ip Man series in Ip Man 4: The Finale, Yen has enjoyed a new lease of life with his latest movie, an action-packed buddy-cop comedy, Enter the Fat Dragon, which was released during the Lunar New Year holidays.
Donnie Yen in a still from Enter the Fat Dragon. Photo: Mega-Vision Pictures
Ip Man 4: The Finale broke box office records in several Asian markets such as Taiwan and Malaysia, ending the series on a bright note as one the most popular martial arts franchises in movie history.
His HK$1 million donation, which has been reported by the mainland media, triggered some positive love from his fans on Weibo. “Donnie is awesome and what he says is so warm and full of love!” said one Weibo user.
Yen is a well-known philanthropist, donating millions of dollars to charity over the years.
In 2012, Yen and his wife Sissy Wang, co-founded Go.Asia, an online charity platform that encourages individuals to participate in charity work while serving local communities. Yen also served as an ambassador for the international charity Save the Children in 2015 and has supported other noble causes.
Yen is not the first Hong Kong martial arts star to help the Wuhan cause.
Fellow kung fu superstar Jackie Chan reportedly offered to pay one million yuan as a reward to whoever develops a vaccine for the coronavirus.