https://www.scmp.com/rss/327178/feed The latest news on Jet Li, Chinese-born Singaporean martial artist and actor, including celebrity news and updates.<br /> en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Jill Lander Jill Lander March 6 to April 4, the second solar month of the 2026 Chinese calendar in this Year of the Fire Horse, is represented by the Metal Rabbit, or xin mao. The elements of the month are metal and wood – yin in essence. The Rabbit corresponds to the hours between 5am and 7am, when the day awakens to receive the purest energy. The Rabbit sign depicts peace, longevity and prosperity, according to Chinese culture, and those born in the Rabbit years possess a certain elegance and gentleness of nature;... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/leisure/article/3346197/horoscopes-whats-your-luck-march-2026-metal-rabbit-month?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/leisure/article/3346197/horoscopes-whats-your-luck-march-2026-metal-rabbit-month?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Mar 2026 06:54:54 +0000 Mike Chan Mike Chan Mixed martial artist Lone’er Kavanagh has said he would definitely commit to shooting a film with one of Hong Kong’s biggest action stars if such a chance were ever to arise. Fresh off his career-biggest win, over former UFC flyweight champion Brandon Moreno last month, Kavanagh, whose mother is from Hong Kong, also said he enjoyed fighting at places that “felt like home”, including China. The odds were stacked against the 26-year-old, who took the fight on just three weeks’ notice in early... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3345877/mma-fighter-hong-kong-roots-wants-fight-home-make-film-jackie-chan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3345877/mma-fighter-hong-kong-roots-wants-fight-home-make-film-jackie-chan?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 00:00:26 +0000 Daniel Eagan Daniel Eagan It has been more than seven years since Yuen Woo-ping last directed a feature film. Opening for Lunar New Year 2026, Blades of the Guardians marks a return to the kind of martial arts blockbusters that the Hong Kong cinema icon helped define with works such as Drunken Master (1978) and Wing Chun (1994). Based on a popular comics series, the new film follows bounty hunter Dao Ma (Wu Jing), the “second most wanted fugitive” in the Sui dynasty (581-618), as he tries to lead a rebel leader across... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3343880/director-yuen-woo-ping-revives-wuxia-blockbuster-blades-guardians?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3343880/director-yuen-woo-ping-revives-wuxia-blockbuster-blades-guardians?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Feb 2026 08:15:07 +0000 Edmund Lee Edmund Lee 3.5/5 stars Fans of Chinese-language martial arts movies could hardly have asked for a more satisfying revival than this ferocious wuxia epic, directed by the legendary Yuen Woo-ping (Master Z: The Ip Man Legacy) and anchored by a visceral turn from superstar Wu Jing (Wolf Warrior 2) as a master swordsman haunted by his past. Adapted from a popular Chinese comics series of the same name by a quartet of screenwriters, Blades of the Guardians is, as expected, crammed with so many semi-developed... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3343820/blades-guardians-movie-review-wu-jing-leads-star-studded-chinese-martial-arts-epic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3343820/blades-guardians-movie-review-wu-jing-leads-star-studded-chinese-martial-arts-epic?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Feb 2026 09:01:18 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng China’s box office presales topped 200 million yuan (US$28.9 million) by Saturday ahead of the coming Lunar New Year holiday, led exclusively by domestic productions – a decline of more than 60 per cent from about 600 million yuan over the same period last year, according to Taopiaopiao, the online ticketing arm of Alibaba Pictures. Presales are closely watched by distributors and investors as an early indicator of holiday audience demand. Long seen as a crucial pillar of China’s film market,... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3342186/chinas-box-office-presales-fall-over-60-last-year-crucial-lunar-new-year-window?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3342186/chinas-box-office-presales-fall-over-60-last-year-crucial-lunar-new-year-window?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Feb 2026 02:00:09 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected five Lifestyle stories from the past seven days that resonated with our readers. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Hong Kong’s women tattoo artists who draw on Chinese culture to ink differently These artists channel elements of Chinese painting, calligraphy and Buddhism through their needles in a new form of “poetic expression”. 2. History of Chinese-style ‘frog buttons’, seen on viral Adidas jacket During Shanghai Fashion Week in... https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3339117/women-tattoo-artists-history-behind-viral-adidas-jacket-7-lifestyle-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3339117/women-tattoo-artists-history-behind-viral-adidas-jacket-7-lifestyle-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Jan 2026 07:15:09 +0000 Richard James Havis Richard James Havis Hong Kong producer-writer-director Wong Jing churned out so many films in the 1990s that some were bound to succeed. The underrated gem The New Legend of Shaolin, starring Jet Li Lianjie, stands out as a highlight, marrying lighthearted comedy and above-average action to good effect. The storyline, while simple, is logical and tightly structured, with highs and lows hitting the right beats. Moreover, Wong’s signature penchant for lowbrow comedy is deployed with restraint. When the cheesy jokes... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3338386/why-jet-li-and-wong-jings-1994-martial-arts-movie-new-legend-shaolin-underrated?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3338386/why-jet-li-and-wong-jings-1994-martial-arts-movie-new-legend-shaolin-underrated?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Jan 2026 08:15:09 +0000 Willa Wu Willa Wu Veteran Hong Kong actor and action choreographer Yuen Cheung-yan has died at the age of 69. Yuen, who was born in Hong Kong in 1957, died at noon on New Year’s Day at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Yau Ma Tei, according to film director and actor Lee Lik-chi, who announced the news on his Weibo page on Thursday. “May Master Yuen rest in eternal peace,” Lee said. He added that a funeral would be held on February 1, but gave no further details about the cause of Yuen’s death. Yuen was the son of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3338467/yuen-cheung-yan-veteran-hong-kong-actor-and-action-choreographer-dies-69?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3338467/yuen-cheung-yan-veteran-hong-kong-actor-and-action-choreographer-dies-69?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Jan 2026 04:30:08 +0000 Richard James Havis Richard James Havis Chen Zhen, a fictional character first played by Bruce Lee in the 1972 film Fist of Fury, became a cultural phenomenon in Hong Kong because of the way he stood up to the Japanese in Shanghai in the early 1900s. A scene in which Chen makes students at a Japanese karate school eat the paper on which they had written “China is the sick man of Asia” was especially popular, as was the scene in which Chen smashes a sign outside a Shanghai public park reading “No dogs or Chinese”. Here, we look at two... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3337793/how-stephen-chow-and-donnie-yen-reinvented-bruce-lees-classic-chen-zhen-their-own-ways?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3337793/how-stephen-chow-and-donnie-yen-reinvented-bruce-lees-classic-chen-zhen-their-own-ways?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Dec 2025 09:15:07 +0000 Yating Yang Yating Yang Chinese martial arts icon Jet Li made a rare personal video in which he appeared shirtless to quash rumours that he had undergone a heart transplant. On November 1, Li, 62, known as the “Kung Fu Emperor,” shared a video on Douyin, where he has nearly 5 million followers. The video, titled “An Honest Weekend,” shows him shirtless, practising casual kung fu moves, swimming in his private pool, and playfully interacting with his dog, Duoduo. Despite being in his sixties, the kung fu movie superstar... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3331905/chinese-martial-arts-icon-jet-li-goes-shirtless-dispel-heart-transplant-rumours?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3331905/chinese-martial-arts-icon-jet-li-goes-shirtless-dispel-heart-transplant-rumours?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Nov 2025 01:00:11 +0000 Matt Glasby Matt Glasby This is the latest instalment in a feature series reflecting on instances of East meets West in world cinema, including China-US co-productions. At the turn of the millennium, Jet Li Lianjie tried everything he could to crack the international market. The martial arts star took on the ageing Riggs and Murtaugh in Lethal Weapon 4, and tackled Shakespeare (of a sort) in Romeo Must Die. But nothing brought him the combination of critical and commercial success he had enjoyed back home in Hong... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3324275/why-jet-lis-kiss-dragon-was-banned-china-despite-being-global-hit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3324275/why-jet-lis-kiss-dragon-was-banned-china-despite-being-global-hit?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Sep 2025 09:15:06 +0000 Sean Tierney Sean Tierney The Hong Kong film industry’s output in the 1980s and 90s was kinetic, breathtaking, bursting with innovation and energy. Films of the era insisted on packing everything possible into the run time, as if they knew something we didn’t: the city’s economy was booming and filmmakers enjoyed the kind of artistic freedom and backing that was, like the period itself, never going to last forever. One of Hong Kong’s most memorable cinema fads of the era became known as Girls with Guns and, like all the... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3315907/girls-guns-hong-kong-cinema-staple-bygone-era?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3315907/girls-guns-hong-kong-cinema-staple-bygone-era?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Jun 2025 23:00:12 +0000 Mathew Scott Mathew Scott Po Fung spent 20 years researching the life and times of the legendary martial arts master and medicine man Wong Fei-hung. But, “over the past century, his life has been added to, layer upon layer,” says Po, ahead of the 100th anniversary of Wong’s death this week, on April 17. “There are no real records, no recordings, not even a photo of him.” The no-photo claim is contested, and even the date of his passing has been called into question. What is not disputed, however, is the outsize effect... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3307052/jackie-chan-and-jet-li-played-kung-fu-hero-wong-fei-hung-film-whats-story-behind-legend?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3307052/jackie-chan-and-jet-li-played-kung-fu-hero-wong-fei-hung-film-whats-story-behind-legend?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Apr 2025 00:00:09 +0000 Delve into the world of Hong Kong martial arts cinema with stories from the PostMag archives on legendary figures such as Sammo Hung, Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Jet Li. Discover the stories behind their iconic careers, from Hung’s lifetime achievement award to the impact of Bruce Lee’s legacy on the industry. Explore the rise of Jackie Chan in Hollywood, the challenges faced by Jet Li, and the resurgence of classic kung fu with Philip Ng’s Stuntman. 1. Martial arts film legend Sammo Hung... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3291353/sammo-hung-honoured-bruce-lees-legacy-jackie-chans-breakthrough-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3291353/sammo-hung-honoured-bruce-lees-legacy-jackie-chans-breakthrough-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Jan 2025 01:15:07 +0000 The Hong Kong filmmakers’ credo has always been that if a film does well at the box office, make it again … and again … and again. Below, we look at some remakes and redos, and give our verdict on how they measure up to the originals. 1. Police Story 2013 (2013) The original Police Story, made in 1985, introduced the character of cheerful police officer Chan Ka-kui and helped Jackie Chan achieve superstar status in Hong Kong. But even though the public loved Chan Ka-kui, the film never... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3285674/was-remaking-classic-hong-kong-films-police-story-better-tomorrow-good-idea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3285674/was-remaking-classic-hong-kong-films-police-story-better-tomorrow-good-idea?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 Nov 2024 20:15:08 +0000 Every new policy address gets debated, supported or pondered by various stakeholders across the broad spectrum of Hong Kong. This could range from the “what’s in it for me” perspective to deep considerations of the impact and influence of the unveiled plans on large companies, institutions and policy bodies and how they operate. Externally, it could get picked over by friend and foe alike for clues as to future policy directions and implications for trade, commerce, financial operations,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3284181/why-arent-we-pushing-hong-kong-harder-hub-kung-fu-fans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3284181/why-arent-we-pushing-hong-kong-harder-hub-kung-fu-fans?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 31 Oct 2024 01:30:08 +0000 Tsui Hark’s Once Upon a Time in China revitalised the kung fu movie genre in 1991 with its reimagining of the life of legendary Cantonese martial artist Wong Fei-hung. It also spawned numerous rip-offs, some of which were very good. Below we rate all of the originals and rip-offs together, listed in chronological order. 1. Once Upon a Time in China (1991, directed by Tsui Hark) 4.5/5 stars With Once Upon a Time in China, Tsui wanted to make a film that paid tribute to the classic Wong Fei-hung... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3282747/all-10-once-upon-time-china-movies-and-rip-offs-rated?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3282747/all-10-once-upon-time-china-movies-and-rip-offs-rated?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Oct 2024 08:15:06 +0000 When the boom in period martial arts films tailed off in 1993, producers realised they needed to reinvent Jet Li Lianjie’s image. Li was still one of Hong Kong’s top three stars, but he had made his name in kung fu films set in old China. Modern crime thrillers looked like a good path forward, but Li’s strength was wushu – martial arts as a sport – so how could his kung fu deal with guns? Li decided that the best way forward was to simply start using firearms in his films, although he still... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3253755/3-jet-lis-1990s-action-movies-fusing-guns-and-kung-fu-chinese-martial-artist-left-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3253755/3-jet-lis-1990s-action-movies-fusing-guns-and-kung-fu-chinese-martial-artist-left-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 Mar 2024 09:15:12 +0000 It is the unpredictable alchemy of the movies. Sometimes great talents come together from far and wide to make outstanding films; some­times the results stand out for all the wrong reasons. At least, as with the 2005 Jet Li film Unleashed, they’re rarely boring. Known elsewhere as Danny the Dog, Unleashed brings together an astonishing list of collaborators who give its familiar story beats of a new urgency. Written and produced by Luc Besson (The Fifth Element), and directed by Louis Leterrier... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/arts-music/article/3251564/why-jet-lis-role-danny-dog-alongside-morgan-freeman-2005s-unleashed-didnt-open-doors-hollywood?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/arts-music/article/3251564/why-jet-lis-role-danny-dog-alongside-morgan-freeman-2005s-unleashed-didnt-open-doors-hollywood?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 11 Feb 2024 23:45:12 +0000 Dave Besseling’s weekly dive into the Post’s archives for Post Magazine opens a door to the past, giving readers a look at stories that made headlines in Hong Kong over the decades. In 2023, several of the most popular with readers had a crime element. 2004: Bank junks deposit boxes in blunder We looked back at an incident in 2004 when a Hong Kong bank suffered a crushing humiliation after scrapping 83 safe deposit boxes full of cash, jewels and personal items. DBS Bank was renovating one of its... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3246007/most-read-2023-hello-kitty-murder-death-jet-lis-manager-7-stories-post-archives?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3246007/most-read-2023-hello-kitty-murder-death-jet-lis-manager-7-stories-post-archives?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 Dec 2023 08:15:16 +0000 Today Hongkongers and tourists alike will be able to enjoy films in cinemas at a discounted price of HK$30 per ticket, if one is lucky enough to secure one of the 200,000-plus available tickets. As long as you can get a ticket, there are no restrictions on which movie you can watch, but was this a missed opportunity? This campaign, which in addition to discounted cinema tickets includes food fairs and a music carnival, comes at a cost of HK$20 million to the government’s coffers, and while it is... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3218543/happy-day-hong-kong-cinemas-could-have-been-showcase-local-films?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3218543/happy-day-hong-kong-cinemas-could-have-been-showcase-local-films?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Apr 2023 00:15:10 +0000 The 1990s were confusing for Hong Kong filmmakers. On the one hand, the decade signified the end of the dominance of local films at the box office – after 1993, Hollywood films took a greater market share. On the other hand, these years saw an outpouring of imaginative and groundbreaking Hong Kong films which covered a variety of topics in many different styles. Indeed, the 1990s are now considered the last golden age of Hong Kong cinema. The decade is also interesting for the absence of many... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3216179/jet-lis-rise-wong-kar-wais-art-house-fame-hong-kong-cinemas-last-golden-age-1990s?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3216179/jet-lis-rise-wong-kar-wais-art-house-fame-hong-kong-cinemas-last-golden-age-1990s?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Apr 2023 20:15:10 +0000 Michelle Reis was a constant presence on Hong Kong screens in the 1990s, appearing in supporting roles opposite Jet Li Lianjie, Leon Lai Ming and Stephen Chow Sing-chi, among others. Reis brought a down-to-earth appeal to her roles, usually essaying girl-next-door types, in spite of possessing model-like looks that led Hong Kong people to nickname her “great beauty”. “If Ronnie Yip is the Hong Kong Madonna, then Michelle Reis is the local Julia Roberts,” gushed the Post in 1993. “She’s the nice... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3205038/how-michelle-reis-turned-beauty-pageant-win-movie-career-nice-girl-who-can-play-nasty?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3205038/how-michelle-reis-turned-beauty-pageant-win-movie-career-nice-girl-who-can-play-nasty?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 31 Dec 2022 20:15:09 +0000 Hong Kong’s martial arts films have a long and distinguished history. We look at some classic films that contributed to the development of the kung fu cinema tradition. Rooted in local culture Since 1949, around 100 films have been made that depict the life of Cantonese martial arts legend Wong Fei-hung – they make up the world’s longest-running film series. The films show Wong as an honourable individual steeped in Confucian values, and would only resort to violence when discussion, humility... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3204086/one-armed-swordsman-big-boss-bruce-lee-and-drunken-master-jackie-chan-films-built-hong-kong-martial?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3204086/one-armed-swordsman-big-boss-bruce-lee-and-drunken-master-jackie-chan-films-built-hong-kong-martial?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 Dec 2022 10:15:10 +0000 Although it sounds like a cynical cash grab, the 2008 kung fu film The Forbidden Kingdom is far more ambitious than it appears. Not only does this China-US co-production unite Jackie Chan and Jet Li on screen for the first time, it also set out to unite Eastern and Western audiences. “When we make American films like Rush Hour, it only appeals to American audiences, but not Southeast Asian ones,” said Chan at the film’s Beijing press launch. “Similarly, powerful Asian films like The Warlords are... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3179960/despite-starring-jackie-chan-and-jet-li-forbidden-kingdom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3179960/despite-starring-jackie-chan-and-jet-li-forbidden-kingdom?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Jun 2022 23:15:22 +0000 Despite the success of The Mummy (1999) and The Mummy Returns (2001), when it came to the belated second sequel, things did not look good. For the 2008 film The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, director Stephen Sommers handed over the reins to Rob Cohen (xXx); Rachel Weisz declined the offer to return; and Brendan Fraser was in terrible physical shape after years of impromptu stunt work. “By the time I did the third Mummy picture in China, I was put together with tape and ice,” he told... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3176625/how-us-china-co-production-mummy-tomb-dragon-emperor-2008?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3176625/how-us-china-co-production-mummy-tomb-dragon-emperor-2008?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 May 2022 08:00:18 +0000 The Expendables 2, the second outing for Sylvester Stallone’s steroidal mercenaries, was meant to be a Sino-US co-production co-starring Donnie Yen Ji-dan, and a significant portion of the 2012 film was to be shot in China. Things didn’t quite work out that way. Instead, Chinese studio Le Vision Pictures stumped up a more modest percentage of the budget, superstar martial arts actor Jet Li appears for all of 10 minutes, and it was Bulgaria – not China – that provided the locations. For most of... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3172396/how-2012-movie-expendables-2-short-changed-chinese-viewers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3172396/how-2012-movie-expendables-2-short-changed-chinese-viewers?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 Apr 2022 11:15:23 +0000 Asian cinema is synonymous with the action genre, thanks to its rich legacy of kung fu, wuxia and samurai dramas. Recently, Asian martial arts have enjoyed a high profile in Hollywood, thanks to franchises including The Matrix and John Wick. At the same time, not much new martial arts talent has emerged. Nevertheless, markets like Thailand and Indonesia have ensured the region remains a hotbed for innovative and exhilarating action. In the spirit of the genre’s fiercely competitive nature, we... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3172394/25-best-asian-martial-arts-movies-21st-century-ranked-ip?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3172394/25-best-asian-martial-arts-movies-21st-century-ranked-ip?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Mar 2022 20:15:19 +0000 Before the international success of In the Mood for Love, foreign journalists referred to Maggie Cheung Man-yuk as an “action heroine”. That used to confuse people in Hong Kong, as the popular actress was more known at home for her comedies, light dramas and art-house films. The description probably arose because Cheung had appeared in Jackie Chan films such as Police Story, in which she had a non-action role as his girlfriend. Cheung has said that, although she enjoyed making Chan’s films, they... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3160788/maggie-cheungs-best-martial-arts-movie-roles-hero-jet-li?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3160788/maggie-cheungs-best-martial-arts-movie-roles-hero-jet-li?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Dec 2021 23:15:11 +0000 It’s the second birthday of the Post’s weekly Hong Kong martial arts film feature. To mark the occasion, we look back at some of the movies and stars we’ve enjoyed writing about over the past year. Wong Kar-wai’s The Grandmaster (2013) An elegant and elegiac take on the kung fu genre, Wong Kar-wai’s delicate masterpiece combines martial arts history and romance to form a beguiling whole. The Grandmaster uses Ip Man (played by Tony Leung Chiu-wai) to demonstrate the rivalry between the northern... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3158324/jet-li-one-jackie-chan-police-story-eight-favourite-martial?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3158324/jet-li-one-jackie-chan-police-story-eight-favourite-martial?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Dec 2021 20:15:08 +0000 Jet Li Lianjie had high hopes for his Hollywood career in the late 1990s, but his first two films in America met with a mixed reception. Lethal Weapon 4 (1998) When it was announced that Jet Li would appear in Hollywood’s Lethal Weapon 4 alongside Mel Gibson and Danny Glover, it was big news in Hong Kong – even though Li hails from mainland China, the city regarded him as one of its own stars. Equally big news was that Li, who had only ever played heroes like Wong Fei-hung in Hong Kong films,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3155795/jet-li-america-how-lethal-weapon-4-and-romeo-must-die?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3155795/jet-li-america-how-lethal-weapon-4-and-romeo-must-die?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 13 Nov 2021 21:15:14 +0000 The classic martial arts film Once Upon a Time in China (1991), directed by Tsui Hark, made a star of China-born martial artist Jet Li Lianjie. Playing the role of real-life Cantonese hero Wong Fei-hung, Li’s performance earned him comparisons to Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan. But while audiences were impressed by the film’s lengthy finale, where Wong fights his nemesis in a warehouse on moving bamboo ladders, most would have been unaware that it’s not actually Li who did the fighting. Three body... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3152099/they-kept-bruce-lee-jackie-chan-and-jet-li-safe-kung-fu?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3152099/they-kept-bruce-lee-jackie-chan-and-jet-li-safe-kung-fu?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Oct 2021 04:45:11 +0000 Over the past few weeks, the citizenship status of ethnically Chinese stars with foreign passports has come under the spotlight across Chinese media in the midst of the country’s crackdown on the entertainment industry. Some actors such as Nicholas Tse and Arthur Chen Feiyu were quick to reveal that they have renounced – or are in the process of renouncing – their foreign citizenships. How Tony Leung, Shang-Chi star and Hong Kong legend, spends his millions But which Chinese celebrities still... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3149438/which-chinese-celebrities-renounced-their-native?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3149438/which-chinese-celebrities-renounced-their-native?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Sep 2021 09:46:43 +0000 It’s rare that a sequel can match the original movie, but that’s true of Once Upon a Time in China II, the follow-up to Tsui Hark’s trendsetting 1991 martial arts hit. Part 1 made a star of Jet Li Lianjie and brought martial arts films back into the limelight. Part 2, produced in 1992, is a more ambitious and wide-ranging film which effortlessly picks up the storyline and expands the themes of industrial progress, Chinese nationalism, and the perceived conflict between Confucian values and those... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3148224/jet-li-vs-donnie-yen-pole-fight-once-upon-time-china-ii-how?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3148224/jet-li-vs-donnie-yen-pole-fight-once-upon-time-china-ii-how?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Sep 2021 20:15:09 +0000 Ethnically Chinese stars who hold foreign passports but work in mainland China face something of a conundrum: do they keep those passports, or give them up to prove their “Chinese-ness”? Over the years, these celebrities have been facing mounting pressure – especially lately, as the Chinese government pays closer attention to entertainment and fan culture. But although foreign citizenship is a sensitive and complicated matter for Chinese A-listers, many continue to hold onto their foreign... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3148249/5-chinese-celebrities-foreign-citizenships-martial-art?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3148249/5-chinese-celebrities-foreign-citizenships-martial-art?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Sep 2021 05:14:03 +0000 Directed by Ching Siu-tung and produced by Tsui Hark in 1992, Swordsman II is one of the most influential wuxia films of all time. The movie was a box-office smash, it redefined the career of Brigitte Lin Ching-hsia, and launched a wave of martial arts films featuring gender-fluid characters. Lin’s role as a transsexual sorceress even permeated Hong Kong popular culture, with thinly disguised copies of her/him popping up in television shows and advertisements. The film, a nominal sequel to... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3137832/starring-jet-li-and-transsexual-theme-swordsman-ii-was?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3137832/starring-jet-li-and-transsexual-theme-swordsman-ii-was?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Jun 2021 21:15:00 +0000 Peter Chan Ho-sun had not made an action film before he made The Warlords, the 2007 war drama which features Jet Li Lianjie as an ambitious general leading the Qing army to victory over the Taiping rebels. Chan was best known for heart-warming light dramas like 1996’s Comrades, Almost a Love Story , but the emergence of the Chinese blockbuster phenomenon, which saw big-budget Hong Kong action films achieving good results at the box office in China, prompted a change of style for the director and... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3131801/peter-chans-warlords-jet-li-andy-lau-and-takeshi-kaneshiro?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3131801/peter-chans-warlords-jet-li-andy-lau-and-takeshi-kaneshiro?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 May 2021 21:15:14 +0000 Wong Fei-hung is the most famous of all the exponents of southern-style Chinese martial arts, and his exploits have passed into legend. There have been around 100 films about him, 77 of which feature actor Kwan Tak-hing, who became synonymous with Wong during the 1950s and 1960s. Radio plays, pulp novels, newspaper story serialisations, and television series have been devoted to his life. At one point, no less than seven newspapers were running serialised novels about Wong at the same time. The... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3120654/played-jet-li-and-jackie-chan-who-was-wong-fei-hung-real?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3120654/played-jet-li-and-jackie-chan-who-was-wong-fei-hung-real?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Feb 2021 21:15:08 +0000 There was an exodus of top Hong Kong talent to Hollywood in the late 1990s, and Jet Li Lianjie joined filmmakers and actors such as John Woo, Jackie Chan and Chow Yun-fat, who hoped to forge an international career from a base in the United States. Li did manage to establish himself in America, but he was never given roles that allowed him to fulfil his potential, either as a martial artist or actor. What’s more, the action and martial arts scenes in his US films do not come close to matching... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3118773/jet-li-hollywood-how-martial-arts-superstar-fared-america?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3118773/jet-li-hollywood-how-martial-arts-superstar-fared-america?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 Jan 2021 21:15:17 +0000 Nearly 50 years after his death, Bruce Lee remains not only Hong Kong but Asian cinema’s biggest icon. That’s quite a feat given the subsequent rise of other martial arts stars like Jackie Chan and Jet Li, Japanese and Korean idols like Takuya Kimura and Jun Ji-hyun, and award-winning directors like Wong Kar-wai, Ang Lee and Bong Joon-ho. Even today people are intensely passionate about preserving Lee’s legacy. Just last year a storm erupted when Quentin Tarantino’s latest film, Once Upon a Time... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3115016/does-bruce-lees-legacy-have-dark-side-his-peerless-kung?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3115016/does-bruce-lees-legacy-have-dark-side-his-peerless-kung?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Dec 2020 02:00:14 +0000 Tai chi, a centuries-old Chinese martial art and an internationally popular form of exercise, has been added to Unesco’s cultural heritage list. For more than 10 years (its initial application was rejected in 2008) China has been trying to have tai chi – also known as taijiquan – recognised officially by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. At the time, judges told China it had applied for... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3114541/tai-chi-added-unesco-intangible-cultural-heritage-list-12?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3114541/tai-chi-added-unesco-intangible-cultural-heritage-list-12?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Dec 2020 10:02:56 +0000 The Hong Kong movie industry, perhaps more than any other regional cinema, is one that’s been based on fads and fashions. Although broad genres like kung fu and wuxia have stood the test of time, other styles have waxed and waned in popularity over the years. The introduction of Category III film classifications meant the early 90s witnessed a spike in both gory flicks like The Untold Story as well as soft-core erotica like Sex and Zen. The popularity of Michelle Yeoh’s Yes, Madam (1985) saw... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3113836/chow-yun-fats-god-gamblers-21-years-and-5-other-classic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3113836/chow-yun-fats-god-gamblers-21-years-and-5-other-classic?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Dec 2020 06:05:14 +0000 Wushu comes up a lot in the context of martial arts films, but what does it mean? A literal translation is “military arts”. Today, though, wushu is generally taken to mean the sport version of martial arts that was established in mainland China after the communists took power in 1949. Martial arts had been encouraged in China during the early Republican era, as a way of showing national pride and as a form of self-defence. After 1949, the Communist Party discouraged kung fu, and brought it under... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3110712/what-wushu-how-jet-li-studied-it-and-made-it-famous-hong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3110712/what-wushu-how-jet-li-studied-it-and-made-it-famous-hong?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Nov 2020 00:15:21 +0000 Most film fans today tend to associate Jet Li Lianjie with legendary martial artist Wong Fei-hung, after Li’s career-defining performances as the real-life character in the works of Tsui Hark during the 1990s. But to earlier generations, martial arts expert and actor Kwan Tak-hing, who died in 1996, is the embodiment of Wong Fei-hung. Kwan – who reportedly looked like Wong and shared his serene disposition – portrayed him in around 80 films, and the actor became so synonymous with the character... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3103933/jet-li-actor-played-wong-fei-hung-80-films-and-made-martial?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3103933/jet-li-actor-played-wong-fei-hung-80-films-and-made-martial?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Oct 2020 21:15:05 +0000 Hong Kong cinema has provided the world with some of the greatest filmmakers of the last 50 years. If you want kung fu there’s Jackie Chan and Jet Li, if you want comedy there’s Stephen Chow, if you want gangster flicks there’s Johnnie To, if you want all-out action there’s John Woo. Standing above all of them, though, is Wong Kar-wai. The director of In the Mood for Love, Chungking Express and Happy Together is the only Hongkonger to have won the best director award at Cannes. Whatever... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3093301/how-wong-kar-wai-hong-kong-director-mood-love-chungking?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3093301/how-wong-kar-wai-hong-kong-director-mood-love-chungking?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Jul 2020 04:00:06 +0000 The list of Hong Kong cinema’s best and brightest who went to Hollywood is a long one. Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Chow Yun-fat, John Woo and Michelle Yeoh are just some of the stars who tried their luck in America. However, with the possible exception of Chan, none have enjoyed as much success as Yuen Woo-ping. Primarily an action choreographer, Yuen has worked on some of the biggest films in modern Hollywood history. His work on The Matrix reinvented action cinema; he brought to life Quentin... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3090185/who-yuen-woo-ping-hong-kong-kung-fu-master-behind-matrix?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3090185/who-yuen-woo-ping-hong-kong-kung-fu-master-behind-matrix?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Jun 2020 06:00:13 +0000 Jet Li Lianjie shot to fame in mainland China in 1982 in the film Shaolin Temple, but it was his portrayal of Chinese folk hero Wong Fei-hung in Tsui Hark’s Once Upon a Time in China series that made him a star across Asia. In Hong Kong, the actor became the face of the new-style martial arts boom of the early 1990s, and his best work dates from this period, mainly because directors were always pushing him to excel and innovate. Li’s later work in the United States pales by comparison, and he... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3086618/jet-lis-best-movies-ranking-martial-arts-superstars-top-10?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3086618/jet-lis-best-movies-ranking-martial-arts-superstars-top-10?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 May 2020 23:00:14 +0000 What is a martial arts film?  Hong Kong martial arts films fall broadly into two categories, wuxia and kung fu. Wuxia films feature armed combat, usually swordplay, while kung fu films mainly feature unarmed combat. The two types of film are quite distinct, although kung fu films will sometimes feature a scene that includes fighting with poles (also called staffs), the favoured weapon of Shaolin monks, and the villains will often use weaponry. The word wuxia translates roughly as “martial... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3086541/hong-kong-martial-arts-cinema-starring-bruce-lee-jackie?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3086541/hong-kong-martial-arts-cinema-starring-bruce-lee-jackie?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 May 2020 11:00:09 +0000 Chinese director Zhang Yimou has said that he intended 2002’s Hero to be a cross between an art film and a martial arts movie. The result, however, is more like an uneasy combination of wuxia film and historical drama. The martial arts scenes are elegant, the massive set-piece battles are impressive, and the delicate and careful aesthetic that underlies the film makes it beautiful to watch. But Hero’s weighty themes aren’t a good fit for the many scenes of fantasy martial arts, and some... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3084502/how-jet-lis-nameless-hero-encapsulates-zhang-yimous?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3084502/how-jet-lis-nameless-hero-encapsulates-zhang-yimous?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 May 2020 23:00:08 +0000 Jet Li Lianjie posted rare photos of himself and his family as he celebrated his 57th birthday on Sunday. Thousands of internet users took to his Facebook page to say “happy birthday” to the Chinese martial arts superstar who was grateful for receiving so many well-wishers. He posted on Instagram and Facebook that he hopes the “world heals and is able to come together as one during our fight against #covid-19”. “I also wish that you are all happy and healthy. I am so grateful to be safely in... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/article/3081808/birthday-boy-jet-li-wishes-world-heal-during-our-fight-against?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/article/3081808/birthday-boy-jet-li-wishes-world-heal-during-our-fight-against?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2020 13:41:42 +0000