Chinese martial arts 101: how they are shown in films and by whom – 10 things to know

We answer 10 common questions about martial arts as depicted in Chinese cinema, from the Shaolin Monastery to famous martial arts actors

Reading Time:3 minutes

Jet Li in a still from Fong Sai Yuk (1993). Martial arts films are heavily linked with Chinese culture, from the Shaolin Temple in China, to famous martial artists from history such as Wong Fei-hung, Fong Sai-yuk and Hong Xiguan. Photo: Eastern Productions Ltd

Published: 6:15pm, 13 Jun 2024Updated: 3:54pm, 2 Jul 2024

From ancient Shaolin techniques to iconic movie stars like Bruce Lee, delve into the history, philosophy and cinematic impact of kung fu with our martial arts series.

It is almost an understatement to say that Hong Kong martial arts cinema is rooted in traditional Chinese culture.

Below, we look back at some of our most popular explainers that shed light on 10 frequently asked questions culture buffs may have come across.

1. What is wushu? And how did Jet Li study it and make it famous in movies?

Wushu comes up a lot in the context of martial arts films, but what does it mean? A literal translation is “military arts”.

Jet Li as San Lun in a still from Kids from Shaolin (1984). Until Li and Donnie Yen began appearing in Hong Kong movies, they had mainly featured southern Chinese kung fu, not classical wushu. Photo: Chung Yuen Motion Picture

Today, though, wushu is generally taken to mean the sports version of martial arts that was established in mainland China after the communists took power in 1949. Read the full story

SCMP Series

Chinese martial arts

[ 2 of 12 ]