Dragon He grew up with martial arts his entire life – and the 10-year-old junior champion won five gold medals in the 15th Hong Kong International Wushu Competition last August
- Dragon He’s father trained under the same master as Jet Li and Donnie Ye, and his mother is also a champion – both have contributed their skills in films
For most children, even in Hong Kong, kung fu is something they’re most likely to see in films and on television. And for this generation, their favourite action star might not be Jackie Chan or Jet Li – it’s more likely a punch-throwing, jump-kicking panda named Po.
But that’s not the case for Dragon He, a 10-year-old who’s grown up with wushu his entire life – and who last August won five gold medals in the 10- to 16-year-old category at the 15th Hong Kong International Wushu Competition.
Dragon was brought up by literal action stars. His father, Jaden He Jingde, is a former wushu champion, while his mother, Christine Lo Nga-ching, is an ex-Hong Kong wushu team athlete, coach and world champion. Both have contributed their wushu skills in films.
Dragon’s father began his own wushu journey some 40-plus years ago. The Chinese word literally means “martial arts”, but it has come to refer to the modern sport of wushu established after the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949. A full-contact and exhibition sport judged according to a points system, wushu includes both barehanded and weapon forms.
Jaden trained under Wu Bin, the head coach of the Beijing Wushu Team, who also coached both Jet Li and Donnie Yen. He won gold at the National Wushu Championship numerous times for broadsword, staff and double broadsword before pivoting to teaching.
In 2002, he moved to the United States and started his own school in Los Angeles, teaching students aged from six to 60 years old.
