麻豆APP

Top 10 Facts about Jet Li

Jet Li is a Chinese film actor, film producer, martial artist, and retired Wushu champion. In his films he is known for his lightning-fast moves, inventive choreography and friendly sense of humor.

Below are the top 10 facts about Jet Li;

1. The meaning behind his name

Young Jet Li – Facebook

Jet Li was born Li Lianjie Yangzhong in Bejing, China, in a town called Hebei. He is the fifth child of Li Qingquan and Zhang Feng Lan.

While training with the Beijing Wushu team, he got his nickname, “Jet”, because of his speed and grace. In 1982, while in the Philippines a publicity company thought his real name was too hard to pronounce thus they placed the name Jet Li on the movie posters.

This time round the nickname, 鈥淛et鈥�, was in representation of his acting career which like an aircraft was “takes-off” quacking. True enough, his acting career took off, making him a world renowned Kungfu Actor.

2. Jet Li did not experience a father鈥檚 love

Jet Li with his daughters – Facebook

When Jet Li was only two years old, his father died. He grew up understanding the undying love of a mother, but did not quite understand what role a father played in the family.

Li confesses that while filming The Shaolin Temple, there was a line where Li had to yell b脿 ba (dad), which he found himself unable to say: “In the end, the director changed it to di膿 (another word for dad). I thought di膿 had nothing to do with me, so I could say it.鈥�

He further elaborates that it wasn’t until he became a father that he clearly understood what this role of a father truly meant.

3. Naturally talented at Wushu

Jet Li in action – Flickr

Li was eight when his talent for Wushu was noticed as he practiced at a school summer course. He went on to join the Beijing Wushu Team, which did a martial art display at All China Games.

He was the national all-around champion from 1975 to 1979. However, he retired from competitive wushu when he was only 18 due to a knee injury.

Today, Li is a master of several styles of wushu, especially Ch谩ngqu谩n (Northern Longfist Style) and F膩nziqu谩n (Tumbling Fist). He has also mastered wushu’s main weapons, such as Sanjiegun (Three Section Staff), G霉n, Dao (Broadsword), Jian (Straight Sword).

4. An offer to be a presidential body guard

Wushu Kids – Flickr

Jet Li was naturally talented at Wushu and his skills were further improved after joining the Beijing Wushu Team coached renowned coaches Li Junfeng and Wu Bin.

According to Li, once, as a child, when the Chinese National Wushu Team went to perform for President Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger in the United States, he was asked by Nixon to be his personal bodyguard.

However, Li replied, “I don’t want to protect any individual. When I grow up, I want to defend my one billion Chinese countrymen!”

5. Jet Li Didn鈥檛 Learn English Until He was 35

Leathal Weapon 4 poster – IMDb

Li’s first role in a non-Chinese film was as a villain in Lethal Weapon 4 (1998). At this time Li knew only a few words in English, like 鈥楪ood Morning,鈥� 鈥楾hank you,鈥� and a few single words.

For his audition, Jet Li recorded his friend reading the script and practiced his English by memorizing what his friend had said in the recording.

Fortunately, he got the role and Warner Bros hired him a teacher. He used flash cards to memorize all 26 letters of the English alphabet, just like a preschooler.

6. Risen from the dead

The aftermath of the 2004 tsunami – Wikipedia

Jet Li鈥檚 death was widely reported after it was reported that he was in the Maldives when a tsunami hit during the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake.

Fortunately, Li suffered a minor foot injury, caused by a piece of floating furniture while he was guiding his 4-year-old daughter and the nanny holding his 1-year-old daughter to safety of higher ground.

In April 2007, touched by his life-shaking experience in the Maldives, Li formed his own non-profit foundation called The One Foundation. The One Foundation supports international disaster relief efforts in conjunction with the Red Cross.

7. Despite his celebrity statues, Jet Li took up an acting role that he was not paid for

Ocen Heaven, 2010 – Amazon

Jet Li acted for free for the drama 鈥淥cean Heaven鈥� in 2010. The film was also his first full drama role.

The film revolves around Sam Wong (Jet Li) who discovers he has less than five months to live, thus he tries to prepare his autistic son for life without him.

Li was touched by the film and confessed to crying a lot when he was reading the script. He is quoted as saying, “This movie is about sincerity. It shows that in this day and age that filmmakers are willing to do something for society.”

鈥淥cean Heaven鈥� received a 4/5 from The China Post site with a detailed and heart-felt review.

8. Jet Li is a Singaporean

Jet Li – Wikipedia

In 1997 Jet Li applied and received US citizenship after extended stints working in Hollywood. However, in 2009 he renounced his US citizenship, presumably to take up Singaporean citizenship.

He opted for a Singapore passport as it is the passport of the most visa-free countries in the world. It can enter more than 180 countries including the United States, Canada, Australia, and Europe without a visa.

Also, Singapore has an excellent education system, which would be great for his two young daughters.

9. Trying to regain his Chinese nationality

Jet Li speaks at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Tianjin, China – Wikipedia

Singapore does not allow dual citizenship, which means that Li鈥檚 Chinese citizenship was relinquished once he became a Singaporean.

After becoming famous, Jet Li wanted to change back to Chinese nationality again, but this plan was changed because he wanted to establish his own foundation, but at that time China did not allow individuals to create foundations.

Once China allowed the establishment of personal foundations, Jet Li wanted to change back to Chinese nationality. This has proven to be very difficult as China is a non-immigrant nationality. As we write this article, Jet Li is yet to become a Chinese nationality.

10. Jet Li is a devoted Tibetan Buddhist

Jet Li with Dalai Lama – Flickr

Li began practicing the religion in 1998, and became so serious that he considered quitting his movie career to devote all his time to practicing Buddhism.

However, his master, Lho Kunsang, advised his to continue acting and use his fame and wealth for good.

As a devout Tibetan Buddhist, Li meditates, chants, and prays every day. He has admitted to spending more time learning about Buddhism than English, which is why his English today is still bad.