The 10th World Traditional Wushu Championships were recently held in Emeishan, Sichuan. During the event, renowned film star Jet Li, who served as the International Wushu Federation's "Wushu Ambassador" for 18 years, officially stepped down, handing the reins to Wu Jing. Following his departure, Jet Li was awarded a new title by the IWUF: Lifetime Volunteer No. 001. In an interview with Xinhua News Agency, Jet Li expressed his future aspirations to help more ordinary martial arts enthusiasts realize their dreams.
When discussing martial arts, Jet Li believes it's important to distinguish between three levels of the sport. "The first level is our martial arts competitions, which are the competitive aspect. The second is the cultural aspect, which many of us like to call kung fu, and which primarily involves spreading and showcasing our traditional culture through film, television, and performances, sharing it with the world. The third is the mass sports aspect, such as Tai Chi, which people use to strengthen their bodies and cultivate their moral character. Often, clarifying which level we're addressing helps us better communicate and discuss martial arts."
"When I handed over the baton to Wu Jing, I said I was 'retiring,'" Jet Li said with a smile. "But I'm actually very satisfied with my new role. I'm the International Wushu Federation's No. 001 Lifetime Volunteer, and I can do more to promote this sport around the world."
"Martial arts have a relatively deep mass base not only in China but also in the world. Among them, the number of people engaged in competitive martial arts and cultural martial arts may be only a small part. The vast majority are martial arts enthusiasts of mass sports, but this group still has a lot of room to expand." He said.
Jet Li shared his future plans, saying, "I want to promote martial arts to more young people, making them feel that this sport is fun and enjoyable, and willing to learn about its culture. I want them to put down their phones and computers for 10 minutes a day and practice martial arts. If I can launch an event and get 50 million people practicing Tai Chi simultaneously online, I'll consider myself successful."
As for the question of whether martial arts will be included in the Olympics, a topic of great concern to many martial arts enthusiasts, Jet Li believes that it takes "destruction" to "establishment." "In 1990, when martial arts was included in the Beijing Asian Games, I dreamed of it one day being included in the Olympics. We have been working hard for many years."
Regarding his many years in the film and television industry, Jet Li said: "I am not young anymore, so I certainly can't make many kung fu films anymore. But I wonder if I can build a platform to help grassroots martial arts enthusiasts who don't have the resources to shoot some martial arts videos and short films to help them realize their dreams."