Jet Li's TaijiZen International Cultural Development Company [Archive]

GeneChing

09-13-2011, 09:30 AM

Zen? A Japanese term? :rolleyes:

September 13, 2011, 5:36 PM HKT
Jet Li Ashamed of China’s Soft Power (http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2011/09/13/jet-li-ashamed-of-chinas-soft-power/)

Chinese leaders aren’t the only ones frustrated with the nation’s lack of “soft power” influence–Jet Li is, too, and he wants to do something about it.

The Chinese martial artist-turned-movie star is starting a taichi school with Alibaba Group Chairman Jack Ma, which he hopes will break stereotypes of taichi as an art practiced only by old people in parks. Mr. Li said he wants it to one day be as cool to practice taichi as it is watch American movies, watch Japanese animation or study South Korea’s taekwondo.

“China is an economic powerhouse,” Mr. Li said at Alibaba Group’s annual summit for small to medium-sized business owners in Hangzhou. But the world’s most populous country has little cultural influence compared to the U.S., South Korea and Japan, he said.

The actor’s new venture could indeed give a boost to China’s efforts to export its culture, which have involved investments in the billions of dollars but have been criticized as unimaginative. Among Beijing’s recent soft-power plays: an international network of state-sponsored language institutes, a 17-minute long promotional film panned by Chinese Internet users as blatantly propagandistic and a giant advertisement in Times Square showing photos of wealthy and successful Chinese people who most Americans don’t recognize.

Mr. Li, who has starred in major movies on both sides of the Pacific including the 2002 Zhang Yimou epic “Hero,” lamented that Hollywood and other cultural industries make up a significant portion of GDP in the U.S. but represent only a fraction of China’s economy. “Italian coffee is better than Starbucks,” but consumers around the world recognize Starbucks more than Italian coffee “because it’s a cultural experience,” he said.

He did not disclose financial details of his partnership with Mr. Ma, but said the company will be called Taichi Zen International Culture Company.

For China not to have a contribution to the rest of the world would be a “pity,” he said. “I feel shame before my ancestors,” he added, saying he wants kids to be proud of their “national culture.”

enoajnin

09-13-2011, 10:33 AM

Did he just say that he wants China to contribute something to the rest of the world. Don't they make everything and cover all our debt?

doug maverick

09-13-2011, 10:44 AM

well they dont cover our debt..they buy us bonds....you can buy us bonds if you want..but yea everything is made there...lol

GeneChing

09-27-2011, 09:42 AM

Jet Li shifts focus to charity, tai chi (http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2011-09/27/content_13797047.htm)
Updated: 2011-09-27 07:46
by Liu Wei (China Daily)

Jet Li shifts focus to charity, tai chi

Filmmaking is just a hobby now, says kungfu star Jet Li, who is spending more time on his charity and on promoting martial arts.

He has turned down three films in 2011, including an American one, Li says at the premiere of his latest film, It's Love, a fantasy flick based on a Chinese folktale about the romance between a man and a snake fairy.

He plays a kungfu monk in the film, which will be released on Sept 28.

The 48-year-old, while running his charity institution One Foundation, will soon start a company to promote tai chi with Alibaba Group Chairman Jack Ma. Alibaba is one of the largest online commerce platforms in China.

The former national martial arts champion expects to break the stereotyped view of tai chi as a form of exercise favored by just old people in parks.

It could be a fashionable sport for young people around the world, as much as India's yoga and South Korea's taekwondo, Li believes.

"China is an economic powerhouse," he said at Alibaba Group's annual summit for small- to medium-sized business owners in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, recently.

He added the company, named Taichi Zen, will focus on providing a cultural experience.

"Italian coffee is better than Starbucks, but consumers over the world recognize Starbucks more than Italian coffee, because it offers a cultural experience," he said at the summit.

Jet Li shifts focus to charity, tai chi

Li's next movie is about tai chi. He will produce the film and play an important role.

Li's efforts may also help boost China's soft power overseas, another of his concerns. He attended the 68th Venice International Film Festival in September and was proud that It's Love was screened there.

"Audiences there were surprised that Chinese films can create such great special effects," he says. "In the future more and more impressive Chinese films will show up at international film festivals."

The film, costing 180 million yuan ($28 million), will be screened during the National Day holiday, a lucrative slot for filmmakers. Even so, Li says he does not care that much about the box office.

"I will make films again, but that is more like a hobby for me now," he says. "However, I will be a volunteer for charity causes for the rest of my life, and spend a lot of my time on Taichi Zen."

Here's our thread on It's Love. (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=58509)

Our thread on
Jet Li’s ONE Foundation (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=36920)

GeneChing

12-07-2011, 10:33 AM

Taiji Zen official website (http://www.taijizen.com/index.php) (not much there now)

Jet Li just signed a contract to promote Tai Chi worldwide (http://www.examiner.com/tai-chi-in-national/jet-li-just-signed-a-contract-to-promote-tai-chi-worldwide)
Violet Li
, Tai Chi Examiner
December 6, 2011

Last week the Chinese Wushu Association held their annual meeting in Wu Dong, where the legendary Taoist Monk Zhang San Fang resided and developed the early Tai Chi (Taiji) movements. There were a few important decisions made during the meeting and the most prominent one was the agreement signed with Hollywood superstar Jet Li and his company Taiji Zen International.

According to the Chinese Wushu Association, Tai Chi’s health benefits have been validated by modern science and recognized by millions around the world. It is on a short list to be included in 2020 Olympic Games. The golden age for Tai Chi is approaching. Tai Chi will be propelled to be a popular sport/fitness exercise for people of all ages and physical conditions soon.

Action star Jet Li started his Wushu career at a very young age. He was famous for his superb Shaolin Kung Fu. He also learned Tai Chi later and played the role of Zhang San Fang in a famous Chinese movie. Jet Li said that he has witnessed the health benefits of Tai Chi and also appreciates Tai Chi’s profound cultural background. To him, Tai Chi is not just an ordinary martial art but also a product of Chinese culture of thousands of years of history. He firmly believes that Tai Chi can improve people’s health. With this, he and Chinese e-commerce and telecomm business Tycoon Jack Ma jointly founded Taiji Zen International in April, 2011. The goal is to promote health and happiness through the practice of Tai Chi. Taiji Zen International also wishes to bring balance and harmony to people’s life because of Tai Chi’s philosophy background.

GeneChing

02-14-2013, 10:36 AM

I must find a copy of this new mag... any leads anyone?

Jet Li attends Taichi Culture Forum (http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/m/wudang/2013-02/08/content_16214776.htm)
( chinadaily.com.cn )
Updated: 2013-02-08

Kung fu star Jet Li attended the Taichi Culture Forum to share his understanding of taichi culture and taichi zen on Dec 30, 2012.

Jet Li, together with Ma Yun, president of the board of Alibaba Group, set up TaijiZen International Cultural Development Company in March 2011 to spread the taichi zen idea of healthy living throughout the world.

Speaking of taichi culture, Jet Li said he was attracted by Taichi Lake, the moment he came to the Wudang Mountains. According to him, taichi has already found its way as a branch of philosophy in China’s 5,000 years of civilization, and it has been closely connected to all human beings living on earth today. He himself often shares taichi culture with others all over the world. His love of taichi philosophy can be traced back to his childhood. At a young age his master taught him concepts such as attack and defense in the same essence as taichi.

Jet Li thinks that taichi zen is Chinese people's common attitude towards life. Taichi Quan（a form of martial art）could make your body fit, but it doesn't guarantee your happiness. Happiness is what one may achieve in zen through the learning and perception of taichi philosophy and culture. Last year, when he first came to Wudang, he dreamed of publishing a magazine to promote taichi culture. Now the dream has come true. He has published the magazine TaijiZen in a joint effort with the talent periodical office.

According to Jet Li, yoga has 100 million practicers thanks to 15 years of US promotion throughout the world, while taichi quan already has 150 million practicers without any promotion. Martial arts is rich in cultural connotation, not merely a kind of competitive sport. He was even more overwhelmed by the depth of spiritual heritage created 600 years ago after his visits to the Wudang Mountains. He is willing to strive to promote taichi culture.
150 million practicers (sp) - wonder how they came to that number?

PalmStriker

02-14-2013, 02:30 PM

Cool! :) See if Jet will do an interview/cover, for KFM . Gene. :)

GeneChing

02-14-2013, 05:19 PM

2008 May/June (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=758)
2006 September/October (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=671)*
2004 September/October (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=531)
2001 November/December (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=142)
1998 May (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=81) (Jet's first US cover ever)

*This was my interview. It was a honor. :cool:

MightyB

02-20-2013, 03:04 PM

I don't know - I don't think tai chi will ever be as mainstream as he wants it to be. Especially when he's got pics of guys standing post all over his website. That's just not appealing to a young / hip / urban crowd. Maybe if they did something like Ren's extremely short Chen form that he developed.

He'll need to develop a tai chi form that's strenuous and makes people perspire (not very tai chi like), and then keep it short.

PalmStriker

02-20-2013, 09:16 PM

Considering the foundation of Tai Chi principles evolved before the implementation of them by TCMA masters, I think the Art of Tai Chi is well represented and has been expounded in it's wide range of practices exceptionally well. The Masters of the Emei Arts would say that Tai Chi is commonplace in it's exposure. :D As long as millions of Chinese people are doing "Slow-Chi " in the parks it will be considered a health regimen by most onlookers, regardless of Jet's input. I am starting to develop my own practice set based on Taiji principles. After all, it is not the movements as much as it is the mind-set. :) http://supremeboundlessway.com/2011/10/12/taichi-tao-%E2%80%93-then-and-now/

PalmStriker

02-20-2013, 09:17 PM

AND: http://www.kungfu-taichi.com/servlet/kungfoo/Action/Resource/ResourceKey/1589

GeneChing

04-15-2013, 08:51 AM

I heard an interesting update on this project at CMAT (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1223051#post1223051). I'm verifying it. If true, there will be follow up.

China Exclusive: Alibaba founder, kung fu star promote Chinese martial art (http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2013-04/13/c_132306013.htm)
English.news.cn 2013-04-13 15:43:07

HANGZHOU, April 13 (Xinhua) -- Founder of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Jack Ma and action movie star Jet Li have joined hands to promote "taiji," a branch of Chinese martial arts practiced for both fitness and self-defense.

At an entrepreneur exchange activity held Friday night in Beijing, Ma, wearing a flowing kung fu outfit, took the stage and performed taiji. Li also showed up to discuss the benefits of taiji.

Ma and Li established a company called Taiji Zen International two years ago with the aim of spreading the culture of taiji to the world.

The company, located in Xixi National Wetland Park in the city of Hangzhou in east China's Zhejiang Province, will start providing taiji courses to the public in May. It will also start offering online courses in August.

The 48-year-old Ma has been practicing taiji since his college years.

"What I have learned most from taiji is philosophical insight, such as the notion of yin and yang, which is a theory that states that things will develop in opposite directions when they become extreme and that people should learn to be moderate," he said.

Ma has been introducing Alibaba employees to the world of taiji and he has even written a film script with a taiji them.

"Most mainstream sports in China nowadays are imported from abroad. We want to introduce the world to the legacy left by our ancestors and make taiji more fashionable," Li said.

Li said entrepreneurs can be a strong force in spreading traditional culture, adding that the efforts of entrepreneurs in Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) have contributed greatly to the worldwide popularity of judo, karate, and taekwondo.

However, Ma and Li have also recognized the difficulty of popularizing taiji among young people, as its slow movements are typically viewed as more suitable for the elderly.

The Alibaba Group has served as an experimental area for Ma and Li to learn how to popularize the martial art. Taiji is part of Alibaba employee training, with about 1,500 employees learning taiji in 2012. The company's 20,000 employees also use taiji as a way to take a break from their daily work.

Galeeva Guzel, a Russian woman who works for Alibaba, said taiji can help people calm down and reduce their stress. Another employee named Xu Weijie said taiji has helped him learn to complain less when he is bothered by other people.

Ma said taiji culture can be applied to corporate management.

"Like a taiji practitioner, a company should learn to control its pace of movement and choose the right time to take action," Ma said.

Li said taiji is not only a way to stay fit, but also a cultural symbol with profound philosophical connotations.

"I don't oppose Chinese people buying foreign brands and driving fancy foreign cars, but I think we should spare some time for traditional culture and remember our Chinese identity," Li said.

GeneChing

05-16-2013, 08:36 AM

Action star Jet Li opens t’ai chi school in China (http://dawn.com/2013/05/13/action-star-jet-li-opens-tai-chi-school-in-china/)
AFP | 3 days ago

http://dawncompk.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/jet-li-taichi-school-450.jpg?w=670
Jet Li speaking at the unveiling of a t’ai chi school opened by him and enterpreneur Jack Ma in Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang province. —AFP Photo

SHANGHAI: Action star Jet Li has joined up with renowned Chinese Internet entrepreneur Jack Ma to open a t’ai chi school in a bid to promote the traditional exercise.

Ma is founder of the world’s biggest online retailer, Alibaba, where he stepped down as chief executive officer last week saying he wanted to do more in education and the environment.

He is a keen devotee of t’ai chi, and has made references to Chinese martial arts in both business strategy and corporate culture.

Li rose to fame for his kung fu skills and has starred in such films such as the Chinese historical epic “Hero” and the Hollywood blockbuster “The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor”.

The school in Hangzhou will teach t’ai chi and martial arts under a disciple of a well-known master, said a statement from Ma’s company provided on Monday.

It is part of a larger development in a wetlands park which includes commercial services, according to the statement.

The film star and the entrepreneur already have a jointly-owned cultural company which provides t’ai chi training to company employees. Funny how they don't mention TaijiZen. :confused:

MightyB

05-16-2013, 08:47 AM

Funny how they don't mention TaijiZen. :confused:

I don't think they should give up on the idea. It could do well with the right approach to appeal to a younger more urban generation.

And then it needs a well-off backer and star power to promote it(which it has).

MightyB

05-16-2013, 08:59 AM

Looks like that's what they did:

Tai Chi Zen World
Training system

"Cloud hands" is a new, systematic, modern Tai Chi movement system. It is based on the philosophy of Tai Chi and boxing management and a combination of international scientific learning methods, to create a set of step-by-step learning system, and love of traditional Chinese culture allows people to master the basics of Tai Chi movement.

"Cloud hands FIT" is a new physical and mental training system around the the Taiji core "yin and yang opposites theme designed, realized that Tai Chi Zen decompression and physical life through body movements method combined with the cultivation of the mind, to help modern people philosophy to achieve full physical and psychological training effect.

Derivatives

Tai Chi Zen will give rise to a series of products and services, healthy and happy ideas into people's lives, to advocate balanced, environmentally friendly and healthy lifestyle on all aspects of the basic necessities of life.

• Clothing & Accessories

• Food And Drink

• household items

• tourism products

Tai Chi Zen World
Culture Communication

Tai Chi Zen hope that through a variety of ways for the public to provide fresh, fun and interactive platform, and let everyone aware Tai Chi Zen in life.

• Professional Pushing Hands contest

• Amateur Push Hands Competition

• Topic Forum

• Digital Media

• exclusive magazine

Subitai

06-05-2013, 11:22 AM

Jet Li vs Desk:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJV_krU8zNQ

:)

Give that furniture a beat down!

GeneChing

09-24-2013, 11:10 AM

Who says wushu taiji lacks power? Desks beware! :p

Meanwhile, back on topic:

Jet Li, Jack Ma Open Institution to Teach Zen, Tai Chi (http://english.cri.cn/11354/2013/09/21/2361s788789.htm)
2013-09-21 16:05:24 Xinhua Web Editor: Wang Wei

http://english.cri.cn/mmsource/images/2013/09/21/d0d00074711947e196e666316744586f.jpg
Shadowboxing master Wang Xi'an (L) and his disciples perform at the inauguration ceremony of Taiji Zen, in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, Sept. 20, 2013. Taiji Zen, a joint venture of Kung Fu star Jet Li (Li Lianjie) and Jack Ma (Ma Yun), founder of Alibaba Group, opened officially in Hangzhou on Friday. The institution will teach students the philosophy of zen and Tai Chi Quan, or shadowboxing. [Photo: Xinhua/Ju Huanzong]

http://english.cri.cn/mmsource/images/2013/09/21/981c5fc0fa6d4cefa373b153908bd103.jpg
Jet Li (Li Lianjie), famous Kung Fu star and founder of the One Foundation, speaks at the inauguration ceremony of Taiji Zen, in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, Sept. 20, 2013. Taiji Zen, a joint venture of Kung Fu star Jet Li (Li Lianjie) and Jack Ma (Ma Yun), founder of Alibaba Group, opened officially in Hangzhou on Friday. The institution will teach students the philosophy of zen and Tai Chi Quan, or shadowboxing. [Photo: Xinhua/Ju Huanzong]

http://english.cri.cn/mmsource/images/2013/09/21/84fe0cff8a9b4de781a999fd67f00708.jpg
Famous Kung Fu star Jet Li (L) and shadowboxing master Wang Xi'an (R) attend the inauguration of Taiji Zen, in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, Sept. 20, 2013. Taiji Zen, a joint venture of Kung Fu star Jet Li (Li Lianjie) and Jack Ma (Ma Yun), founder of Alibaba Group, opened officially in Hangzhou on Friday. The institution will teach students the philosophy of zen and Tai Chi Quan, or shadowboxing. [Photo: Xinhua/Ju Huanzong]

Cheng oi

09-28-2013, 09:12 PM

Jet Li - # 1

no matter how messed up my brain is - Jet Li is still # 1

GeneChing

12-06-2013, 02:53 PM

Taiji Zen (http://www.youtube.com/user/TaijiZen/videos)

It was launched 3 days ago. There's several videos already posted, but most only have a few dozen views, if even that much. Go over and give some a view to pop up their view count. ;)

GeneChing

12-16-2013, 09:59 AM

Jack Ma: remember me first as a tai chi master (http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclass-cnt.aspx?id=20131216000008&cid=1502)
Staff Reporter
2013-12-16
08:55 (GMT+8)

http://www.wantchinatimes.com/newsphoto/2013-12-16/450/C510X0328H_2013%E8%B3%87%E6%96%99%E7%85%A7%E7%89%8 7_N71_copy1.JPG
Jet Li, left, and Jack Ma. (Photo/Xinhua)

http://www.wantchinatimes.com/newsphoto/2013-12-16/250/C920X0230H_2013%E8%B3%87%E6%96%99%E7%85%A7%E7%89%8 7_N71_copy1.JPG
Jet Li, left, and Wang Xian, right, attending the opening ceremony of the Tai Chi Zen institution in Hangzhou, September. (Photo/Xinhua)

Jack Ma, chairman of China's leading e-commerce company Alibaba, is an avid practitioner of the Chinese internal martial art tai chi. He claims to be an apprentice of tai chi master Wang Xian and has included the martial art into company training and recruitment programs, reports the Chinese-language Henan Business Daily.

The business tycoon could not even resist pushing tai chi when signing a deal with the Henan government in November for the Cainiao Network Technology, an online logistic network for retailers. While inking the deal, Ma appeared in black cloth shoes and a traditional Mandarin shirt. He looked more like to a martial artist than a businessman.

Wang is the one of the representative masters of the Chen-style tai chi chuan, which originates from the village of Chen in Henan province. In early 2009, Ma asked his assistant to find the best tai chi master in the country after practicing the martial art in Hangzhou for some time. The assistant found Wang and invited the tai chi master to Ma's holiday villa in Sanya in 2009. Ma learned tai chi from Wang for four days and officially become Wang's apprentice after taking his third lesson around October in the same year.

Both of them are too busy to arrange regular lessons. Whenever both of them are available they spend four to five days together. Wang instructs Ma for two two-hour sessions, one in the morning and afternoon.

Ma has encouraged other business magnates, such as Wang Zhongjun, chairman of Shenzhen-listed film company Huayi Brothers Media, and Shen Guojun, the current chairman of Beijing-based China Yintai Holdings, to learn tai chi. He brought them to Chen village for a tai chi 'pilgrimage.'

Ma has incorporated the health practice into company routine to alleviate workplace stress by opening tai chi classes. Around 400 employees attended the first round of tai chi classes in Hanzhou's Chengxi and Bingjiang district. Other senior Alibaba officials joined in the second round. Ma hired five Chen-style tai chi practitioners who won national contests in 2011 to teach weekly at Alibaba.

Alibaba's new employees are required to perform tai chi forms during their performance evaluations, which play a role in deciding their future at the company, said Wang's assistant Yan. Tai chi lessons are held regularly and those who miss lessons have to make them up on Saturday.

No matter what other people or the outside world does, people should focus on doing what they have set out to do, and doing it well, said Ma. He wants to find a way to be calmer and slower in an increasingly restless society.

Ma's vision is that one day people can remember him as a tai chi master foremost, rather than solely as the founder of China's largest internet company and online shopping website, said Ma's assistant.

Ma has backed his ambitions with the founding of a company called Tai Chi Zen, which he promoted with kung fu star Jet Li in Hangzhou in April 2011. The two and Wang have been taking turns teaching tai chi at Alibaba's tai chi institution in Hangzhou every month since May this year.

References:
Jack Ma　　馬雲
Wang Xian　　王西安
Chen-style Tai Chi Chuan　　陳氏太極拳
Jet Li　　李連杰
Tai Chi Zen　　太極禪
Anyone working with this program yet?

MarathonTmatt

12-23-2013, 09:48 AM

"Italian coffee is better than Starbucks, but consumers over the world recognize Starbucks more than Italian coffee, because it offers a cultural experience," he said at the summit.

I can see how someone could come to the conclusion that Starbuck's is a cultural experience.
I had a teacher while attending community college point out that the people who designed Napolean Bonaparte's grave designed it so one has to bow in order to see the grave. He was a French emperor who was considered a tyrant to many, he waged war and colonized many places, etc. But this man is so world famous that visiting his grave is like a tourist attraction. But they have tricked whoever visits his grave into bowing before Napolean, even in death, even people who are descendants of people he may have conquered. The point is, there is POWER in symbolism, most people are blissfully un-aware of it's significance, although it is all around us. I certainly would NOT like to bow before Napolean, so I will never visit his grave.
In the same manner of use of symbolism- when you walk into Starbucks, you do not order a small/medium or large. The sizes are tall/grande/ and venti. This I believe is Latin, or at least one of the latin languages. This also happens to be the same language that the Church of Rome uses, as well as some of the international banksters scum-bags. IMO, Church of Rome are one of the biggest scum-bags in past and present history- it was always the church that sanctioned and condoned activities like colonization, etc, and has lead politics from behind the scenes for centuries. The Starbucks logo is also based on an old Sumerian/ Babylonian Sea Goddess- the Sumerian Empire became the Babylonian Empire, which later relocated to Rome, becoming the Holy Roman Empire, through the bloodlines that migrated- look it up in a history book. In fact, look at the Pope's hat that he wears- it is the same hat that the Babylonian/ Sumerian priests wore. So my point being, these elite SCUM-BAGS trick people into using their symbolism in their every-day lives, even if it is subliminal. It is smart to be informed of these issues. In a way, when one is unknowingly representing and incorporating this subtle, yet powerful symbolism into their everyday life, it is like a slave submitting to a master- it is in-your-face, hidden in plain sight- and people have no idea what they are doing.
I do not think this is what Jet Li had in mind when he said starbucks was a cultural experience, but I hope I have touched on some important issues.

GeneChing

05-07-2014, 08:22 AM

Fascinating. There's some more intriguing links on the site.

Alibaba Founder Jack Ma Takes Center Stage Ahead of IPO (http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303417104579541412151111486)
Charismatic Executive Chairman of Chinese E-commerce Giant Is Sometimes Described as Alibaba's Spiritual Leader
By Paul Mozur And Juro Osawa
Updated May 5, 2014 7:28 a.m. ET

Jack Ma started China's Internet giant Alibaba from his apartment in Hangzhou. Porter Erisman, a former Alibaba employee, shares an insider's look at Ma's rise to the top.

Last May, 40,000 Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. employees and customers met at a Hangzhou soccer stadium in driving rain to watch Jack Ma step down as chief executive of the Chinese e-commerce giant he founded in his apartment 15 years ago.

Before his valedictory speech, Mr. Ma belted out the Chinese pop song "I Love You, China," from the stage. The crowd roared.

"Taking over from Jack Ma is a difficult job," he said, dressed in oversize glasses and a shiny silver jacket.

The three-hour extravaganza was a testament to the central role the 49-year-old Mr. Ma played—and continues to play—in what is arguably the world's biggest e-commerce company. Some employees describe the charismatic Mr. Ma as Alibaba's spiritual leader.

As Alibaba prepares to submit its first major filings as early as this week in what could be one of the largest initial public offerings in U.S. history, Mr. Ma—now executive chairman—still looms large in the company's dealings. (Explore how to define Alibaba in an interactive and see a timeline of Alibaba's rise.)

"I thought it would be easier when I stepped down from CEO, but now I'm finding out being a chairman, if you want to be a good chairman, is much busier than being a CEO," Mr. Ma told The Wall Street Journal.

Mr. Ma's success has given him celebrity status in China, where bookstore shelves stock his biographies and airports replay clips of his motivational speeches on business management.

Alibaba, the largest e-commerce company in the world's most populous country, dwarfs its U.S. counterparts. In 2013, the combined transaction volume of its Taobao e-commerce marketplace and another Alibaba-run shopping site called Tmall reached $240 billion, according to a person with knowledge of the figure. That is triple the size of eBay Inc., EBAY -1.65% more than double the size of Amazon.com Inc. AMZN -2.74% Alipay, Alibaba's online payment platform, last year handled more than triple the amount of mobile payments processed by PayPal.

Even after the expected multibillion-dollar IPO, Alibaba's corporate structure will allow Mr. Ma, who owns about 7% of the company, to have a say in nominating more than half of its board. Mr. Ma also owns 46% of the holding company that controls Alipay.

Mr. Ma has been at the center of Alibaba's efforts to expand beyond e-commerce. Vehicles in which Mr. Ma owns a stake have invested in Chinese finance and media companies—in at least one case using loans from Alibaba.

Such deals may raise questions about whether Mr. Ma would ever prioritize his own investments over the interest of Alibaba shareholders, said Paul McKenzie, an analyst at Hong Kong-based brokerage CLSA. Mr. Ma didn't comment on his investments.

Even though he is no longer CEO, Mr. Ma remains the face of Alibaba. As the e-commerce company expands further into financial services, Mr. Ma has traded barbs with some of China's big banks.

In an interview with the state-run People's Daily last year, Mr. Ma said China's banks aren't lending to the country's small businesses: "I see there are 80% of the clients that are not covered."

At a conference last month, China Minsheng Bank Corp. 600016.SH -0.52% Chairman Dong Wenbiao defended the current banking system and questioned Alibaba's financial ambitions. "I said to Jack Ma, 'Give up your reform efforts. You don't have the ability,' " Mr. Dong said.

When Alibaba celebrated the 10th anniversary of its Taobao shopping site, founder Jack Ma took the stage to sing in front of 40,000 employees and customers at a Hangzhou stadium.

Mr. Ma was born in Hangzhou, a city of 2.4 million people near Shanghai. His parents were performers of a traditional Chinese musical theater called pingtan. He came of age during China's economic flowering in the 1980s, learning English while an unpaid tour guide to foreign visitors.

After twice failing China's national university entrance exam, Mr. Ma was accepted to Hangzhou Teacher's Institute and graduated in 1988. As the economy improved in the early 1990s, Mr. Ma began looking beyond teaching for work in business. He has said he was rejected for a number of jobs, including as a manager at a Kentucky Fried Chicken.

During a 1995 trip to Seattle as a translator for a trade delegation, Mr. Ma went online for the first time. When he saw how scant information was about China, he set out to create his own company. That year, Mr. Ma started China Pages, an online directory of Chinese companies; Alibaba followed in 1999.

Colleagues say Mr. Ma—who is married with a son and daughter—loves performing. At Alibaba's annual "Alifest" conferences for customers and media, Mr. Ma has in past years shared the stage with former President Bill Clinton, Los Angeles Lakers basketball star Kobe Bryant and actor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Mr. Ma has "that ability, even in a room of 600 people, to make people think [he is] talking to one person, to you," said Duncan Clark, a longtime acquaintance and tech consultant based in Beijing.

Mr. Ma's eccentric performances and his ability to motivate a crowd have helped build a cultlike following among Alibaba employees. At the company's Hangzhou headquarters, Mr. Ma has blessed hundreds of newlywed Alibaba employees in wedding attire during an annual ritual.

Mr. Ma's decisiveness and his willingness to take big risks helped the company overcome challenges, colleagues said.

When eBay Inc. entered China in 2002 by teaming up with a local shopping site, Mr. Ma developed Taobao to compete head-on with the U.S. company.

"Jack said that the best defense is offense," said Joe Tsai, Alibaba's executive vice chairman.

Mr. Ma also decided that Taobao should let merchants sell without paying listing or transaction fees, even though his first website—Alibaba.com—was barely breaking even. The no-fee model allowed Taobao to attract sellers quickly, and the business soon overtook eBay's Chinese market. Taobao later figured out ways to generate revenue through advertising.

In 2009, when the global financial crisis hit small Chinese merchants who were using Alibaba.com to find overseas buyers, company executives—including David Wei, Alibaba.com's then CEO—proposed cutting fees by as much as half.

"Jack said if merchants disappear there will be no Alibaba," Mr. Wei recalled. "Jack didn't even think for a second."

Cutting fees helped Alibaba.com weather the financial crisis and led to a jump in users, pushing up its net profit by 45% in 2010 over 2009.

Although Mr. Ma started Alibaba with little background in business or technology, he knew enough to pick the right people.

Several months after he launched Alibaba, Mr. Ma hired Mr. Tsai, a Taiwanese-born, Yale-educated lawyer. Mr. Tsai has played a central role in Alibaba's fundraising and acquisitions, from the first $5 million investment by Goldman Sachs Group Inc. GS +0.23% in 1999 to the widely anticipated U.S. IPO.

Current and former colleagues say Mr. Ma makes decisions with gut instinct.

In late 2004, when Alibaba decided to launch Alipay, Mr. Ma flew to Guangzhou to visit Jonathan Lu, Alibaba's current chief executive, who was then the head of a regional sales team.

Mr. Lu recalled Mr. Ma asking whether he knew anything about Alipay, or about PayPal. When Mr. Lu replied that he didn't, Mr. Ma responded, "Good. You are in charge of Alipay," Mr. Lu recalled.

Corrections and Amplifications

Alipay was separated from Alibaba in August 2010. An earlier version of this article contained a different text-only timeline that said Alipay and Alibaba were separated in May 2011.

mawali

05-07-2014, 08:44 AM

GeneChing

05-27-2014, 09:11 AM

Alibaba's sponsorship of this project has such intriguing potential.

11:53 am ET
May 26, 2014 ALIBABA
Jet Li: From Shaolin Temple to Hollywood to Alibaba (http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2014/05/26/from-shaolin-temple-to-hollywood-to-alibaba/)
By JURO OSAWA

http://s.wsj.net/public/resources/images/BN-CY605_jetli0_D_20140527084530.jpg
Jet Li at press conference in Shanghai on April 16, 2014. Zuma Press
After appearing in a series of Hollywood movies, Chinese film star Jet Li is adding a new role to his resume: a board director at a film and TV production business that will soon become a subsidiary of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding.

Li’s nomination to the film company’s board is part of Alibaba’s plans to expand into China’s growing movie industry through its acquisition of ChinaVision Media Group1060.HK -1.62%.

Alibaba, which is preparing to go public in New York in what could be one of the largest initial public offerings in U.S. history, said in March that it would buy a 60% stake in Hong Kong-listed ChinaVision for about $804 million.

In its recent filing with the Hong Kong stock exchange, ChinaVision said that it would change its name to Alibaba Pictures Group once its shareholders approve the acquisition at a meeting in June. The company also said that Li, whose Hollywood film career has included such titles as Lethal Weapon 4 and Romeo Must Die, would join its board as an independent director.

Other than more publicity Li could help generate, it still isn’t clear what specific roles he might play as a director. Li, whose Chinese name is Li Lianjie, has appeared in Hong Kong martial arts films that became well-known internationally, such as Shaolin Temple and Once Upon a Time in China, before moving on to Hollywood in the late 1990s.

Apart from Li, three Alibaba executives will also join the board of Alibaba Pictures, according to the filing. ChinaVision said that Alibaba’s ability to analyze mountains of information collected from hundreds of millions of users would be useful when the movie production business tries to develop more customized films and TV shows tailored for certain audiences. Access to Alibaba’s vast Internet customer base would also provide new films and TV shows with broader marketing and distribution channels, ChinaVision said.

Since the beginning of this year, Alibaba has been trying to expand into entertainment and digital-media industries through acquisitions and newly developed services such as mobile games, as part of its attempt to make its e-commerce and other platforms more attractive.

After announcing the ChinaVision deal, Alibaba in April registered a company in Hong Kong under the name Alibaba Films Group. Later in the month, it changed the name to Alibaba Pictures Group.

GeneChing

06-09-2014, 09:41 AM

Jack Ma is the most intriguing development in Chinese martial arts since the Beijing Olympics (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?39275-2008-Beijing-Olympics).

The Alibaba culture: kung fu commerce with a dash of theater (http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/06/08/us-alibaba-culture-idUSKBN0EJ01820140608)
By Paul Carsten and Stephen Aldred
BEIJING/HONG KONG Sat Jun 7, 2014 10:34pm EDT

http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20140608&t=2&i=903799800&w=580&fh=&fw=&ll=&pl=&r=LYNXMPEA5700V

A woman stands next to a door inside the headquarters of Alibaba in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, April 23, 2014.

Credit: Reuters/Chance Chan

(Reuters) - When Jack Ma and his colleagues sat down in 2001 to lay out Alibaba's defining values, they named them after a martial arts technique drawn from Ma's love of kung fu novels and their heroic themes.

But the corporate culture of China's biggest e-commerce company also draws heavily from Western values in a mix of East and West that Ma dubbed 'Hupan culture' after the apartment block in Hangzhou where he set up his business.

These core values, now named the 'Six Vein Spirit Sword' - customer first, teamwork, embrace change, integrity, passion and commitment - shaped Alibaba Group Holding, which began as an online bulletin board for companies in Ma's Hupan Huayuan apartment complex in eastern China.

Alibaba's aspirations helped it grow from just 18 employees to more than 20,000 today. Along the way, it knocked eBay Inc out of China and is now preparing for a U.S. stock listing that could be the biggest tech IPO to date.

But its romanticism - and even cultishness - has sometimes sidelined the business reality, almost bankrupting Alibaba in its early years and more recently denying Ma his preferred Hong Kong stock listing.

"Alibaba is not like a Chinese company, it's a blend of the good parts of East and West," said Andrew Teoh, a former Alibaba executive and founder and managing partner at Ameba Capital. "It's grown huge, but they maintain a start-up culture. Alibaba is a flat structure, bureaucracy is a pet hate there."

Crucial to this was Savio Kwan, a former General Electric executive, who lifted from the U.S. conglomerate's playbook to introduce a reward system that was new to China at the time. Half an employee's annual appraisal was to be based on their performance. The other half depended on how well they embodied Alibaba's core 'kung fu' values.

"We wanted to make sure that even in a company of 10,000 people it had this Hupan culture, a start-up culture," said Porter Erisman, a former vice president at Alibaba and director of "Crocodile in the Yangtze", a documentary on Alibaba's first decade. "We didn't want to lose the sense of innovation and teamwork, so those were the systems Savio helped introduce."

Kwan, who joined Alibaba as chief operating officer in 2001 and left the company in 2012, did not respond to e-mail and phone requests for comment.

REBELS AND RELIGION

From day one, Alibaba lacked nothing in ambition.

"Our core mission was, and is still, to make it easy to do business anywhere," Joe Tsai, Alibaba's executive vice chair, told Reuters in March. "The mission ... is our religion."

Armed with that quasi-religious fervor, Alibaba grew from a simple business-to-business website hooking up overseas companies with their Chinese suppliers.

"Savio came and said he would change us from a rough bunch of rebels into a regular army," recalls Li Zhiguo, a former Alibaba employee and now CEO of accounting site Wacai.com.

By 2003, Alibaba began work on its first major departure from business-to-business e-commerce. Ma summoned a small group of employees, giving them the option to carry on with their normal work or sign a document and begin a secret project, said Shou Yuan, a former employee who took that second option.

The group gathered in the original Alibaba apartment to create Taobao, the consumer-to-consumer e-commerce site that was launched in 2003 and faced off against eBay, which that year bought rival Chinese site EachNet for $180 million.

At 4 p.m. every day, the Taobao project group would break from work to swim, do handstands and play video games. "We were just a group of country bumpkins, and our competitor was eBay," Shou recalled.

By 2006, eBay effectively conceded defeat, shutting down its EachNet site. Today, Alibaba dwarfs its U.S. rival, with the Chinese group's estimated value of around $150 billion more than double that of eBay, and the goods traded over its sites are worth more than eBay's and Amazon.com Inc's combined.

Driven by Ma's force of personality, Alibaba was able to tilt at windmills, said Duncan Clark, managing director of Beijing-based tech advisory BDA and a former consultant for Alibaba. "He likes to win. They're the company that humbled eBay in China."

PUTTING THE CULT IN CULTURE

Alibaba goes a long way to embracing its employees.

Days after the company filed for its U.S. IPO last month, Ma presided over the company's ninth corporate mass wedding, blessing 102 couples who performed "wedding rituals of ancient times" clad in traditional scarlet and black robes from a 2,000 year-old Chinese dynasty, state media reported.

The company's annual 'Alifest' is now a stadium-sized event, packed with tens of thousands of employees, families and friends, where workers sing, dance and perform skits. In one act, Ma sported a red and black leather punk rock costume with a long bleached white wig and oversized mohawk to serenade Joe Tsai, Alibaba's financial mastermind.

Workers sometimes become known by their stage names. One employee was called 'cunzhang', or 'village chief', after he performed sketches as the bumbling head of a rural village.

All of which has prompted some, including those close to the company, to say it's 'cultish'.

"I really loved Alibaba, but others weren't able to make sense of it, they didn't know if I was mad," said Shou, one of the Taobao creators.

CLOSE TO THE EDGE

Yet Alibaba's romanticized notion of itself and its aspirations have sometimes worked against it.

From 2000 to 2001, Alibaba's confidence had seen it expand too rapidly. Having almost burned through its money just after the dotcom bubble burst, the company was close to bankruptcy. Senior managers targeted potential investors, pitching a vision of a global network of small- and medium-sized enterprises doing business - with Alibaba as the middle-man.

"More than a handful of Silicon Valley venture capital firms turned down Alibaba for investment," said David Chao, co-founder and general partner of venture capital firm DCM. "The whole industry went through a nuclear winter after the Internet bubble popped. It was a period where people were just not betting on models that weren't making money or companies that didn't have a clear business model."

Alibaba was forced to strip down its business, getting rid of international staff and focusing on building a core market in China - a strategy it dubbed 'Back 2 China' or 'B2C'.

More recently, Alibaba's emphasis on its values has trumped more practical goals. The company was denied entry on to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange after Ma refused to budge on Alibaba's controversial partnership structure that would see an unelected group of 28 people nominate board members. Hong Kong authorities insisted this violated its one-share-one-vote policy, and kept its doors closed to an IPO.

Alibaba's weighty U.S. listing prospectus mentioned the company's culture and values more than 30 times.

"If we are not able to maintain our culture, or if our culture fails to deliver the long-term results we expect to achieve, our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects could be materially and adversely affected," it said.

(Additional reporting by Beijing Newsroom; Editing by Ian Geoghegan)

GeneChing

08-29-2014, 08:55 AM

I really wonder how invested he is in this with everything else that must go on with him being China's richest.

Alibaba's Jack Ma named China's richest person (http://shanghaiist.com/2014/08/29/jack-ma-chinas-richest-person.php)

http://shanghaiist.com/attachments/katienelson/jack-ma-richest.jpg

And now in news that surprises no one, Jack Ma was named China’s richest person, according to Bloomberg’s Billionaire Index.

At 49 years old and with a net worth of over 21.8 billion USD, the chairman and founder of Alibaba Group Ltd shows no signs of relinquishing the title any time soon. Ma is not just raking in the Chinese reminbi, he’s open for US dollars as well—Alibaba has plans to enter US markets with what could be the largest initial public offering in America’s history.

His fat wallet beat out Ma Huateng, owner of Tencent, by 5.5 billion dollars and Robin Li, owner of Baidu, by 6 billion dollars.

One can only assume Ma’s billions come directly from Taobao, Alibaba’s black hole of goods and services, thanks to sales of Picasso paintings and outer space vacations.

By Briel Waxman

[Image via ChinaFile]
Contact the author of this article or email tips@shanghaiist.com with further questions, comments or tips.
By Shanghaiist in News on Aug 29, 2014 4:00 PM

GeneChing

09-18-2014, 09:25 AM

17 September 2014 Last updated at 19:03 ET
Can Alibaba's kung fu culture floor its global rivals? (http://www.bbc.com/news/business-29011649)
By Lucy Hooker Business reporter, BBC News

Alibaba's charismatic founder Jack Ma is arguably China's richest man

The Chinese e-commerce giant, Alibaba, is expected to raise over $25bn (£15bn) in its forthcoming initial public offering. So what will it do with the money?

Will it buckle down against fierce competition at home, or will it set its sights on international rivals Amazon and eBay?

China's vast shopping malls have been quieter recently. Fewer shoppers are braving the traffic and the smog to browse the handbags, electronics, scarves and socks.

And those that do frequently cast a glance at their phones or slip on a pair of shoes, admire the fit, but take home only a mental note of the make and size.

As elsewhere, China's retail sector has undergone an e-commerce revolution.

But in China just one name dominates: Alibaba, whose sprawling web of companies has enveloped the market, accounting for more than three-quarters of all internet sales.

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/77645000/jpg/_77645702_77645701.jpg
Alibaba celebrated its 15th anniversary this year

It has a finger in every pie: acting as a marketplace for small businesses, a shop front for imported goods, and a convenient online wallet to settle these transactions.

More recently it's added banking services, cloud computing and instant messaging. It has stakes in a film company and a football club.

But that may not be enough to satisfy Jack Ma.

"In the past decade, we measured ourselves by how much we changed China. In the future, we will be judged by how much progress we bring to the world," he wrote in an open letter as he launched the company's pitch to investors.

So with an extra $25bn in his pocket will Jack Ma now go global with his peculiar brand of quirkiness and fearlessness?

Leftover treasure

Alibaba does already operate internationally. Its bewildering array of platforms means it is able to deliver anything from cheap Chinese car parts to American consumers to fresh New Zealand oysters to China's increasingly wealthy middle classes.

But so far the company has only a minimal presence within foreign markets.

Julia Zhu, the founder of Observer Solutions, a China e-commerce research and advisory firm, thinks even a $25bn war chest is unlikely to change that dramatically.

"They need those funds to continue to grow their empire in China," she says. "All that requires a lot of investment and the competition in China is fierce."

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/77648000/jpg/_77648084_77648083.jpg
Jack Ma says e-commerce in the US is "the dessert", supplementary to retailers' main business, but in China e-commerce is "the main course"

Plus the prospects in China are tantalising. Only around half of China's 1.3 billion population is online.

Marketing analysts, eMarketer, predict China's retail market will overtake the size of the US market by 2017. And the number of those shopping via computers and smartphones is increasingly rapidly.

Alibaba's newest service, online savings accounts, launched under the name Yu'E Bao or "Leftover Treasure", has proved so popular that Beijing has put a break on its growth for fear it will undermine China's traditional banks.

And Jack Ma is contemplating the potential of big data analytics.

China is clearly still rife with possibilities.

'Crocodile in the Yangtze'

Porter Erisman worked at Alibaba during its first eight years, watching as it chased rival eBay out of China in 2006.

Something Jack Ma said at the time convinced Mr Erisman that Ma would play the long game and not strike out immediately for US shores.

"EBay may be a shark in the ocean but I am a crocodile in the Yangtze," Ma said. "If we fight in the ocean, we lose, but if we fight in the river, we win."

But eventually he will want to set his sights back out to sea, says Mr Erisman, who has directed a film charting the firm's early years, called Crocodile in the Yangtze.

"He has global ambitions. I think they know they can win the China market, but over the long term there are no bounds to the company's ambitions."
Chinese 'ecosystem'

"China is 10 years ahead in e-commerce," says Vincent Digonnet, chairman for the Asia-Pacific region at the digital marketing agency Razorfish. He thinks Western internet companies should brace themselves for a battle with a new style of e-commerce.

"In the US when you look at the design of a site it's still very much a transactional site, there's not a lot of consumer-generated content or ability to feedback.

"In China it's the opposite. It's an incredibly social place. It's a place where you discover brands, where you engage with people."

Mr Digonnet believes Jack Ma's "internet ecosystem" will eventually dominate.

"I don't think he needs cash in order to grow his position in China," he says.

"I think he'll inject it into a company in the West. I think he's got his model in his head and I think he's going to replicate his model."

Main street online

Alibaba has already established a beachhead in the American market.

This summer 11Main was launched. It is owned by Alibaba but is managed by Americans and feels like a local shopping experience.

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/77404000/jpg/_77404736_11main.jpg
Alibaba's new website is an all-American affair

Jack Ma has also invested in several US companies - ride-sharing service Lyft, sports merchandise site Fanatics, search engine Quixey, messaging app Tango, and mobile gaming company Kabam.

Some see these forays into the US tech sector as Alibaba's first steps in a campaign to become a global online marketplace.

Kung fu culture

Perhaps the only doubts that linger are cultural: whether the company philosophy, incorporating handstands in the office and kung fu nicknames for staff, will stand Alibaba in good stead to take on the big corporations of the West.

Jack Ma has fostered tremendous company loyalty: employees turn out en masse each Chinese New Year to watch executives perform pop songs, dressed in wigs and costumes at the annual Alifest.

And the company hosts regular mass weddings of employees, all of which has earned it a reputation as being outlandish, even cultish.

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/77453000/jpg/_77453791_jackmarock.jpg
A penchant for dressing up and singing has earned Alibaba's executives a reputation for outlandishness

But Vincent Digonnet says that behind the slightly crazy facade the company remains agile and ambitious.

He says if he were a Western internet retailer he would now be feeling scared.

"I think Amazon and eBay and all these people who tend to poo poo anything that doesn't come from their own market should be a bit less arrogant and a bit more worried."

I keep dreaming that Jack Ma will someday subsidize Kung Fu Tai Chi. It would be a tiny drop in the Alibaba bucket.

There are two embedded vids if you follow the link.

GeneChing

10-06-2014, 10:33 AM

He's even made some of the comedy news reports.

Alibaba's Jack Ma more popular online than movie star Jet Li (http://news.investors.com/technology-click/092414-718800-baba-jack-ma-among-top-chinese-microbloggers.htm)
By DOUG TSURUOKA
Posted 09/24/2014 04:56 PM ET

You may not be surprised to hear that Alibaba's (NYSE:BABA) chairman and founder Jack Ma is China's richest man. But did you know he's also one of that country's top social media bloggers, with 15.8 million followers on Sina Weibo, the dominant microblogging website?

Ma, who owns a stake in Sina Weibo, has more people checking out his blog posts than does China's cinematic superstar and investor Jet Li, who boasts only 13.4 million on the rival Tencent Weibo microblogging platform. But kung fu artist Li is No. 1 on Tencent Weibo.

Sina Weibo and Tencent Weibo are Chinese versions of Twitter (NYSE:TWTR). Sina Weibo is run by Chinese online media giant Sina (NASDAQ:SINA).

http://www.investors.com/image/Click01-0925-Getty_345.jpg.cms
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 23: Executive Chairman of the Alibaba Group Jack Ma speaks during the 'Valuing What Matters' panal discussion during the... View Enlarged Image

Ma's social media ranking was included in a report by Shanghai-based magazine publisher Hurun Research Institute , which yesterday also anointed Ma as mainland China's richest man with an estimated worth of $25 billion. The Hurun China Rich List, which enjoys Forbes list status in China, says its reckoning of Ma's personal fortune is based on Ma's 6% stake in Alibaba Group and his 46% holding in AliPay, China's PayPal, following Alibaba's record-size IPO on the NYSE last week.

While some show biz types in China can boast tens of millions more Weibo followers than Ma (Actress Yao Chen has over 70 million on Weibo), the support enjoyed by the top placers on the Hurun Rich list underscores the huge impact the mega rich are having on Chinese society.

Oddly enough, Ma was only No. 2 on Sina Weibo's ranking of rich individuals with the largest social media followings in China. The top dog was real estate tycoon Pan Shiyi, who beat Ma with 17 million followers on Sina Weibo. Pan also has 9.3 million followers on Tencent Weibo, making him China's undisputed affluent social media king with 26.3 million total followers. Pan is the co-founder and executive chairman of Beijing-based Soho China, the nation's biggest prime office real-estate developer.

Why does a Chinese real estate billionaire count more social media followers than Ma or Jet Li?

Well, for one thing, youngish 50-year-old Pan is not only a successful businessman, he's also an opinion leader in China. He speaks frequently at global and regional economic confabs. Like Ma, Pan's amassed quite a following in China among up-and-coming entrepreneurs and wannabes. You could call him China's Donald Trump.

Mercurial Ma is likewise quite an opinion shaper. He's quick to publicly share his thoughts on just about any subject from soccer and living in Hong Kong to saving the world's shark population from the ravages of shark-fin soup.

Five of the top 10 in the Hurun Rich list for this year are in the information technology industry. In addition to Ma, Tencent chief Pony Ma Huateng is No. 5 with an estimated wealth of $18.1 billion. Search powerhouse Baidu's (NASDAQ:BIDU) Chairman and CEO Robin Li Yanhong and wife Melissa Ma Dongmin are sixth with $17.5 billion in personal wealth. Richard Liu, the CEO of e-commerce contender JD.com (NASDAQ:JD), is No. 9 with $8.8 billion. Smartphone maker Xiaomi Technology's chief Lei Jun is tenth with a fortune of $7.5 billion.

GeneChing

12-10-2014, 09:54 AM

Jack Ma might deserve his own thread someday soon. I'd put him on our cover too. ;)

http://timedotcom.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/jack-ma-lede1.jpg

Jack Ma, The Capitalist (http://time.com/time-person-of-the-year-runner-up-jack-ma/)
The Alibaba founder combined an entrepreneur’s ambition with political savvy in China to pull off the biggest Wall Street debut in history
Dec. 8, 2014
By Rana Foroohar

When the opening bell of the New York Stock Exchange rang out on Sept. 19, it marked the biggest IPO the world had ever seen — bigger than Facebook’s or General Motors’. This new Wall Street juggernaut, based 7,000 miles away in Hangzhou, China, is Alibaba. Its founder and chairman, 50-year-old Jack Ma, is now challenging some of the most powerful companies on the Internet, including Amazon, eBay and PayPal. And he is doing so by melding Western entrepreneurship with a canny—and sometimes controversial—sense of how to profit in the world’s most populous nation.

As with so many Chinese enterprises, comprehending the enormity of Ma’s creation requires thinking on a different scale. Alibaba is used by more than a third of China—some 500 million people—making it easily one of the largest e-commerce companies in the world. Those customers come to Alibaba to shop in the electronic malls it operates, where some 8.5 million merchants, large and small, ply their goods.

Increasingly, Chinese pay for those goods—and conduct all kinds of other transactions—using Alipay, a PayPal-like service affiliated with Alibaba that is now one of China’s most important financial entities. In fiscal year 2014, Alibaba generated $8.5 billion in revenue, nearly half of it profit. And Alibaba’s $25 billion IPO made Ma one of the world’s wealthiest individuals.

But even those figures obscure the significance of Alibaba’s rise and the extent to which it has been propelled by Ma’s deft understanding of how to do business in his homeland. Since it began in 1999 by linking Chinese manufacturers with foreign and domestic buyers, Alibaba has played a crucial role in China’s digital opening to the West. Having previously worked in the Ministry of Trade, Ma was able to ensure support from the Communist Party government and take on bigger competitors in China’s private sector. His innovations were not just technical but also diplomatic and strategic.

Like many Chinese, Ma comes from almost nothing: he is the son of traditional storytelling performers who taught himself English by tagging alongside tourists at a local hotel. Later he became a teacher and traveled to the U.S. Searching the World Wide Web for information on Chinese beer and coming up dry, he vowed to bring China online, at a time when only 1% of the population was on the web.

A few years later, Ma started Alibaba in his apartment with 17 friends. His first employee was his wife, who now looks after the couple’s two children. Zhang Yin has claimed that she fell for Ma despite his unexceptional looks because he had the capacity to do things other men couldn’t. Friends have also been drawn to that ambition. “Jack had the biggest dreams of anyone I’ve ever known,” says Porter Erisman, an American adman who left his job at Ogilvy & Mather in Beijing to work for Ma early on. “You’d come up with a goal, and he’d immediately ask you to triple it.”

A consummate spinner of corporate narrative, Ma is full of Shaolin-monk-style sound bites. “eBay is a shark in the ocean. We are a crocodile in the Yangtze,” he famously proclaimed. “If we fight in the ocean, we will lose. But if we fight in the river, we will win.” Ma claims to base his management technique on Chinese martial-arts teachings, encouraging employees to adopt nicknames from kung fu novels. (His own, Feng Qingyang, is a nod to an aggressive master swordsman.)

Like the best martial artists, he is capable of turning weakness into strength. In the years before Alibaba went public, for instance, Ma leveraged his freedom from Wall Street pressure on quarterly earnings to keep his site free for a long time, building market share. Obliged to show shareholders progress on profit margins, eBay watched as Alibaba scooped up business.

Ma became more enmeshed with Silicon Valley in 2005. That’s when Yahoo, run by founder Jerry Yang at the time, decided to buy a large stake in Alibaba for $1 billion. Yang, who first met Ma at the Trade Ministry, told Time that he remembered him as “highly curious about the Internet industry and obviously very entrepreneurially minded.” Yahoo wanted a piece of Alibaba because of its market position in China, but also because of Ma.

The marriage fell apart, though, as Ma tangled with Yahoo’s new management. As Alibaba’s market share took off, it became clear that he’d given away too much of his company for far too little. “If he had waited even a year, Jack would have gotten a lot more,” says Gary Rieschel, a venture capitalist who ran the Japanese conglomerate SoftBank’s investments in Asia outside of Japan, including Alibaba, from 2000 to 2009. He eventually gathered together a group including local princeling investors close to the party elite to buy out half of Yahoo’s stake.

Those relationships are a reminder that Ma couldn’t have produced his achievements without Beijing’s approval. His ties to the party apparatus are a key advantage over foreign rivals, which don’t compete on the same playing field in China’s closed Internet ecosystem. Alibaba operates not only in retail but also in heavily state-dominated and -protected areas like finance. (When Alibaba started offering money-market accounts, $90 billion poured in.)

That’s good not only for Ma and Alibaba but also for the Communist Party. China has come under increasing criticism for its closed financial sector, which holds the private savings of citizens in state-owned banks at minuscule interest levels, then taps that money for state-run projects—many of which have floundered as China’s growth has slowed. Allowing someone like Ma to offer even a slightly better interest rate without real reform helps placate ordinary citizens in a nation where the ruling elite is mindful of the potential for social unrest.

Yet Ma’s skill in co-opting government support has exacted a price, particularly as he seeks both capital and customers on a global stage. He came under media fire, for example, for a 2013 interview with the South China Morning Post in which he appeared to suggest that the government’s actions in the 1989 Tiananmen massacre were justified. Ma’s media representative says the reporting was incorrect and the journalist “misunderstood” his statement. Ma has also said he thought a controversial decision a decade ago by Yahoo to turn over personal information about a Chinese journalist to the Chinese government was justified because “local laws must be obeyed.”

Those forays into seemingly authoritarian views—and a circumscribed approach to shareholder rights—set him apart from some of his counterparts in Silicon Valley. “The thing you have to remember about Jack Ma is that he is a proxy for a certain set of party interests. If the ruling cadres in Beijing didn’t want Alibaba to exist, it wouldn’t,” says Anne Stevenson-Yang, a co-founder of J Capital Research, an independent financial-research firm specializing in China.

Apart from the issue of Alibaba’s independence from Beijing, a more fundamental question looms: Can Ma replicate his Chinese success elsewhere? While it’s unlikely that many Americans or Europeans will do their Christmas shopping on one of Alibaba’s websites anytime soon, Ma is almost certain to use some of his cash hoard to start acquiring Western media and entertainment properties.

Alibaba will also try to grab the dominant market position in other emerging economies like Brazil, India and Russia. Back in China, Alibaba is planning to launch a Chinese version of Netflix and has announced expansions into consumer credit, insurance and mobile apps.

That puts Hangzhou’s homegrown giant in competition with basically all the U.S. Internet heavyweights. Ma says he want to build not an empire but rather an ecosystem, which is less likely to be toppled. Either way, he isn’t looking to bide his time or hide his brilliance, as an old Deng Xiaoping proverb recommends.

GeneChing

12-15-2014, 10:07 AM

With all of that bank, and being such a Kung Fu fan, I wonder if he's subscribed (http://www.martialartsmart.com/19341.html).

Jack Ma Becomes Asia’s Richest Person on Alibaba Surge (http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-12-11/jack-ma-becomes-asia-s-richest-person-on-alibaba-surge.html)
By Zijing Wu and Sterling Wong Dec 12, 2014 4:17 AM PT

Jack Ma has become the richest person in Asia.

The 50-year-old founder of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. (BABA), China’s biggest e-commerce company, passed Li Ka-shing, the Hong Kong property and ports tycoon who has held the top spot in the region since April 5, 2012, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

“I am nothing but happy when young people from China do well,” Li, 86, said by his spokeswoman in Hong Kong. A spokesman at Alibaba declined to comment on Ma’s net worth.

Ma, a former English teacher who started the Hangzhou, China-based company in his apartment in 1999, has added $25 billion to his fortune this year, riding a 54 percent surge in the company’s shares since its September initial public offering. He has a $28.6 billion fortune, according to the Bloomberg ranking. Li has a net worth of $28.3 billion.

“The billionaires in China are growing their wealth faster because China’s economy is still developing, with plenty of room for growth,” said Francis Ying, an analyst at Yuanta Research. “Hong Kong is already a mature market.”

Alibaba’s $259 billion market capitalization makes it larger than Amazon.com Inc. and EBay Inc. combined, and more valuable than all but eight companies in the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index.

http://www.bloomberg.com/image/i9ABK7LHBz9o.jpg
Photographer: Scott Eells/Bloomberg
Billionaire Jack Ma, chairman of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.

More than half of Ma’s wealth comes from his 6.3 percent stake of Alibaba, valued at $16.3 billion. He also controls almost half of the closely held finance unit and owner of Alipay, a service similar to PayPal.
Public Offering

Ma’s interest in the online-payment company is expected to dilute in the next three to five years with new investors or stock distribution to employees. Ma won’t realize any economic benefit from the dilution, Alibaba has said.

Alibaba raised a record $25 billion in its Sept. 18 IPO, selling shares for $68 each. The American depositary receipts rose 1.05 percent to $104.97 at the close in New York.

“If you look at the whole Chinese Internet space as a group, it’s definitely getting very significant,” said Tony Chu, a money manager for RS Investment, which oversees about $22.3 billion. Alibaba has become “a global stock which you cannot ignore,” he said.

The fortune of Hong Kong’s Li, who controls Cheung Kong Holdings Ltd. (1), one of the world’s three biggest property developers, has fallen $1.9 billion this year, according to the Bloomberg ranking. While shares of the real estate company gained this year, some of his other investments, including Husky Energy Inc., have dropped.

Plastic Flowers

The billionaire started with a plastic flower factory that he opened after World War II. He began investing in Hong Kong’s property market in 1967, after riots from China’s Cultural Revolution depressed prices and has expanded his investments to include real estate, ports and telecommunications.

Li is nicknamed “Superman” by the local media for his investing prowess. He forecast in 2007 that China’s stock-market bubble would burst and predicted in 2009 the rally in Hong Kong home prices that would follow.

Ma, who became China’s richest person in August, said being the wealthiest in the world’s second-largest economy “is a great pain” in a CNBC interview aired on Nov. 11.

“I never thought I’d be and I don’t want to be,” he said.

To contact the reporters on this story: Zijing Wu in Hong Kong at zwu17@bloomberg.net; Sterling Wong in Singapore at swong470@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Peter Newcomb at pnewcomb2@bloomberg.net Robert LaFranco

GeneChing

12-29-2014, 10:00 AM

I feel this author missed the point. This is the point. (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?64871-In-China-Women-Train-to-Become-Bodyguards-for-Billionaires)

Monday, 29 December 2014 14:40
Wealthy Chinese pay thru their nose for KUNG-FU experts to be their bodyguards (http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=430431:wealthy-chinese-pay-thru-their-nose-for-kung-fu-experts-to-be-their-bodyguards&Itemid=4#.VKGHZv88AA)

BEIJING - Increased security concerns among China's nouveau riche have created a niche market for protection services, attracting more martial-arts practitioners to become bodyguards.

Seen close to Jack Ma - the Chinese mainland's richest man - at a series of recent events was a man of average build in his 30s and with brush-cut hair.

Li Tianjin, Mr Ma's security assistant or personal bodyguard, stood out among the billionaire's entourage with his composed presence, watching every move made by his employer, the founder and chairman of e-commerce giant Alibaba Group.

Mr Li, a national martial-arts champion, is from Chenjiagou in Wen county, Henan province, the widely recognised birthplace of taiji.

Wang Zhanjun, vice-chairman of the Henan Martial Arts Association, said Mr Li won his first national title at the Wen County International Tai Chi Tournament in 1998.

He was loyal to friends and trained very hard every day, Mr Wang added.

http://news.asiaone.com/sites/default/files/styles/full_left_image-630x411/public/original_images/Oct2014/20141028_jackma_reuters.jpg?itok=WdQ2gFd5

Mr Li's appointment highlights the growing demand from China's entrepreneurs and celebrities for well-trained bodyguards with martial-arts backgrounds, as well as training in etiquette and secretarial abilities.

Shi Xingfeng, founder and chief executive of the Bojing Security Agency in Beijing, told China Daily on Friday: "Demand for protective specialists is soaring, with customers increasingly sensing the need to protect their lives and property against unknown risks.

"Despite this market demand, the talent pool remains small," Mr Shi said.

The Bojing Security Agency was founded by Mr Shi in 2009, and is one of the earliest commercial security-service providers approved by China's Public Security Department.

The country has 358 billionaires, second only to the United States, and their ranks are expected to grow rapidly in the next decade.

Mr Ma topped this year's Hurun Rich List with net assets of more than US$24 billion (S$32 billion).

Boasting practical combat skills, martial artists like Mr Li need to develop many other skills - including hostage rescue, technical driving and outdoor survival - through intense physical and theoretical training, Mr Shi said.

http://www.theepochtimes.com/news_images/highres/2007-9-9-tichi57214944.jpg

"Professional security assistants are not trained to knock people down for their employers like illegal hatchet men, but to master skills and knowledge to prevent threats from happening," he said.

Despite the risky nature of the job, the salary has attracted an increasing number of martial artists to work for wealthy clients.

Qin Xianggang, a former student of Mr Wang, earned at least 8,000 yuan a month five years ago, when he started work as a security assistant for a real-estate tycoon in Qingdao, Shandong province.

"This was twice as much as a martial-arts coach was paid at that time. The salary for bodyguards has also increased a lot over the years," Mr Qin said.

According to Mr Shi, the average salary for a professional security assistant has risen to about 400,000 yuan (S$85,000) a year, with specially trained bodyguards earning even more.

http://theoutlook.com.ua/uploads/user/%D1%81%D0%B0%D1%88%D0%B0%20%D0%BF%D0%BE%D1%80%D1%8 2%D1%8F%D0%BD%D0%BA%D0%BE%20%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0% BE%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B8/%D1%81%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1%82%D1%8F%D0%B1%D1%80%D1%8C/Shaolin-summary_2377899k%20(1).jpg
- Asiaone

I also feel Mr. Shi is grousing because he didn't get the job.

I posted more on Li Tianjin here (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?68340-Tai-Chi-Bodyguards).

GeneChing

07-17-2015, 08:34 AM

There's probably a better place to post this but our forum search disregards terms 3 characters or under like 'Jet' and 'Li' :(

Fri Jul 17, 2015 12:31am EDT
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/07/17/us-jetli-hongkong-backdoor-idUSKCN0PR0AD20150717
HONG KONG

A group led by Chinese movie star Jet Li and his wife Nina Li invested $187 million in a Hong Kong-listed firm, as appetite surged for so-called "shell" companies listed in the city.

The duo made the bulk of the investment, agreeing to buy 11.5 billion new shares of Far East Holdings International Ltd at HK$0.10 each, or about HK$1.15 billion ($148.4 million), via a holding company, according to filings with the Hong Kong stock exchange this week. That is equivalent to a 97 percent discount to Far East's closing price on June 26, before the stock was halted pending an announcement.

Private companies and individuals are rushing to cash in on a steady flow of Chinese funds that have fueled a rally Hong Kong stocks, by snapping up so-called listed 'shells'. Typically, such shell companies get a large injection of cash and assets that often change their business.

Demand for shell companies, entities which usually have few material operating assets, has soared in recent months. Such deals are generally considered a quicker and easier way for investors to gain a listing and access to funds than going through an initial public offering.

Li, better known for his acrobatic martial arts films, and his wife bought the stake on July 10 through Regent Pacific Business Ltd, the filings showed.

Far East didn't immediately return a Reuters request for comment on the investments.

Fast East describes itself as an investment holdings company active in the technology, media, manufacturing and financial services sectors, according to its website.

The Far East deal follows a similar transaction last month by China's largest China's No.1 social network and online media company Tencent Holdings Ltd and developer Evergrande Real Estate Group to buy a loss-making solar panel maker.

(Reporting by Michelle Price and Elzio Barreto; Editing by Ryan Woo)

MightyB

09-15-2015, 06:55 AM

http://www.taijizen.com/en/

looks like this startup didn't work. Wonder what the real story is behind the closure.

http://site.taijizen.com/front/images/5ffaf7b1964e1d00a0499ed88ff1d886256158.jpg

GeneChing

10-06-2015, 09:14 AM

Honestly, I haven't been tracking this story. A U.S. rep from it did contact me and said he would follow up but never did.

Maybe Jack is going to be a painter next.

Jack Ma sells his first painting for a cool $5.4 million at auction (http://shanghaiist.com/2015/10/06/jack_ma_now_a_painter.php)

http://shanghaiist.com/attachments/alexlinder/jack_ma_painting.jpg

In an art sale at Sotheby in Hong Kong on Sunday a painting by Alibaba Group founder and all-around Renaissance Man Jack Ma sold for the surprising sum of HK$42.2 million (US$5.4 million).

Ma was helped along by veteran Chinese artist Zeng Fanzhi. Together the two painted a blue, green and white piece of oil-on-canvas representing Earth entitled "Paradise." The artists coated and dotted the canvas with paint, before using palette knives to scrape the surface.

"This is the first time I've painted, and to have been able to do it with Fanzhi -- I am deeply honored," Ma wrote in the auction catalog. "Together, we created an earth: to protect the earth, to protect the oceans, to protect the air, to protect water."

http://shanghaiist.com/attachments/alexlinder/jack_ma_painting2.jpg

The buyer was Chinese business tycoon and philanthropist Fenglei Qian. The original high estimate for the work was HK$2.5 million, but 30 bids later it was sold for nearly seventeen times that amount. The proceeds from the sale will be donated to the Paradise International Foundation, a charity dedicated to environmental conservation.

This isn't Ma's first foray into philanthropy, he was ranked second in the 2015 Global Chinese Philanthropy list after only Li Ka-shing.

After this first success, we'll see if Ma still holds on to his day job.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@shanghaiist.com with further questions, comments or tips.
By Alex Linder in News on Oct 6, 2015 6:45 PM

MightyB

10-12-2015, 05:55 AM

Honestly, I haven't been tracking this story. A U.S. rep from it did contact me and said he would follow up but never did.

Maybe Jack is going to be a painter next.

"In an art sale at Sotheby in Hong Kong on Sunday a painting by Alibaba Group founder and all-around Renaissance Man Jack Ma sold for the surprising sum of HK$42.2 million (US$5.4 million)."

Man...

When it rains, it pours for some people.

If you want to have a fascinating look into the craziness of the art world and see how a person like Jack Ma can fetch a cool $5.4 mill for not really doing anything, watch "Exit Through the Gift shop" on Netflix. It's sad, because there are some truly talented people who've dedicated their whole life to art (and create their own work) that can't even pay their rent by selling their work.

GeneChing

12-14-2015, 10:21 AM

Good ol' Jack Ma. I'm hoping in his charitable ventures, he'll help fund our magazine someday. ;)

Chinese Billionaire Buys 28K Acres of American Forest to Preserve It (http://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/chinese-billionaire-buys-28k-acres-of-american-forest-to-preserve-it/)
Photo of the Dayby Terry Turner - Dec 11, 2015

http://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Brandon-Reserve-screenshot-LandVest-Vimeo.jpg
Brandon Reserve screenshot LandVest Vimeo

The Chinese billionaire behind online shopping giant Alibaba has placed an order for 28,000 acres of pristine, American wilderness – in a $28 million dollar bid to preserve wildlife, fish, and forests in the rugged mountains of the Northeast.

Jack Ma, China’s richest man and a noted conservationist, plans to turn the Brandon Reserve in New York’s Adirondack Mountains into a wildlife sanctuary and protect its timber and water from logging and mining operations in the region.

His first action as owner is to stop the logging operations already going on there.

Ma’s purchase includes land along nine miles of the Saint Regis River, a trout fishery, multiple homes and barns, and even its own maple syrup operation.

(WATCH the video from LandVest below to see the property or READ more at Town and Country) — Photos: LandVest, Vimeo

https://vimeo.com/106188437

GeneChing

03-24-2016, 08:57 AM

Crouching Jack And His Hidden Dragons (http://inc42.com/buzz/crouching-jack-and-his-hidden-dragons/)
Team Inc42
March 22, 2016 10 min read

http://cdn.inc42.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Jack-ma.jpg

Jack Ma, the founder of China’s largest ecommerce company Alibaba, is neither a Harvard nor a Stanford graduate. He was actually rejected by Harvard, 10 times. He is just street smart, and it has worked wonders for him. At least, so far. Slowly and carefully, he has been making his move towards India, like a tiger who is waiting for the right moment to pounce on its prey.

And it seems, he has just made the big leap. Alibaba, the NYSE listed online retailer who debuted with the world’s biggest ever IPO, has announced its entry into India. But, how he will execute this plan is not yet known.

The country’s domestic ecommerce marketplace is already dominated by homegrown biggies like Flipkart and Snapdeal, along with a strong presence of US-based Amazon.

Also, the Assocham report states that the Indian ecommerce market is poised to be worth $38 Bn by the end of 2016, which leaves a surfeit of opportunities for the etailers in this segment.

Hence, it is a good time and chance for Alibaba to mark its entry in the B2C ecommerce segment, although, it has been trying to enter the Indian consumer market for a long time. In May 2015, Alibaba had reportedly tied up with Paytm to add about 1 Mn merchants from China on Paytm’s platform, along with adding 100 million SKUs. But it seems that the deal did not strike off. Though the Chinese ecommerce firm could not establish itself in the B2C space, it has been operating in the B2B ecommerce business since 2009, after it entered into a strategic partnership with Infomedia. Its B2B division is said to have over 4.5 Mn sellers on board in the country.

In one of his statements, Jack Ma, Chairman of Alibaba Group, had said that

India is a crucial market and Alibaba must have a strategy to crack it

Enter – The Dragon

Last week, Alibaba Group president Michael Evans and global managing director K Guru Gowrappan met Communications and IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and Tata Group’s Chairman Cyrus Mistry to share their plans for the company’s interest in India and a possible partnership.

“It is a positive announcement for the Indian market. It is a validation that India is a high potential market. The negative impact is that there will be competition pressure, but overall it is good news,” says Brijesh Agrawal, co- founder of IndiaMART. IndiaMART competes with Alibaba in the B2B category.

A senior government official told ET,

Alibaba is very keen on coming to India in a very big way, particularly in the ecommerce sector. They’re only exploring the way whether to go on their own or set up shop with someone else.

The ecommerce market in India is much ripe and ready to accommodate as many players as possible. Goldman Sachs projects that India’s online retail market will expand to $36 Bn in 2016-17, which has emerged as a significant battlefield for the world’s largest ecommerce companies.

As per Morgan Stanley, electronics and fashion are the dominant categories in India and the online penetration in these two categories is set to increase from 3-5% in 2014 to 25-30% in 2020, resulting in an online market of $88 Bn. Therefore, analysts expect that the online shopper penetration will increase by 20% in 2017. That can surely be a turning point for ecommerce in India.

The Upper Cut

At present, Alibaba has a sourcing business in India and does not sell anything directly to customers. It holds 40% stake in Paytm and 5% stake in Snapdeal. And if the Chinese ecommerce firm enters India in tie-ups with such ecommerce companies, the sector would see a battle between Amazon and the rest. Also, as we see that Alibaba has reportedly approached the Tata Group to venture into the online retail market, there is a big partnership awaited in the ecommerce segment.

“Alibaba is familiar with India. They are not late. They have their inherent strengths and a good backend. The only issue in the B2C segment for them is that whether consumers will see it as “China ka maal (product of China)”. That does not go well with the Indian consumer,” says Prof. Pradeep Pendse, Dean of e-business at Welingkar Institute of Management.

Also, as the news for Alibaba to enter the Indian retail market brims, it is being speculated that Paytm may spin off its marketplace business and allow Alibaba to organically expand in India.

Vijay Shekhar Sharma, founder of Paytm refutes any such development. In a call with Inc42, Vijay says, “We (at Paytm) are committed to growth and we are here not to sell.” He did not comment on Alibaba’s India entry.

Industry watchers also point out to a possible buyout of Flipkart by Alibaba.

“It is a bonanza for Flipkart. I feel Alibaba is going to buy out Flipkart. For, Alibaba to run on its own will be difficult and it has deep pockets to buy out a big player who is already well entrenched,” says Prof. Kaustubh Dhargalkar of Welingkar Institute of Management.

When Jack Ma visited India last year, he gave a clear indication that they would enter India’s online retail market by tying up with B2C players in the ecommerce segment. During the same time, the Chinese ecommerce giant reportedly entered into a strategic tie-up with Paytm, enabling cross-platform business.

However, if Alibaba plans to enter India on its own, like Amazon, then we are bound to see a fierce battle amongst domestic players like Flipkart, Snapdeal, Paytm and Shopclues fighting against the US and Chinese ecommerce biggies.

“This could be a bluff. If they threaten that they will come alone, they may be able to buy a big player out for a cheaper deal,” says an industry insider who requested anonymity.

It should be noted here that currently India does not allow FDI in B2C ecommerce segment while it allows 100% FDI in B2B ecommerce portals, 51% FDI in multi-brand B2B segment and 100% FDI in single brand retail.

Does It Mean That Alibaba Will Leverage Its B2B Business To Establish Its Presence In The B2C Ecommerce?

On the other side, Alibaba has its own wallet, Alipay, and its own logistics unit, Aliexpress, which gives it an edge to establish itself on its own similar. This would mean that Alibaba will operate as Amazon works in India operating on an online marketplace model, which even has no FDI restrictions.

“They have their own people, payment gateway, and most importantly their B2B business. The current ecommerce players are highly priced. So, they can come on their own, too,” says Arvind Singhal, Chairman and Managing Director of Technopak, a consultancy firm.

A Ringside View

Flipkart has raised $1.7 Bn capital to date and looks to speed up its funding in order to dodge its competitors. Flipkart was valued at $15 Bn after it raised $700 Mn in 2015. But, in February 2016, Morgan Stanley marked down the value of Flipkart’s shares by 27%, bringing down the company’s valuation to around $11 Bn.

While Snapdeal has raised about $1.54 Bn and is valued at somewhere between $6.5-$7 Bn after it raised about $200 Mn in February 2016.

On the other side, Alibaba is well funded with over $7.9 Bn to manage its entire business. In 2014, Alibaba raised $21.8 Bn, which was the biggest US IPO ever, which puts the company in a stronger position to take on its rivals in the country. continued next post

GeneChing

03-24-2016, 08:57 AM

Who Dares, Wins

Seeing Amazon steadily overtaking the ecommerce market in India, Amazon will be a strong contender in the ecommerce run. When Amazon entered the Indian market in 2014 under a marketplace model, it had expected good sales from the beginning. But, it took Amazon almost two years to assess the Indian market, and now it has managed to be one among the top players. It has invested about $300 Mn (INR 1,980 Cr.) and $190 Mn (INR 1,237 Cr.), in Amazon Seller Services, in February 2016 and October 2015 respectively to have a strong seller base in order to cater to a wider network of consumers. It has further committed $2 Bn investment making India its largest market outside the US.

The company had even planned for a $5 Bn (INR 31,700 Cr) warchest for India. It is also in the race to digital wallet services. It is said to have applied for a semi-closed wallet license with the RBI.

It this is not enough to measure Amazon’s increasing strength in the country then we can also note that Amazon has not been raising any funds to survive, unlike its counterparts.

But What About The Indian Govt And Its Policies?

“Alibaba will have a hell to pay for if they try to come alone. If you remember the Huawei – Airtel issue, it will be tough for a Chinese player to operate in the country on its own.There are data and privacy issues involved,” says Vivek Srinivasan, co- founder of Prudence Advisors.

Talking about Flipkart and Snapdeal, who are still not ready for a public listing, are in desperate need of funds. Flipkart borrowed $67 Mn (INR 450 Cr) from HDFC Bank in lieu of not able to raised funds soon. It was valued at $15 Bn after it raised $700 Mn in 2015. But, in February 2016, Morgan Stanley marked down the value of Flipkart’s shares by 27%, bringing down the company’s valuation to around $11 Bn. While, Snapdeal, which has raised about $1.54 Bn till date, is valued between $6.5-$7 Bn, after it raising about $200 Mn in February 2016.

However, the three of them are not yet profitable in the Indian terrain. Snapdeal has reported a loss of INR 1,328 Cr., Flipkart reported a loss of about INR 2,000 Cr and Amazon India reported a total loss of INR 31.7 Cr., in FY 14-15.

eBay, on the other hand, is the oldest player in India in which entered India in 2004. But it has not managed to establish itself as a strong player.

If these existing players are compared to Alibaba, only Amazon seems to be a tough competitor. Alibaba is well stuffed with over $7.9 Bn fund to manage its entire business. In 2014, Alibaba raised $21.8 Bn, which was the biggest US IPO ever, which puts the company in a stronger position to take on its rivals in the country.

The time may be right. The market is well equipped and Alibaba will have the ‘second mover advantage.’ But, there will be stiff competition from its US rival Amazon. M&A options are wide open for Alibaba if it needs a little help from Jack Ma’s Indian friends- Snapdeal or Paytm. The coming days will see Indian market playing out to be a battleground for Amazon and Alibaba. Well, if Jack has to win-it-all, he should better have a few tricks up his sleeve.

[With inputs from Dearton Hector Thomas]

Now that TaijiZen is defunct, perhaps I should split the Jack Ma posts off into their own indie thread...

GeneChing

10-10-2016, 09:49 AM

Here's the new thread:Jack Ma & Alibaba (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?69642-Jack-Ma-amp-Alibaba)

And here's a new mention of TaijiZen in a news piece today.

https://img.businessoffashion.com/1800/1007/magic/site/uploads/2016/10/Unroll_China_-_Forbidden_City.jpg

Activewear Brands Limber Up in China (https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/global-currents/activewear-brands-limber-up-in-china)
Changing cultural attitudes to sport, fitness and body image have opened up a huge activewear opportunity in China. Which international brands are poised to pounce?

Lululemon's "Unroll China" yoga event in Beijing's Forbidden City | Source: Courtesy
BY KATE ABNETT
OCTOBER 10, 2016 16:22

LONDON, United Kingdom — In August, the ground around Beijing’s Forbidden City was carpeted with hundreds of people doing outdoor yoga on brightly coloured mats, as Lululemon kicked off “Unroll China,” its first series of fitness events in the country.

“The event sold out overnight for the simultaneous yoga events in three key markets in China,” says Ken Lee, senior vice president, Asia Pacific, at Lululemon, which also hosted grassroots yoga sessions in Shanghai and Chengdu. “It’s hard to overstate the potential for Lululemon in Asia over the next five years.”

Indeed, China’s activewear market is booming. From 2014 to 2015, China's sportswear market grew from $23.9 billion to $26.6 billion, according to Euromonitor. Mintel estimates that the country’s sportswear and outdoor wear market is valued at RMB 124.5 billion (about $18.57 billion), or 6 percent of total apparel sales in the country. In 2015, the market grew at an 18 percent clip. “It is reasonable to forecast the market growing to about RMB 220 billion (about $32.81 billion) by 2020,” says Matthew Crabbe, Mintel’s director of research for Asia Pacific.

Activewear brands stand to benefit from a cultural shift as China opens up to fitness. Sports participation in the country is rising fast. Gym and health club revenue in China has nearly doubled over the past five years, and Shanghai alone is now home to over 1,000 gyms.

The government is actively promoting sports participation, motivated by concerns that urbanisation and industrialisation were resulting in a decrease in the health and fitness of the overall population. Earlier this year, China's State Council unveiled a national health improvement plan including new public sports facilities and fitness centres, to boost the population’s fitness through 2020. There is also the hangover from the 2008 Beijing Olympics, which helped boost interest in sport, particularly athletics.

Meanwhile, many Chinese people are travelling or studying overseas, in countries where sports participation is encouraged and athleisure is already an established fashion trend. “This exposure has contributed to a more open-minded Chinese woman, willing to stretch her long established definition of beauty,” says Brian Buchwald, co-founder and chief executive officer of consumer intelligence firm Bomoda. “In past years, most Chinese women had little interest in sport or fitness. Their perception was the equation of beauty and a skinny body to the point where they feared muscle development. But in recent years, their attitudes have been markedly changed.”

Physical and mental well-being are equally important to Chinese consumers.

Celebrities such as Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid — who are often photographed in “athleisure” looks and share their food and fitness regimes on social media — are frequently featured on Chinese fashion blogs and social media, helping to drive fitness-friendly fashion and beauty trends.

More generally speaking, China’s rapid economic development has led to rising incomes and increased leisure time among the country’s middle class. “They have more spending power, and more choice. Their spending power has attracted more sportswear companies to fulfil a growing market for many types of sports participation,” says Crabbe.

International sportswear giants are already doubling down on the opportunity. Adidas and Nike both posted double-digit revenue growth in Greater China in 2015, which Adidas attributed partly to "rising sports participation, strongly supported by the Chinese government." Nike is the market leader with a 20 percent market share, and sales in Greater China of $3.8 billion for fiscal year 2016. The company is riding the wave of government investment in sports and has teamed up with the Chinese Ministry of Education on a three-year schools sports plan.

However, Adidas is catching up: Mintel estimates its 2016 market share will be about 18.8 percent. In fiscal year 2015, the company posted sales of €2.47 billion ($2.75 billion) and earlier this year announced plans to open 3,000 new stores in China by 2020. The company is also investing in the market, hiring actress Zhang Jun Ning as an ambassador. “Zhang was well known prior to her appointment as a workout warrior and relatable to the large population,” says Buchwald. “For brands, hiring popular and on-trend KOLs is a great way to attract the Chinese consumer.”

But there’s still everything to play for. China's per capita consumption of sportswear is low — lower than Malaysia, Brazil, Germany and the UK — leaving a lot of untapped potential, and according to Brian Buchwald, “the Chinese people’s attitudes toward fitness are still in transition.”

To tap the opportunity, sportswear brands need a sharp focus on product design, as many Chinese consumers prioritise form over function in fashion products. “Their challenge is convincing the Chinese consumer they are on-trend and fashionable. Hiring fashion key opinion leaders and partnering with fashion designers are great paths to bridging that gap,” says Buchwald, pointing to Adidas Originals as successfully using “hero products” like Stan Smiths and NMD trainers to create social media and marketing buzz in China.

Indeed, paying attention to cultural attitudes is also a good way to connect with Chinese consumers, particularly through sports like Tai Chi, which prioritise mental balance as well as physical fitness, in the traditional holistic approach to health in Chinese society. Indeed, a 2010 martial arts clothing collaboration between Adidas and martial arts film star Jet Li eventually led to Li launching a lifestyle brand of his own, Taiji Zen, alongside Alibaba founder Jack Ma. “Physical and mental well-being are equally important to Chinese consumers,” says Crabbe, pointing to this as one of “main reasons that there has been a recent resurgence in people doing yoga.”

Lululemon has put particular emphasis on tailoring stores to local markets within China. The company has stores in Hong Kong but currently only operates showrooms in Shanghai and Beijing, and sells online in China via Tmall. “We start with our showroom model, where our team can build brand awareness, test product, create authentic relationships and learn what is important to a community before we open a permanent store,” says Ken Lee. “We don’t push ourselves on a community, we open stores when they pull us in.”

However, Crabbe warns that an internationally-renowned brand name is not a guarantee of success in China’s activewear market. “Foreign brands should not underestimate the significance of Chinese cultural influences and Chinese brands’ understanding of their local markets and consumers. Companies cannot assume strong market growth will mean strong growth for them — there is a lot of competition going on out there.”

I'll copy this to the Yoga (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?22367-Yoga) thread too. The funny thing about Lululemon to me is that the fashion line only fits people with chiseled bodies, and that doesn't fit so many yoga practitioners today. :rolleyes:

GeneChing

02-22-2017, 08:45 AM

Still not sure what happened to Taijizen.com (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?65314-Jet-Li-s-TaijiZen-International-Cultural-Development-Company&p=1286807#post1286807) but if that dead horse don't trot, beat it some more.

Chinese Kung Fu Actor Jet Li Launches Martial Arts Video Platform (https://www.chinamoneynetwork.com/2017/02/22/chinese-kung-fu-actor-jet-li-launches-martial-arts-video-platform)
PAN YUE
February 22, 2017 — 11:34 HKT

https://www.chinamoneynetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/jetli.com_.jpg

Jet Li, a Chinese Kung Fu champion and film actor, has launched an online video platform, Jetli.com, to nurture and develop martial arts around the world and gain entry into the booming sports sector in China.

Li announced the official launch of the video site yesterday via his Weibo account. Jetli.com, English-language website, aims to tell the story of Kung Fu and Kung Fu masters, as well as other martial arts, including extreme sports, boxing and Taekwondo.

"Founding Jetli.com is a continuation of my dream, not something I did from an impulse," Li wrote in an earlier Weibo post. "Kung Fu is not just about the movements of arms and legs, it is also about pursuing your dream with persistence and patience."

Chinese investors have poured billions into sports ventures, as people in China become more health-conscious. A total of 63 investments with an aggregate deal value of RMB11 billion were recorded in the sports sector during the first half of 2016, up nearly 300% in terms of deal value compared to the RMB3.6 billion registered for all of 2015, according to data from ChinaVenture.

Sports video took the largest share in terms of total deal value, driven by a RMB8 billion series B round completed in April by LeSports, LeEco's sports unit. CMC Holdings, IDG Capital, Legend Capital and Everbright Sports Culture Fund are some of the most active investors in sports.

Jetli.com, which translates into Jie Li (street power) in Chinese, will strive to discovery and help young people pursuing their dreams and share their spirit with others, Li wrote.

Jet Li's video portal is operated by a commercial entity, Shanghai-based Zaomengzhe Development Company that was established last April with RMB2 million (US$280,000) in registered capital.

The business is permitted to operate in multimedia design, website design and computer technology, according to the National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System.

GeneChing

08-10-2017, 09:38 AM

I'm posting this initially on our Jet Li's TaijiZen International Cultural Development Company (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?65314-Jet-Li-s-TaijiZen-International-Cultural-Development-Company) but I'm also going to copy it over to a new indie thread 'Chinese Billionaires & Tai Chi (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70406-Chinese-Billionaires-amp-Tai-Chi)' in hopes that it trends and turns into a major sponsor for us ;). This is the first we've heard of Guo Guangchang's interest.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/img/news/2017/08/07/30323029/9ec1786a51a9b640e7a7831fcf53dc5b.jpeg
Jack Ma practices tai chi in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, May 10, 2013.

Profit from peace (http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/aec/30323029)
ASEAN+ August 07, 2017 09:12 By China Daily/ANN

China's billionaires and successful entrepreneurs are embracing tai chi, a homegrown gentle exercise or martial art characterized by rhythmic circular movements, to boost not just personal well-being but company profits, launch new products and services, and transform corporate cultures.

For instance, Guo Guangchang, president of Fosun Group, and Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba Group, are among the prominent personalities championing the cause of tai chi.Elite tai chi clubs comprising business-people are not uncommon in China these days. Well-known entrepreneurs in white silk garbs can be found going through the slow motions at private parks.After practising it for over three decades, Ma has made tai chi part of Alibaba's organizational culture. Tai chi workshops are part of staff training.

In his 2009 "State of the Union" address, US President Barack Obama called tai chi one of the best aerobic exercises of the world.For long, tai chi has been practised by senior citizens as a morning or evening ritual as it is believed to help practitioners to balance positive and negative inner energies. That philosophy is now being applied in business to boost profits.
"It is a nice trend that influential entrepreneurs are doing tai chi, since it plays a positive role in promoting inner peace," said Li Longxin, a Brazilian startup owner in Beijing."I also think that in terms of cultivating a good character, tai chi is better than activities like muay thai."Ary S, a Russian public relations manager in Beijing, said: "Tai chi is typical 'Eastern stuff ', and I'd like to learn it. I see foreign media love to write about Chinese CEOs performing tai chi with their employees."In just a few years since its commercialization, tai chi has acquired the status of a management technique that can help better manage oneself, one's team and business, potentially boosting profits.Besides, tai chi is seen as a potential revenue booster for the tourism industry. Since the 2008 Beijing Olympics, explorers of foreign cultures and backpackers alike have been taking to it with gusto.On Trip Advisor website, a US tourist shared his experience of an introductory tai chi session in Beijing. He wrote the teacher initiated the tourist group into tai chi slowly, and patiently explained its meaning and benefits. "We loved every minute. What a great experience."Tai chi presents a contrast to other combat sports like kick-boxing, kung fu or muay thai that require speed and strength.Although it was designed to be a self-defense skill, tai chi's modern practitioners feel it can help reduce stress and calm the mind.The philosophy of balancing inner energies is similar to managing a company, Ma once said. He also said he developed leadership abilities from Taoism, management skills from Confucianism and inspiration to live a normal life from Buddhism. "And tai chi is what combines all separate parts together."Fosun Group's Guo, another Chinese billionaire, is also passionate about tai chi. "It doesn't require large spaces or a whole set of equipment like golf. It is a more sustainable exercise. I used to be very irritable and constantly yelled at my team. We've that anger in our belly and we need to calm it down."So, Guo applied tai chi in his work. "It doesn't teach you how to be fast but how to react faster. In investing, one can never always stay ahead of the market reaction. But tai chi made me react more spontaneously to change."In 2011, at a Fosun branding event on Wall Street, Guo pitched tai chi to entrepreneurs. Ever since, he has been performing tai chi at the group's annual dinner in New York.He also introduced tai chi to his friends such as Dai Zhikang, founder and chairman of Zendai Group.Tai chi itself has become an intellectual property and has spawned many businesses, products and services.In April 2012, famous kung fu actor Li Lianjie, known in the West as Jet Li, and Alibaba's Ma jointly founded Taiji Zen International Culture Co Ltd by investing 50 million yuan ($7.3 million). Taiji Zen developed tai chi-related cultural products and services.Four years later, it set up a cultural institute that provides not only martial art tutorials but 18-day courses in philosophy for entrepreneurs that can cost up to 99,800 yuan."Promoting tai chi is not only a challenging career for me but a way to show my gratitude and give back to my predecessors, teachers and the whole martial arts world," said Jet Li."Tai chi can provide a guideline for those running a business," Alibaba's Ma said. "Copying Western management system isn't enough to run an enterprise in China, it needs supports from its deep Eastern cultural roots. That's why, we set up the tai chi school."Huang Zhongda, the first person to commercialize tai chi and founder of i-Tai Ching, said he realized tai chi has huge potential when he was studying for his senior management consultant certificate."Entrepreneurs usually suffer from suboptimal health, so practising tai chi can help improve mental and physical health," said Huang."But those entrepreneurs don't like hanging out with senior citizens in a public park. Instead, they need exclusive high-end spaces to practise," he said.Soon after he picked up the martial art, Guo invested in i-Tai Ching and co-founded i-Tai Ching Sports Development Co Ltd in 2010. The i-Tai Ching elite clubs have spread across China's top-tier cities including Beijing, Shanghai and Hangzhou.Monthly memberships of such clubs can cost 35,000 yuan. In a sense, this turns the tai chi schools into elite social clubs that are becoming popular among even expatriates."Tai chi can help people to relax and harmonize their life, bring peace and balance, which transcends elegantly into company management. I would recommend trying it to everyone," said David B. Allen, CFA, a Canadian in Shanghai.Lin Shuyun, a Thai student of the Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, said: "Tai chi can calm people down, and it's not too difficult to learn. There are no limitations related to space and time. I think tai chi helps practitioners, including entrepreneurs, to keep healthy and to learn some values of life."Indonesia's Bagas Deka Kurtianto, Lin Shuyun's university mate, said: "Many entrepreneurs appear to be under too much stress. Tai chi can eliminate their bad emotions and pressure. It can also help them to cultivate patience and inner calm, which should help in company management. An even-tempered manager can win respect of employees while a short-tempered manager would terrify staff."The bottom line is, Chinese martial arts are becoming popular across the world. The Mei Quan Academy of Taiji, a London-based tai chi club, now has 48 branches from hipster center Camden Town to affluent Chelsea and central district Russel Square. It also has a presence in Australia, Japan, the US and Europe.

GeneChing

09-13-2017, 08:00 AM

https://uploads.jetli.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/12142912/IMG_2066-900x506.jpg

Jet Li Gave Speech in United Nations and New York Times Square to Promote Wushu and Taiji (https://www.jetli.com/2017/09/jet-li-united-nations-new-york-times-square)
By jetli.com 1 day ago in Jet Li

https://uploads.jetli.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/12143042/IMG_2069-900x675.jpg
Chinese Wushu Delegation participated in cultural exchange last week in the United States. This activity was organized by General Administration of Sport and International Wushu Federation (IWUF). This was the 2nd time that Chinese Wushu delegates performed in the United Nations since 2011. The theme of the event was “Harmonious, Healthy, and Sharing”.

Jet Li Promoted Wushu and Taiji in United Nations

https://uploads.jetli.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/12142930/IMG_2074-900x675.jpg

Jet Li, as the ambassador of IWUF and China Wushu Association, gave a speech in both United Nations and in New York Times Square.

https://uploads.jetli.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/12142907/8iSLpVecbpVDlz7GcvHPpMCV2eeVWgNnC7MSszJ9PhxYZ15051 53550231compressflag.jpg

Jet Li first visited the United States in 1974, when he was one of the members of the Chinese Wushu Delegation. He had the chance to perform wushu in front of President Nixon (Former US President) and Henry Kissinger (Former United States Secretary of State) at the White House.

https://uploads.jetli.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/12142806/Jet-Li-wFriends-copy.jpg

In 2011, China Wushu Association and Permanent Mission of the People’s Republic of China to the United Nations organized an event “Peace, Friendship, Healthy” at the United Nations Headquarters. That was the first time Chinese Wushu delegates performed in the United Nations. At that time, Jet Li once again expressed his thoughts about wushu philosophy and promoted Taiji to the world.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehT27wDkvNg

Jet Li Promoted Wushu and Taiji in New York Times Square

https://uploads.jetli.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/12142914/Screen-Shot-2017-09-11-at-15.53.19%E6%8B%B7%E8%B2%9D.jpg

Jet Li believes Taiji is a representation of wushu. It is not only a healthy exercise, but also learning Yin Yang philosophy as well as heaven and earth, peace and balance. He strongly believes that practicing wushu can make a person happier and healthier.

“Currently there are more than 100 million people practicing Taiji around the world. As an ambassador for IWUF and China Wushu Association, what I did in the past was not enough and I will continue to promote wushu to the world,” Jet said.

https://uploads.jetli.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/12142916/tUa2hi2pH6lN3BQX2YNCF4SAOROeSxfgRkRUpbJUmOiX915051 53550231.jpg
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https://uploads.jetli.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/12142909/IMG_2064-675x900.jpg

Been looking for news on this but the only thing I've found was on Jet Li (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?51431-Jet-Li)'s own website. That's been much more active since TaijiZen went dark (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?65314-Jet-Li-s-TaijiZen-International-Cultural-Development-Company&p=1286807#post1286807).

GeneChing

10-30-2017, 08:02 AM

Alibaba’s Jack Ma stars in short kung fu movie to promote tai chi (http://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2117518/alibabas-jack-ma-stars-short-kung-fu-movie-promote-tai-chi)
Jet Li and Donnie Yen also feature in film to be released next month
PUBLISHED : Sunday, 29 October, 2017, 8:50pm
UPDATED : Sunday, 29 October, 2017, 8:50pm
Alice Shen

https://cdn4.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/980x551/public/images/methode/2017/10/29/e09222e6-bca6-11e7-affb-32c8d8b6484e_1280x720_205045.jpg

Alibaba founder Jack Ma Yun will make his big-screen debut alongside action stars Jet Li, Donnie Yen and Sammo Hung Kam-bo in a short kung fu movie released next month.
Ma’s appearance was to promote tai chi, a traditional Chinese martial art that Ma has pursued for decades, Alibaba said on Saturday. Alibaba owns the South China Morning Post.
The movie Gong Shou Dao, or The Art of Attack and Defence, will be released on November 11, the date of an online shopping extravaganza known as Singles Day in China.
But Alibaba said the two events were not linked.
Ma assembled the team to realise his decade-long dream of becoming a tai chi master, the company said.
Wu Jing on Wolf Warrior 2’s record-breaking run, his cinematic roots in Hong Kong and Wolf Warrior 3’s story direction
He unveiled the movie’s poster on his microblog account, showing him surrounded by the other stars.
“That night ... that dream,” Ma wrote in the post, without giving details of the plot.
The movie will also feature Wu Jing, whose Wolf Warrior II reset box office records in China.
Other big names in the movie include champion boxer Zou Shiming, Thai actor Tony Jaa, and retired Mongolian sumo champion Asashoryu Akinori.
Along with Jet Li, Ma started a lifestyle company called Taiji Zen offering tai chi courses online.
Ma had also done magic shows and sung Peking Opera.

The Art of Attack and Defence (Gong Shou Dao) (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70541-The-Art-of-Attack-and-Defence-(Gong-Shou-Dao))
Alibaba (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?69642-Jack-Ma-amp-Alibaba)
TaijiZen (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?65314-Jet-Li-s-TaijiZen-International-Cultural-Development-Company)

GeneChing

11-07-2017, 08:54 AM

http://image5.sixthtone.com/image/5/6/30.jpg
BroadTones
Kung Fu Superstar Jet Li: How I’ll Bring Tai Chi to the Olympics (http://www.sixthtone.com/news/1001134/kung-fu-superstar-jet-li-how-ill-bring-tai-chi-to-the-olympics)
The iconic actor hopes to light up future Games with an innovative take on traditional martial arts.
Nov 06, 2017
Lu Hongyong
Lu Hongyong is an editor at Sixth Tone.

This Saturday will see the premiere of a new martial arts movie, “Gong Shou Dao.” With a run time of just 20 minutes, it certainly wasn’t made for its box office potential. The short film, which stars Jack Ma — the founder and executive chairman of Alibaba, China’s largest e-commerce platform — brings together 11 of China’s best-known martial artists and will premiere during the eighth annual Singles’ Day shopping event, when hundreds of millions of the world’s consumers will scour Taobao, Alibaba’s shopping platform, for deals.

The man behind the film is Jet Li, a celebrated actor whose movies include “Shaolin Temple,” “Fist of Legend,” and “Hero.” Li and Ma are co-founders of Taiji Zen, a lifestyle company that promotes wellness through a combination of tai chi and meditation. Central to the company’s ethos is gongshoudao (GSD), a new form of tai chi that Li and Ma hope will elevate Chinese martial arts to Olympic status.

Sixth Tone sat down with Li to talk about the power of tai chi, his friendship with Ma, and his future hopes for GSD. The interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

Sixth Tone: What is special about GSD compared to other forms of martial arts, and how does it relate to the Olympics?

Jet Li: I was just 8 years old when I began studying martial arts. I’m 47 now, and over the past four decades or so, I’ve been fortunate enough to make something of a name for myself, acting in Hollywood movies and traveling the world giving talks on this distinctly Chinese form of combat. Countless Chinese dream of the day that martial arts are officially recognized as an Olympic event, but so far, we have been unsuccessful.

A key reason for our failure to date is the fact that there is no consensus on the standards or categories of the various forms of wushu — martial arts. There are simply too many styles and variations to merit inclusion in the Olympics just yet. Use your fists, and people call it boxing; use your legs, and they call it taekwondo; throw your opponent to the floor, and people call it judo. How, in the end, should we codify something as broad as Chinese martial arts? Jack [Ma] and I hope that GSD will at least define it for the purposes of international sport.

Sixth Tone: You have mastered several different martial arts styles. Why did you choose to base GSD on tai chi?

Jet Li: About seven or eight years ago, I read a Harvard University study that looked at 800 published medical papers devoted to the relative merits of tai chi, some of which concluded that it could provide relief for sufferers of heart disease, high blood pressure, arthritis, and depression. This level of discussion is almost nonexistent in China, where we tend to take it for granted that tai chi is good for us. Yet even if it is good, that doesn’t mean it’s a magical cure-all or that it obviates the need for medicine. We must keep putting our faith in science.

I used to believe there were only four things that mattered in life: fame, money, power, and love. Now, I know that I must gain a clear perspective on what life is really about.
- Jet Li, actor
Around the same time, Jack and I met to talk about his dream of shooting a film to help popularize tai chi. Having practiced tai chi for 30 years, he sees it as a symbol of traditional Chinese culture. Two years later, we founded Taiji Zen together. Our shared goal is to get Chinese martial arts — specifically GSD — enshrined as an Olympic event. To this end, we have drawn up detailed rules for GSD, with an eye toward making it more combative and watchable. Domestically, the first GSD tournament will be held in Beijing on Nov. 15.

Sixth Tone: In the past, China has failed to convince the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to include traditional martial arts at the Games. How do the prospects look now?

Jet Li: In January, Alibaba put its name to a 12-year partnership with the IOC. Covering the next three Olympic cycles, the contract establishes Jack’s company as one of the IOC’s premier global partners and doubtless gives GSD a leg up in the fight for Olympic status. In fact, Jack personally explained GSD to the IOC’s current president, Thomas Bach, in August.

I don’t doubt that the Olympic spirit is a good thing. Yet even as the quest to be higher, faster, and stronger has allowed us to redefine humanity’s limits, it has also damaged athletes’ bodies. In our attempts to push ourselves, we’ve lost sight of an important part of the sporting mindset: balance. The world today is changing at an extraordinary pace, so it’s only natural to feel off-balance. But to paraphrase one of Jack’s most quoted comments, it pays to slow down if we want to live happy lives.

In 1997, around the time I was filming “Once Upon a Time in China and America,” I found myself overcome with doubt for the first time in my life. Ever since I was a little boy, I had always believed that if I simply worked hard, respected the law, and did my best, there was nothing I couldn’t accomplish.

However, at that point, I realized that in spite of all my wealth, I was still eating the same things I had always eaten and drinking more or less what I had always liked to drink. The only difference was that when I was younger, I’d relieve myself in Beijing’s public restrooms, where other guys stood in lines ****ing all over the urinal trough. Now, though, I lived in a big home with something like eight bathrooms. That was the grand sum of all my achievements: a different bathroom for each day of the week.

Fundamental to tai chi is a spirit of peaceful coexistence — the belief that in you, there is a piece of me, and in me a piece of you.
- Jet Li, actor
I used to believe there were only four things that mattered in life: fame, money, power, and love. Now, I realize that’s not the case, and I know that I must gain a clear perspective on what life is really about. Not long ago, I found myself chatting with Yang Xingnong, Taiji Zen’s CEO and the dean of our academy. Over the course of two hours, we talked about everything from movies and martial arts training to charity and altruism, yet we kept circling back to the same questions: What is life? What is pain? What is love? What, at the end of the day, is the point of living?

continued next post

GeneChing

11-07-2017, 08:54 AM

Sixth Tone: How does your adaptation of tai chi capture those moral revelations?

Jet Li: GSD combines physical training with the sort of meditative self-reflection you might expect from Zen Buddhism. Over the past few years, I’ve spent six hours a day meditating, searching for the answers to these questions. I’ve tried going without life’s mundanities — I once went over a week without showering — and attempted a couple things more grandiose, such as when I spent several years staring into caves high in the Nepalese Himalayas. I’m happier than I’ve ever been, because today, my thoughts and purpose are fully aligned.

When people hear the name Jet Li, they tend to think of the martial artist, the kid who started studying when he was 8 before becoming a national champion and entering the film industry. My first movie, “Shaolin Temple,” came out in 1982 and broke Chinese mainland box office records for a Mandarin-language film. Though I went on to enjoy a successful career in Hong Kong and Hollywood, that Jet Li has now stepped out of the public eye.

These days, I spend my time thinking about how I can help people live better, including through charitable work. Ten years ago, I launched the One Foundation, a charity focused on helping communities recover from disasters, protecting and educating children, peer support, and innovation.

Sixth Tone: Your 1982 film debut, “Shaolin Temple,” made Chinese viewers fall back in love with martial arts. Are you expecting to leave a similar impression with GSD?

Jet Li: I like to say that while “Shaolin Temple” revived interest in martial arts, it failed to capture their essence. The action-packed movie inspired a generation of kids who dreamed of one day being martial artists, but ended up as security guards. My current hope is that Taiji Zen will cultivate a generation of Zen practitioners, thinkers, and warriors — a generation in which everyone has their own thoughts and outlook on life, and everyone is receptive to feedback and willing to support one another. No more children will grow up dreaming of becoming mere fighters; they will also know the value of Zen as a guiding path to self-realization.

China’s national character is scarred by memories of fighting foreign aggression. But the tide has turned. Today, there’s no need to go around talking about how strong the Chinese people are. Fundamental to tai chi is a spirit of peaceful coexistence — the belief that in you, there is a piece of me, and in me a piece of you. All of us share this spirit, regardless of ethnicity. At present, there are about 150 million tai chi practitioners around the world, and the global influence of Chinese martial arts is something I am immensely proud of.

I hope tai chi, in the form of GSD, has a good chance of becoming an Olympic sport. Two of the characters in its Chinese name, gong and shou, stand for “kung fu” and “defense,” respectively. China has been an agricultural civilization for centuries, and although the country is now industrializing rapidly, different forms of kung fu, including tai chi, play a vital — I would even say foundational — role in Chinese culture as a means of protecting our homes, land, and territorial integrity. In the future, I hope to see GSD become a symbol similarly deserving of our pride in China’s martial heritage.

Translator: Kilian O’Donnell; editors: Lu Hongyong and Matthew Walsh.

(Header image: A still frame of Jet Li’s character in the 2006 film ‘Fearless.’ VCG)

The Art of Attack and Defence (Gong Shou Dao) (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70541-The-Art-of-Attack-and-Defence-(Gong-Shou-Dao)) = The Olympics & Wushu (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?1480-The-Olympics-amp-Wushu) + TaijiZen (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?65314-Jet-Li-s-TaijiZen-International-Cultural-Development-Company) & ONE Foundation (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?36920-Jet-Li%92s-ONE-Foundation).

GeneChing

11-10-2017, 10:50 AM

Jack Ma is using Singles Day, a symbol of crass commercialism, to revitalize Tai Chi in China (https://qz.com/1124855/2017-singles-day-jack-mas-love-of-martial-arts-and-tai-chi-is-taking-center-stage/)

https://qzprod.files.wordpress.com/2017/11/jack-ma-tai-chi-gong-shou-dao-martial-arts-singles-day.jpg
Jack Ma (C), chairman of China's largest e-commerce firm Alibaba Group, performs Tai Chi as guests and visitors take pictures and videos, at a opening ceremony of a Tai Chi school in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province May 10, 2013. Jack Ma stepped down as chief executive of Alibaba Group on Friday. The Tai Chi school was co-founded by Ma and Chinese action movie star Jet Li, local media reported.
Focus. (Reuters/China Daily)

WRITTEN BY Josh Horwitz
4 hours ago

Alibaba always puts on a spectacle on Singles Day, its annual online shopping extravaganza—and this year founder Jack Ma’s martial arts obsession is a part of it.
Ma’s appearing in a 24-minute martial arts film, Gong Shou Dao, alongside Jet Li, Tony Jaa, and other movie stars, that’s premiering as part of the shopping festival countdown. The film stems from Jack Ma’s lifelong love of martial arts that has informed both his professional life and personal life. And it marks another step in his ongoing effort to revitalize the ancient practice and take it global.

“Business, even if you die, I may not win.”

“I use Tai Chi philosophy in the business,” Ma said at Davos in 2015 (link to video). “Calm down—there is always a way out. And keep yourself balanced. Business is a competition, and competition is fun. Business is not like a battlefield—you die or I win. Business, even if you die, I may not win.”

The opening ceremony, which is televised and starts in the evening of Nov. 10, will also feature the sorts of celebrities that usually characterize the countdown, such as Pharrell Williams Katy Perry, and tennis pro Maria Sharapova. They, along with the film, will help kick off what is expected to be a $24 billion orgy of spending this year.

At the core of company culture

Ma’s appreciation for Chinese martial arts and Tai Chi—a graceful, meditiative variant—stems from his long-held admiration for the work of Louis Cha, a Hong Kong-based writer who published under the pen name Jin Yong. Epic adventures roughly akin to the works of J.R.R Tolkien in the west, Jin Yong’s serials mesh Chinese history with elaborate fight scenes, military maneuvering, and ragtag camaraderie.
In Alibaba’s early days, nearly two decades ago, many people adopted nicknames after characters from the books. Ma dubbed himself Feng Qingyang, after an elderly swordsman from the Jin Yong book The Smiling, Proud Wanderer. In a 2010 interview (link in Chinese), Ma said he admires Feng for two reasons—”First, he is a teacher,” Ma said (Ma himself taught English before starting his first company). Second, “His basic style of swordsmanship I think is especially good—a style of formlessness, formlessness itself as a style,” he added, referring to how a fighter with no recognizable style makes for an unpredictable opponent.

The company’s values, meanwhile, are dubbed the “Six Vein Spirit Sword,” taken from the Jin Yong novel Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils. In the novel, the Six Vein Spirit Sword is not an actual sword, but a manual. At Alibaba, each “vein” represents a company value—customer first, teamwork, embrace change, integrity, passion and, commitment.
Ma is known for his public showmanship, a rare quality among China’s business moguls. Gong Shou Dao is hardly the first time he has performed martial arts in public—below is a clip of Ma practicing Tai Chi at an event held by Chinese business magazine Yingcai.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=37&v=93M_tJJ-82g

To this day, Ma remains committed to the world of Tai Chi and Chinese martial arts. Earlier this year he offered a six-class course for entrepreneurs to learn the practice. He also chimed in on an online debate about the merits of Tai Chi over mixed martial arts. And he continues to read martial arts novels to keep motivated.

“Kung Fu, you start to think about it as something you cannot do. But if you have some luck, if you continue to practice, if you got a good master, if you got a good team, you can [become an] expert,” he told Charlie Rose at Davos. “When I’m busy, when I’m tired, I read Kung Fu books.”
Ma’s dedication to practicing martial arts is somewhat unique in China. The art form and its history are ubiquitous in Chinese film, television, and video games. Yet when it comes to actually doing them, they’re mostly enjoyed by the elderly and a handful of hobbyists. Young people in China, meanwhile, have gravitated towards Brazilian jiu-jitsu, mixed-martial arts, and other combat sports with more international appeal (paywall).
Ma wants to change this. And by releasing Gong Shou Dao on Singles Day, by now a major media event in China, he’s drawing attention to his passion project—revitalizing Chinese martial arts.

Jack & Jet

Ma has long maintained a friendship with Jet Li, Gong Shou Dao’s producer. The two of them met in 2007 (link in Chinese) when Li was invited to a meeting held by China Entrepreneur’s Club, a group of China’s wealthiest businessmen that includes Ma. The two later took a three-day trip to Hainan, an island province of China, to discuss charitable giving, philosophy, and Tai Chi—and their conversations persisted throughout the next decade.
Their mutual love of martial arts led them to found Taijizen in 2011. An institution dedicated to popularizing Tai Chi in the modern era, Taijizen offers courses in various types of Tai Chi at schools across the country, as well as classes for calligraphy, tea, and traditional Chinese music. Overseas, viewers can watch training videos on the company’s YouTube page. A promotional video for Taijizen shows a montage of busy Chinese white-collar office workers, followed by Jack Ma singing the praises of his practice. “For the past 10 stressful years, I believe I’ve been able to be passionate about my work, to never be afraid of competition, and to constantly pursue innovation because of my practice of Tai Chi,” he says.
Li and Ma’s film, which Ma financed personally, builds on Taijizen’s initiatives. Specifically, they intend to introduce a new style of martial arts they call GSD (gong shou dao, like the movie’s title, whose three Chinese characters mean “Kung Fu,” “defence,” and “principle”). Ultimately, they hope GSD will earn Chinese martial arts a place in the Olympics. Of the combat sports fully recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), three originate in Asia—judo and karate are from Japan, while taekwondo is from Korea. Muay Thai, which recently earned provisional recognition, originates from Thailand.
In early 2017, Alibaba inked a deal with the IOC to power the organization’s cloud computing infrastructure during the games up until 2028. Li says he hopes the GSD style that appears in the film can become a much-needed standard for traditional Chinese martial arts—a sprawling category—that would help it win inclusion.
With this in mind, Gong Shou Dao‘s release on Single’s Day is both ironic and fitting. Ma is using a day that has come to symbolize modern China’s crass commercialism and nascent global soft power as a vehicle to promote a traditional Chinese art. Tai Chi, after all, is all about balance.

More on Gong Shou Dao (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70541-The-Art-of-Attack-and-Defence-(Gong-Shou-Dao)) & China's Single Day (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70558-China-s-Single-Day) + Taijizen (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?65314-Jet-Li-s-TaijiZen-International-Cultural-Development-Company)