Jet Li drums up support for wushu in Olympics
BY JENNIE L. ILUSTRE
FAIRFAX, Virginia. – As in the movies, so in real life: Jet Li to the rescue. Li is the star of "Hero," a foreign language film that was a box-office hit in the US, and in real-life, he’s a hero and philanthropist.
The United States of America Wushu Kungfu Federation is drawing on Li’s star power–he also appeared in "The Forbidden Kingdom" with Jackie Chan, "Lethal Weapon 4," and starred in "Romeo Must Die"–to enable wushu champions to perform in the 2020 Summer Olympics. Wushu (martial arts) is better known as kung fu.
It’s not too early to start the campaign, C. P. Ong, USAWKF executive vice president, said in a press conference here last Sunday.
"Wushu is on the International Olympics Committee’s short list of eight sports to be featured in the 2020 Summer Olympics," he added. The IOC will hand down a decision in September 2013.
He said wushu faces stiff competition from other more popular sports disciplines under consideration, such as baseball, softball and karate. "That’s why we have to ‘borrow’ Jet Li’s superstar status to make sure we make it to the Olympics," he stressed.
The USAWKF is the official US representative to the 139 member-nation International Wushu Federation.
Li is in the East Coast as one of the invited performers at a celebration marking the 40th anniversary of China’s membership to the United Nations. UN secretary-general Ban Ki Moon has chosen wushu champions from China to perform with American champions at its headquarters in New York on Thursday.
Li, who started taking wushu lessons at age 8, is a popular national champion in Beijing. The actor, a Buddhist, talked with humility about wushu "as like a religion."
He said wushu has three levels. "The third level is very close to religion. You don’t have a sword in your hand (first level). You don’t have a sword in your heart (second level). You love people, you love your family. You love the enemy."
On the third level, "You don’t have an enemy, and that I think is a real hero," added Li. "I try to work for the global family."
He lamented that young people spend hours on video games, the Internet and other technology. "People should focus not just on wushu’s physical element, but also as a philosophy," he said, adding it’s about being "healthy and happy."
Talking about a life-altering experience, he said: "In 2004, I almost died in the Maldives desert. Since then, I started a foundation in China" to help in international relief efforts.
According to the wikipedia, Li formed The One Foundation in 2007, and contributed 500,000 yuan (US$62,500) of box office revenues from his film "Fearless" to the Red Cross to support disaster aid and mental health awareness.
USAWKF member O-Mei Wushu, based in the neighboring state of Washington, the US capital, held a show Sunday. Li did not perform but spoke at a press conference, and later watched the show.