First Public Appearance After Surgery: Jet Li Passes the Baton to Wu Jing

62-year-old 'Kung Fu Emperor' Jet Li has been plagued by health issues ever since being diagnosed with thyroid disease more than a decade ago, leading to a drastic decrease in his output and an almost complete disappearance from the big screen, instead devoting himself to studying Buddhism. Although Jet Li has stepped away from the limelight, he continues to promote Chinese martial arts with great dedication. On the 19th, Jet Li shared photos attending the 'International Traditional Kung Fu Championship' held in Emeishan, Sichuan. Appearing at this grand event, he looked very spirited; compared to earlier reports of him being seriously ill and hospitalized for surgery, he clearly has regained his energy, putting fans’ minds at ease.

As an international action superstar, Jet Li brought Chinese kung fu to global audiences through films, making him one of the most representative figures in the martial arts world. At the event, Jet Li also handed over the responsibility of being International Martial Arts Image Ambassador to the new generation, to box office superstar Wu Jing. Jet Li shared on social media: 'For the past 18 years, I have been extremely humble and honored to serve as the International Martial Arts Image Ambassador for the International Wushu Federation. This week at the International Traditional Kung Fu Championship, I have completed this journey, and am passing on this important responsibility to my friend, the outstanding Wu Jing!' 

Besides the important handover ceremony, Jet Li and Wu Jing were also reunited with their mentor Wu Bin, as the three took a group photo in the stands at the competition; Wu Jing even knelt humbly in front of his mentor as a sign of utmost respect. Jet Li remarked: 'I am truly grateful to be able to see our mentor—Wu Bin—and to meet with passionate athletes from all over the world. To see martial arts flourishing like this fills me with immense joy!' Wu Bin is a leading figure in contemporary Chinese martial arts and the first head coach of the Beijing Wushu Team; he has trained several generations of martial artists, his most famous disciples being Jet Li, Donnie Yen, and Wu Jing, all of whom later became three of the greatest international action movie superstars!