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Martial arts

Martial arts
Latest martial arts news, features and opinion, covering movie icons Bruce Lee, Jet Li, Jackie Chan and Donnie Yen, as well as the debate surrounding the practicality of traditional martial arts as a combat style in China in the wake of the rise of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). Forms covered include boxing, wing chun, karate, taekwondo, Muay Thai, kick-boxing, kung fu, judo, wrestling and Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
(From left) Joe Taslim, Yayan Ruhian and Xie Miao in a still from The Furious (category III, Mandarin, English, Thai), directed by Kenji Tanigaki. Yang Enyou co-stars.
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | The Furious: an instant classic if you like gory, bone-crunching violence

Generic, unfunny and emotionally hollow, The Furious will nevertheless delight those who simply want to watch people getting slaughtered.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

The best car stunts in Hong Kong cinema: Police Story, Initial D and more

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Fashion

Lu’u Dan x Bruce Lee collab celebrates Asian masculinity

Wellness

Why tai chi and qigong are great for health, and English classes in Hong Kong

The Chinese ‘internal’ arts of tai chi and qigong offer a host of health benefits and are slowly becoming more accessible to English speakers.

Lawrence Tse leads a class outside the tea museum in Hong Kong Park. Photo: Lawrence Tse
American cinema

Review | Mortal Kombat II: Karl Urban leads brainless, outdated action sequel

Little more than a series of cartoonish ultra-violent vignettes, Mortal Kombat II feels as antiquated as the amulet the characters chase.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Why Angela Mao, aka ‘the new Bruce Lee’, was a better fighter than Michelle Yeoh

Angela Mao, star of hits like Hapkido and Lady Whirlwind, was billed as the ‘new Bruce Lee’ by Golden Harvest after his death.

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Hong Kong culture

Editorial | Hong Kong’s efforts to commemorate Bruce Lee should pack bigger punch

While the latest move to honour the late kung fu star is welcome, more must be done to acknowledge his standing as a pillar of Hong Kong heritage.

Chinese-American martial artist and actor Bruce Lee is pictured during the early 1970s. Photo: Archive Photos/Getty Images
Hong Kong society

Hong Kong marks 85th anniversary of Bruce Lee’s arrival with statue and exhibition

Life-size bronze statue unveiled at former site of Lee family home on Nathan Road, alongside exhibition of rare photos and posters.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

The bloody legacy of The One-Armed Swordsman film sequels

The two follow-ups to The One-Armed Swordsman are somewhat different to the original hit film but plenty of blood runs through all three.

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Trending in China

China martial arts prodigy, 5, practises to point of tears for May tournament

‘Tenacious’ youngster brushes off mum’s worries about training too much; hones skills, boosts fitness under watchful eye of her dad.

A five-year-old girl in China, who is trained by her father, is causing a stir online with her impressive martial arts skills. Photo: SCMP composite/Douyin
Lessons from China's history

Reflections | Imperial China’s armed escort services solved logistical problems – with swords

In imperial China, services of armed martial artists, or biaoju, ensured delivery on risky routes. Their image has since been romanticised.

An escort guard working for Tongxinggong Escort Agency, a biaoju that the Qing government trusted to transport large quantities of silver from Beijing to Xian. Photo: Mandarin Mansion
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

How director Benny Chan bridged old-school stunts and modern action

2003’s Heroic Duo and 2007’s Invisible Target were full of the director’s flair for action, reckless stunts and literal explosive scenes.

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United States

Action movie star Chuck Norris dies at 86

His epic fight with kung fu superstar Bruce Lee in ‘The Way of The Dragon’ helped turn Norris into an icon.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

This Hong Kong martial arts movie pioneered the superhero team in Chinese cinema

The Five Venoms launched the iconic run of the Venom Mob, a group of actors brought together by Chang Cheh that appeared in various films.

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Lo Mang (left) in a still from Five Deadly Venoms, Chang Cheh’s 1978 film.
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

With Blades of the Guardians, Yuen Woo-ping revives the wuxia blockbuster

Hong Kong martial arts choreographer and director Yuen Woo-ping returns with an epic wuxia, starring Wu Jing and Nicholas Tse.

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Wu Jing as Dao Ma in a still from Blades of the Guardians, directed by Yuen Woo-ping, who helped define the martial arts genre in cinema.
Wellness

Singaporean started aikido in her 60s in poor health. Now 73, she’s a black belt

The Japanese martial art helped Lily Chan get off osteoporosis medication and massively improved her overall health and mobility.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | Blades of the Guardians: Wu Jing leads star-studded Chinese martial arts epic

Starring Wu Jing, Nicholas Tse and Chen Lijun, the visually stunning Blades of the Guardians is one of the fiercest wuxia films in years.

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China consumption

China’s Spring Festival box office faces plot twist after 2025 smashed records

Home-grown films lead the charge but fail to meet the phenomenal success of last year’s Ne Zha 2, which attracted record-breaking crowds.

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Moviegoers walked past posters for 2025 blockbusters Ne Zha 2 and Captain America: Brave New World at a cinema in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong. Photo: SCMP
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

A beginner’s guide to watching Hong Kong martial arts movies

Flying, ‘weightless’ leaps, unrealistic injuries and long fight scenes are all part and parcel of Hong Kong martial arts movies. Here’s why.

Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

3 of Hong Kong martial arts legend Alexander Fu Sheng’s more unusual movies

Chinatown Kid, The Deadly Breaking Sword and Treasure Hunters saw Fu taking on more varied projects than his usual Shaolin kung fu films.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Why Ronny Yu’s The Postman Fights Back is an unusual wuxia gem

Starring Leung Kar-yan and with a young Chow Yun-fat on the cast, 1982’s The Postman Fights Back is an intriguing mix of Western and wuxia.

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Leung Kar-yan in a still from “The Postman Fights Back”, directed by Hong Kong filmmaker Ronny Yu. The film features Leung as a courier in Republican China tasked with delivering a mysterious cargo to a violent mountain bandit, whose motley crew of associates includes a young Chow Yun-fat.
Japan

Fatal Tokyo fist-fight leads to rare duelling arrest under 19th-century law

A 26-year-old man was arrested under an 1889 law after police said a prearranged fight in Kabukicho left the other man dead weeks later.

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A nighttime street scene in Kabukicho, Tokyo’s most notorious nightlife district, where police say the altercation occurred. Photo: Getty Images
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Why Jet Li and Wong Jing’s The New Legend of Shaolin is underrated

The 1994 cult classic The New Legend of Shaolin blends comedy, action and child martial artists in a fresh take on the Shaolin myth.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

How Stephen Chow and Donnie Yen reinvented Bruce Lee’s classic Chen Zhen

Fist of Fury 1991 with Stephen Chow and TV series Fist of Fury with Donnie Yen saw two different versions of Bruce Lee’s famous character.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

3 forgotten Hong Kong wuxia gems from director Chor Yuen

Chor Yuen’s Duel for Gold, Clans of Intrigue and Jade Tiger may be less famous than some of his other films, but are just as groundbreaking.

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Ti Lung in a still from Clans of Intrigue (1977). Photo: Celestial Pictures
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

3 female action stars who ruled Hong Kong cinema alongside Michelle Yeoh

Like Michelle Yeoh, female fighters Cynthia Rothrock, Kara Hui and Shih Szu starred in their own must-see Hong Kong action classics.

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Kara Hui Ying-hung (left) and Hsiao Hou in a still from My Young Auntie (1981)
Made in China 2025

China’s Unitree teases platform allowing users to control robots via smartphones

Hangzhou robotics unicorn’s platform is designed to bring embodied intelligence into everyday life.

Performing arts in Hong Kong

Review | Thrilling Bruce Lee dance show explores Hong Kong star’s life and career

‘Kung Fu Artistry: Bruce Lee’s No Way as Way’ by the Hong Kong Dance Company is a powerful mix of dance and martial arts.

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