Swordsmanship refers to the skills of a swordsman, a person versed in the art of the sword. The term is modern, and as such was mainly used to refer to smallsword fencing, but by extension it can also be applied to any martial art involving the use of a sword. The formation of the English word "swordsman" is parallel to the Latin word gladiator,^[1] a term for the professional fighters who fought against each other and a variety of other foes for the entertainment of spectators in the Roman Empire. The word gladiator itself comes from the Latin word gladius, meaning "sword".^[1]

Asian[link]

Chinese[link]

Chinese Dao (wushu/prop version for demonstrations)

In Chinese culture the double-edged sword also known as jian is considered a master's weapon or a gentlemen's weapon, both from the considerable skill required to fight with this weapon and from the fact that commanders of armies favored the jian in order to move easily amongst the troops.

Whilst many martial arts in China include training with both the dual-edged sword, or jian, and the single-bladed sword, or dao, (as well as many variant weapons), no well known Chinese martial art trains exclusively with the sword.

Japanese[link]

Kendo at an agricultural school in Japan around 1920

The sword has long held a significance in Japanese culture from the reverence and care that the samurai placed in their weapons. Kenjutsu is the term used for sword arts in Japan.

Kendo, a swordsmanship-based sport art, and Iaido, the way of drawing the sword and re-sheathing it, as well as cutting an opponent with it, are of note here. Many schools also focus almost exclusively on swordsmanship which grew from the noble families' patronage of certain teachers. Some koryu, or ancient, schools still exist along with some more modern schools.

Korean[link]

An excerpt from Muyedobotongji: mounted double-sword (마상쌍검; 馬上雙劍)

Joseon's centralised government and the need to fend off frequent foreign invasions were conducive to the development of swordsmanship as a standardised military discipline. Along with other martial systems, forms of swordsmanship were formalised in the military manual Muyejebo (1610) based on Qi Jiguang's Ji Xiao Xin Shu, and in the revisions, Muyesinbo (1759) and Muyedobotongji (1790). Muyedobotongji also describes standard lengths and weights of the swords used; while not exclusive to swordsmanship, 8 of the 23 chapters are devoted to it, reflecting the needs the era when the guns have not yet matured enough for short-range combat.

Swordsmanship was a subject of the examinations prerequisite to holding a military commission, and the Hangul version publication of Muyedobotongji suggests that the book was used to train lower rank personnel illiterate in Hanja. This practice continued until the Imo Mutiny of 1882 that lead to the abolishment of the five old legions in Seoul, although it is uncertain whether the same also took place in the provinces.

One school claimed to continue the tradition is Shippalgi, whose founder, Kim Gwangseok (b. 1936), studied under Yun Myeongdeok, an officer of the old army. Others, including Muye24gi and Gyeongdang, reconstruct the techniques of Muyedobotongji.

Most other Korean swordsmanship schools either have foreign origins (e.g. Kumdo) or were privately developed after 1970s and lack a literary tradition (e.g. Haidong Gumdo).

Philippines[link]

Filipino soldiers armed with Bolos

The Philippines has used swords and melee weapons during their early history and before the arrival of Spanish colonialism. Their early swords were mostly from Islamic origins and design partnered with a shield called kalasag. During the Battle of Mactan, Lapu-Lapu defeated Ferdinand Magellan's troops who were armed with guns and cannons with the use of native swords and weapons. When the Philippines were colonized by the Spaniards, the use of traditional swords and weapons were immediately banned and so is practicing it. Because of this, the Filipinos were forced to use their own farm tools to fight in rebellions. And in the following insurgencies against other foreign colonists like America and Japan, they were again forced to use these improvised weapons with their knowledge of martial arts.

With the use of improvised farm tools and weapons, the Filipinos used traditional martial arts like Eskrima in combat. Eskrima consists of using ordinary tools as weapons , not only for defense but also in offence. It consist mostly in using two weapons in both hands, one weapon can be used to attack while the other to defend. Although techniques varies with different masters. By using Eskrima, they managed to make their ordinary tools into deadly weapons. Among those tools-turned-swords who became popular around the world are the bolo, balisword, and the buntot pagi. During the Japanese occupation, because of scarce ammunition to fight the Japanese, the Filipinos used their melee weapons and swords in raiding Japanese camps and guerilla attacks.

European[link]

Antiquity[link]

Roman Gladius

Rome provides the foundation for the widespread use of the sword as a weapon in its own right in the West. The Roman legionaries and other forces of the Roman military used the gladius as a short thrusting sword effectively with the scutum, a type of shield, in battle. Gladiators used a shorter gladius than the military. The spatha was a longer double-edged sword initially used only by Roman Cavalry units; however by the 2nd century A.D. the spatha was used throughout much of the Roman Empire's legionary force.

Imperial Roman soldiers were heavily trained and prided themselves on their disciplinary skills. This probably carried over to their training with weaponry, but we have no Roman manuals of swordsmanship. One translation of Juvenal's poetry by Barten Holyday in 1661 makes note that the Roman trainees learned to fight with the wooden wasters before moving on to the use of sharpened steel. In fact, it is also found that Roman gladiators trained with a wooden sword, which was weighted with lead, against a straw man or a wooden pole known as a palus (an early relative of the later wooden pell).^[2] This training would have provided the Roman soldier with a good training in swordsmanship, to be improved upon from practical experience or further advanced training.

Medieval[link]

Little is known about early medieval fencing techniques save for what may be concluded from archaeological evidence and artistic depiction (see Viking Age arms and armour). What little has been found, however, shows the use of the sword was limited during the Viking age, especially among the Vikings themselves and other northern Germanic tribes. Here, the spear, axe and shield were prominent weapons, with only wealthy individuals owning swords. These weapons, based on the Roman spatha, were made very well. The technique of pattern welding of composite metals provided some of these northern weapons superior properties in strength and resilience to the iron gladius of early Rome.

As time passed, the spatha evolved into the arming sword, a weapon with a notable cruciform hilt common among knights in the Medieval Age. Some time after this evolution, the earliest known treatises (Fechtbücher) were written, dealing primarily with arming sword and buckler combat. Among these examples is the I.33, the earliest known Fechtbuch. The German school of swordsmanship can trace itself most closely to Johannes Liechtenauer and his students, who later became the German masters of the 15th century, including Sigmund Ringeck, Hans Talhoffer, Peter von Danzig and Paulus Kal. It is possible that the Italian fencing treatise Flos Duellatorum, written by the Italian swordmaster Fiore dei Liberi around 1410, has ties to the German school.^{[citation needed]} During this period of time, the longsword grew out of the arming sword, eventually resulting in a blade comfortably wielded in both hands at once. Armour technology also evolved, leading to the advent of plate armour, and thus swordsmanship was further pressed to meet the demands of killing a very well protected enemy.

For much of the early medieval period, the sword continued to remain a symbol of status. During later years, production techniques became more efficient, and so, while the sword remained a privilege, it was not so heavily confined to only the richest individuals, but rather to the richest classes.

Renaissance[link]

Sabre duel of German students, around 1900, painting by Georg Mühlberg (1863–1925)

The German school of swordsmanship, in general, faced a decline during the Renaissance as the Italian and Spanish schools, which tilted more toward the rapier and civilian dueling, took the forefront. The compendium compiled by Paulus Hector Mair in the 1540s looks back to the preceding century of work and attempts to reconstruct and preserve a failing art. The treatise by Joachim Meyer, dating to the 1570s and notable for its scientific and complete approach to the style (it is suggested that Meyer's students came to him with less military knowledge and therefore required more basic instruction), is the last major account of the German school, and its context is now almost entirely sportive.

The use of the longsword continued to decline throughout the Renaissance period, marked by the increased effectiveness of the arquebus (a firearm) and the use of pike squares as a powerful implement of battle. During this time, civilian swords evolved to side-swords, also known as "cut and thrust" swords, and progressed towards the thicker, tapering sword that eventually became the 17th century rapier. This new weapon was popular for both protection on the street and as a tool in the duel, but found little success on the battlefield. The Italian, French, and Spanish schools embraced this change in civilian armament and developed systems of rapier fencing. The German school, however, provides little on this weapon and ceases its prevalence thereafter.

Modern[link]

After the demise of the longsword, the backsword became the last prominent battlefield sword. The backsword was not a new invention, but managed to outlast other forms of war swords, and was last used primarily by cavalry units and officers. The power, accuracy, and reliability of firearms continued to improve, however, and soon swords had little place on the battlefield aside from ceremonial purposes. The preferred civilian dueling weapon shifted from the rapier to the faster but shorter smallsword, and eventually shifted totally away from swords to the pistol, following developments in firearm technology. The civilian affair of dueling was banned in most areas, but persisted to some degree regardless of law until well into the 19th century.

Sport fencing[link]

The need to train swordsmen for combat in a nonlethal manner led fencing and swordsmanship to include a sport aspect from its beginnings, from before the medieval tournament right up to the modern age.^[3] In the mid-18th century, Domenico Angelo's fencing academy in England established the essential rules of posture and footwork that still govern modern sport fencing, although his attacking and parrying methods were still much different from current practice. Angelo intended to prepare his students for real combat, and did not use masks, but he was the most prominent fencing master yet to emphasize the health and sporting benefits of fencing more than its use as a killing art, particularly in his influential book The School of Fencing. As fencing progressed, the combat aspect slowly faded until only the rules of the sport remained. While the fencing taught in the late 19th and early 20th centuries was intended to serve both for competition and the duel (while understanding the differences between the two situations), the type of fencing taught in a modern sport fencing salle is intended only to train the student to compete in the most effective manner within the rules of the sport. As this evolution has continued, the training and techniques have become increasingly further removed from their martial roots. One driving force behind this evolution is sport fencing's award of a point to the fencer who scores the first touch with right of way; this encourages the competitors to use scoring techniques that result in a first touch in a sporting encounter but would leave them defenseless against a counterthrust, even from a mortally wounded opponent, in a duel with lethal weapons. The development of the first touch rule itself was, in turn, driven by the increasing tendency of duels to be fought to first blood rather than the death, with the result that training for a first touch could result in victory in a duel as well as a sporting encounter, even without killing or disabling the opponent.

Historical Fencing[link]

As early as 1880, attempts were made to recreate the older German, Italian, and Spanish schools of swordsmanship. The lineage of Masters trained to teach the arts had been left to dwindle, however. The historical European martial arts community, interested in the later rapier and smallsword swordplay, finds its beginnings during this time period. These individuals focus their efforts on the martial systems of combat and dueling developed for these earlier weapons and attempt to practice as accurately as possible, preferring replica or antique blades to modern sport fencing weapons. While interest dwindled in the middle 20th century, it revived in the early 21st century

Classical Fencing[link]

Practitioners of modern fencing who were unsatisfied with the exclusive sports emphasis that modern fencing took steps to preserve the principles of dueling and fencing as practiced in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Classical fencing uses the foil, épée, and sabre according to these older practices.

See also[link]

• Sword
• Types of swords

References[link]

1. ^ ^{a b} Etymology Online
2. ^ L. Friedlander-Drexel. Darstellungen aus der Sittengeschichte Roms per Michael Grant. Gladiators page 40. Barnes and Noble, 1967. Mention from Clements, John. Get thee a waster!
3. ^ Antonio Manciolino, in the beginning of his 1531 manual, gives point values for the various body parts. Masaniello Parise supplemented his 1884 fencing manual with a small work, Spada da Terreno in which he gave the reader some general advice for the duel as well as covering which techniques most appropriate to use.

Further reading[link]

Western swordsmanship

Amberger, J. Christoph. The Secret History of the Sword: Adventures in Ancient Martial Arts (1999).

Meyer, Joachim. Untitled Fechtbuch (1570).

Angelo, Domenico. The School of Fencing (1763).

Angelo, Henry. Hungarian & Highland Broadsword (1799).

Alfred Hutton. Cold Steel: A Practical Treatise on the Sabre (1889). Old Sword-play: The System of Fence(1892).

Burton, Sir Richard Francis. The Sentiment of the Sword: A Country-House Dialogue(1911). A New System of Sword Exercise for Infantry (1923).

East Asian swordsmanship

Miyamoto Musashi. The Book of Five Rings (1645).

Yagyu Munenori. Heiho Kaden Sho (1632).

Yi Deok-mu, Pak Je-ga. Muyedobotongji (1790).

External links[link]

• Historical European Martial Arts Alliance
• Swordforum International
• The British Federation for Historical Swordplay
• Sworddueling.com
• Historical Fencing Manuals
• http://www.koryu.com/

Jet Li 李连杰
Jet Li at the premiere of Fearless in 2006.
Chinese name	李連杰 (Traditional)
Chinese name	李连杰 (Simplified)
Pinyin	Lǐ Liánjié (Mandarin)
Jyutping	Lei5 Lin4 Git6 (Cantonese)
Ancestry	Beijing, China
Born	(1963-04-26) April 26, 1963 (age 49) Beijing, China
Other name(s)	Lee Yeung Chung / Li Yangzhong 李陽中 (Traditional) 李阳中 (Simplified) Lǐ Yángzhōng (Mandarin) Lei5 Joeng4 Zung1 (Cantonese) (Chinese producer pseudonym)
Occupation	Actor Martial artist Film producer
Years active	1982–present
Spouse(s)	Huang Qiuyan (1987–1990) Nina Li Chi (1999–present)
Official Website	www.jetli.com
Awards Hong Kong Film Awards Best Actor 2008 The Warlords Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards Best Actor 2006 Fearless Golden Horse Awards Special Award 1995 Other awards Shanghai Film Critics Awards 2008 Best Actor (The Warlords)

This article contains Chinese text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Chinese characters.

Li Lianjie ([lì ljǎntɕjɛ̌]; born April 26, 1963), better known by his stage name Jet Li, is a naturalized Singaporean^[1][1] film actor, film producer, Chinese martial artist, wushu champion, and international star who was born in Beijing.

After three years of intensive training with Wu Bin, Li won his first national championship for the Beijing Wushu Team. After retiring from Wushu at age 19, he went on to win great acclaim in China as an actor making his debut with the film Shaolin Temple (1982). He went on to star in many critically acclaimed martial arts epic films, most notably the Once Upon A Time In China series, in which he portrayed folk hero Wong Fei-hung.

Li's first role in a Hollywood film was as a villain in Lethal Weapon 4 (1998), but his first Hollywood film leading role was in Romeo Must Die (2000). He has gone on to star in many Hollywood action films, including Kiss of the Dragon and Unleashed. He co-starred in The Forbidden Kingdom (2008) with Jackie Chan, The Expendables (2010) with Sylvester Stallone, and as the title character villain in The Mummy: Tomb Of The Dragon Emperor (2008) opposite Brendan Fraser. He also appeared in the Hong Kong film Ocean Heaven (2010), directed and written by Xue Xiaolu.

Early life and martial arts career[link]

Li Lianjie was born in Beijing, People's Republic of China, the youngest of two boys and two girls. His father died when he was two years old, leaving the family struggling.^[2]

Li was eight when his talent for wushu was noticed at a summer course at school, and he began his practice there.^[3] Li participated in the sport of wushu in the non-sparring event. He began his wushu on the Beijing Wushu Team, an athletic group organized to perform martial arts forms during the All China Games. He was coached by renowned wushu coaches Li Junfeng and Wu Bin,^[4] who made extra efforts to help the talented boy develop. Wu Bin even bought food for Li's family because they could not afford to buy meat, which was essential for the good physical condition of an athlete.^[4] As a member of the team, he received wushu training and went on to win fifteen gold medals and one silver medal in Chinese wushu championships, where, despite his young age, he competed against adults.^[5]

According to Li, once, as a child, when the Chinese National Wushu Team went to perform for President Richard Nixon in the United States, he was asked by Nixon to be his personal bodyguard. Li replied, "I don't want to protect any individual. When I grow up, I want to defend my one billion Chinese countrymen!"^[7]

Li is a master of several styles of wushu, especially Changquan (Northern Longfist Style) and Fanziquan (Tumbling fist). He has also studied other arts including Baguazhang (Eight trigram palm), Taijiquan (Supreme ultimate fist), Xingyiquan (Shape intent fist), Zuiquan (Drunken fist), Yingzhaoquan (Eagle claw fist) and Tanglangquan (Praying mantis fist). He did not learn Nanquan (Southern fist), because his training focused only in the Northern Shaolin Styles. He has also studied some of wushu's main weapons, such Sanjiegun (Three section staff), Gun (staff), Dao (Broadsword), Jian (Straight sword) and many more.^[8]

It is Jet Li's authentic martial arts prowess that enabled his rise to domestic and international fame.^[9]

Acting career[link]

Chinese films[link]

Jet Li
Jet Li's hand print and autograph at the Avenue of Stars in Hong Kong.
Traditional Chinese	李連杰
Simplified Chinese	李连杰
Transcriptions Mandarin - Hanyu Pinyin Lǐ Liánjié - Wade–Giles Li Lien-chieh Cantonese (Yue) - Jyutping Lei5 Lin4 Git6 - IPA [le̬i lɪ̏ŋkìt]
Alternative Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	李陽中
Simplified Chinese	李阳中
Transcriptions Mandarin - Hanyu Pinyin Lǐ Yángzhōng - Wade–Giles Li Yang-chung - IPA [lì jɑ̌ŋtʂʊ́ŋ] Cantonese (Yue) - Jyutping Lei5 Joeng4 Zung1 - IPA [le̬i jœ̏ŋtsʊ́ŋ] - Yale Romanization Lee Yeung Chong

The fame gained by his sports winnings led to a career as a martial arts film star, beginning in mainland China and then continuing into Hong Kong. Li acquired his screen name in 1982 in the Philippines when a publicity company thought his real name was too hard to pronounce. They likened his career to an aircraft, which likewise "takes-off" as quickly, so they placed the name Jet Li on the movie posters. Soon everybody was calling him by this new name, which was also based on the nickname, "Jet," given to him as a young student, due to his speed and grace when training with the Beijing Wushu team. He made his debut with the 1982 film Shaolin Temple. Some of his more famous Chinese films include:

• The Shaolin Temple series (1, 2 and 3), which are considered to be the films which sparked the rebirth of the real Shaolin Temple in Dengfeng, China;
• The Once Upon a Time in China series (Chinese title: Wong Fei Hung), about the legendary Chinese folk hero Master Wong Fei Hung.
• Fist of Legend (Chinese title: Jing Wu Ying Xiong), a remake of Bruce Lee's Fist of Fury.
• The Fong Sai Yuk films about another Chinese folk hero.

Li starred in the 1995 film High Risk, where Jet Li plays a Captain who becomes disillusioned after his wife is murdered by crime lords. Along the way, he pairs up with a wacky sell-out actor, Frankie (played by Jacky Cheung), and proceeds to engage in a series of violent battles in a high-rise building. The setting is similar to that of Die Hard and both their Chinese film titles. This movie is notable in that director Wong Jing had such a terrible experience working with Jackie Chan in Jing's previous film City Hunter that he chose to make Cheung's character a biting satire of Chan. Jet Li would later publicly apologize to Chan for taking part in it.

Li has two wuxia feature films scheduled for release in 2011, The Sorcerer and the White Snake and Flying Swords of Dragon Gate, the latter is helmed by Tsui Hark.

In order to promote tai chi, in 2012 Jet Li will star in a film titled Tai Chi and will co-produce the movie with Chen Kuo-Fu. Li will portray Tai Chi master Yang Lu-ch'an.^[10][11]

American films[link]

In 1998, he made his American film debut in Lethal Weapon 4 which also marked the first time he had ever played a villain in a film. He agreed to do Lethal Weapon 4 after the producer Joel Silver promised to give him the leading role in his next film, Romeo Must Die (2000) alongside late singer Aaliyah. The film became a box office hit.

Li turned down Chow Yun-fat's role in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) because he promised his wife that he would not make any films during her pregnancy.^[12] He also turned down the role of Seraph in The Matrix trilogy, based on his belief that the role was not one which required his skills and that the films were iconic and stunning enough without adding his name to the cast list.

In 2001, he appeared in two more Hollywood films: The One which was the first of his films with Jason Statham and Kiss of the Dragon opposite Bridget Fonda which did moderately well at the box office. In July 2001, Li agreed to produce and star in an action film with Jackie Chan which was to be released in 2002 or 2003, but no further news of their collaboration surfaced until 2006. In 2002, the period martial arts epic film Hero was released in the Chinese market. This film was both a commercial and critical success and became the highest-grossing motion picture in Chinese film history at the time.^[13] In 2003 he reunited with producer Joel Silver for the action thriller film Cradle 2 The Grave where he starred alongside rapper DMX and fellow martial artist Mark Dacascos. In 2004, Li lent his likeness, voice and provided motion capture work for the video game Jet Li: Rise to Honor.

Li took on a more serious role in the 2005 film, Unleashed (a.k.a. Danny the Dog), where he portrayed an adult with the mentality of a child who has been raised like an animal. Although his martial arts skills were utilized extensively, it was a somber film with more depth than had been previously seen in Li's films, and co-starred dramatic actors Bob Hoskins and Morgan Freeman.

In 2006, the martial arts film epic Fearless, was released worldwide. Although he will continue to make martial arts films, Fearless is his last wushu epic. In Fearless, he played Huo Yuanjia, the real-life founder of Chin Woo Athletic Association, who reportedly defeated foreign boxers and Japanese martial artists in publicized events at a time when China's power was seen as eroding. Together with the film Fist of Legend, Li has portrayed both Chen Jun, the student and avenger of Huo Yuanjia (aka Fok Yun Gap), as well as Huo Yuanjia himself. Fearless was released on January 26, 2006 in Hong Kong, followed by a September 22, 2006 release in the United States where it reached second place in its first weekend.

I stepped into the martial arts movie market when I was only 16. I think I have proved my ability in this field and it won't make sense for me to continue for another five or 10 years. Huo Yuanjia is a conclusion to my life as a martial arts star.^[14]

Li has stated in an interview with the Shenzhen Daily newspaper that this will be his last martial arts epic, which is also stated in the film's television promotions. However, he plans to continue his film career in other genres. Specifically, he plans to continue acting in action and martial arts films; epic films deal more with religious and philosophical issues.

Li's 2007 Hollywood film, War, was released in August of that year, and re-teamed him with actor Jason Statham, who previously starred with him in The One, and action choreographer Corey Yuen. War raked in a disappointing $23 million at the box office, becoming one of Li's lowest grossers in America; however, it was a hit on video, accumulating nearly $52 million in rental revenue, more than doubling its box office take.^[15] With the exception of Romeo Must Die and the worldwide release of Hero, most of Li's American films have been only modest hits like Kiss Of The Dragon, The One, Unleashed, Cradle 2 the Grave, and the worldwide release of Fearless.

In late 2007, Li returned again to China to participate in the China/Hong Kong co-production of the period war film The Warlords with Andy Lau and Takeshi Kaneshiro. This film with its focus on dramatics rather than martial arts netted Li the Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actor.

Li and fellow martial arts veteran Jackie Chan finally appeared together onscreen for the first time in The Forbidden Kingdom, which began filming in May 2007 and was released to critical and commercial success on April 18, 2008. The film was based on the legend of the Monkey King from the Chinese folk novel Journey to the West.^[17][18] Li also starred as the lead villain in the fantasy action film The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor with actors Brendan Fraser, Isabella Leong and Michelle Yeoh.^[19]

After a one-year hiatus from filmmaking, Jet Li returned to acting in 2009, portraying a mercenary in the film The Expendables, teaming up with action stars Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren, Mickey Rourke, Eric Roberts, Steve Austin, Terry Crews, and Randy Couture. It was the third time he had teamed up with Statham.

Personal life[link]

Jet Li with Jackie Chan in Hong Kong.

Li is a practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism.^[20] His master is Lho Kunsang^[21] of the Drikung Kagyu lineage of the Kagyu school.^[22]

In 1987, Li married Beijing Wushu Team member and Kids from Shaolin co-star Huang Qiuyan,^[23] with whom he has two daughters, Si and Taimi.^[24] They divorced in 1990. Since 1999, he has been married to Nina Li Chi (born Li Zhi), a Shanghai-born, Hong Kong-based actress. He has two daughters with her as well, Jane (born 2000) and Jada (born 2002).^[25]

Li was in the Maldives when a tsunami hit during the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. Although it was widely reported at the time that he had died during the disaster,^[26] he only suffered a minor foot injury, caused by a piece of floating furniture, while he was guiding his 4-year-old daughter Jane and the nanny holding his 1-year-old daughter Jada to safety. The four of them were by the pool and slightly above the beach when the wave came ashore.^[27]

In 2009, Li, who previously had American citizenship, after years working in the United States, was thought to have renounced his American citizenship and taken up Singaporean citizenship,^[1][28] although no official confirmation has been provided by Singapore authorities.^[29] On July 28, 2009, the chairman of One Foundation (the Charity fund of Jet Li) announced that Jet Li had indeed become a Singaporean citizen.^[1] He was said to have chosen Singapore for its education system for his two daughters.^[1]

In 2009, Li launched his own fitness program that he named "Wuji".^[30] The programme consists of elements of martial arts, yoga and pilates; Adidas launched a special clothing line for it that bears the initials of "JL".^[31][32]

In his free time he likes to play badminton, table tennis, volleyball, ride his bicycle, read and meditate. He collects rare Tibetan beads. He says he is never bored in his free time.^[33][34]

Views on life and martial arts[link]

Li as a Buddhist believes that the difficulties of everyday life can be overcome with the help of religious philosophies.^[36] He thinks that fame is not something he can control; therefore, he does not care about it.^[37]

According to Li, everything he has ever wanted to tell the world can be found in three of his films: the message of Hero is that the suffering of one person can never be as significant as the suffering of a nation; Unleashed shows that violence is never a solution and Fearless tells that the biggest enemy of a person is himself. Li thinks that the greatest weapon is a smile and the largest power is love.^[38]

About Wushu, Li said that he believes the essence of martial arts is not power or speed but inner harmony and considers it a sad development that today's Wushu championships place greater emphasis on form than on the essence of being a martial artist. He believes Wushu now lacks individuality and competitors move like machines, whereas according to his views Wushu should not be considered a race where the fastest athlete wins. He would like to see Wushu as a form of art, where artists have a distinctive style. Li blames the new competition rules that, according to him, place limitations on martial artists.^[39]

Li believes that Wushu is not primarily for self-defense and instead of trying to play the hero people should think about peaceful resolutions of conflicts and call the police if necessary: "A gun outdoes years of martial arts training in a split second. Like I've said many times before, it is important to differentiate between movies and reality. The hero in movies may be able to knock the gun off his opponent and save the day, but in real life – probably that is not the case."^[40] He has also stated that he has never had to use his martial arts skills in a real life fight and he does not wish to, either.^[35]

Philanthropy[link]

Li has been a "philanthropic ambassador" of the Red Cross Society of China since January 2006. He contributed 500,000 yuan (US$62,500) of box office revenues from his film Fearless to the Red Cross' psychological sunshine project, which promotes mental health.^[41]

In April 2007, touched by his life-shaking experience in the Maldives when he was close to dying during the 2004 tsunami, Li formed his own non-profit foundation called The One Foundation.^[42][43] The One Foundation supports international disaster relief efforts in conjunction with the Red Cross as well as other efforts, including mental health awareness and suicide prevention. Since the starting of the foundation, Li has been involved with recovery efforts in seven disasters, including the 2008 Sichuan earthquake^[27] and Typhoon Morakot in Taiwan.^[44] Wu Jing was a One Foundation volunteer and helped in the effort.^[45]

Li discussed his commitment to philanthropy in an interview with the December 2009 issue of Alliance magazine, stating that "grassroots non-government organizations can help the government in its blind spots. Government relief is not always detail-oriented. Grassroots NGOs can’t be as big as a government effort, but they need to be flexible and independent."^[46]

In September 2010, Jet Li was appointed by the International Red Cross as the first Good Will Ambassador. He posted online saying "Today I signed a deal with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies – IFRC - to become the FIRST goodwill ambassador in the history of this humanitarian organization. I am very honored! At the same time, I will not pause to celebrate, but instead keep pushing forward.. and do my best to help the world! Thank you all once again for your support and belief in me!"^[47]

It was also announced that Jet Li would be meeting Bill Gates and Warren Buffet to talk about charity work. "Three days ago, I received an email from Gates, hoping I could make time because he and Buffett hoped I could go for a 30-minute chat before the dinner about the future we face as human beings, so I will go," Li said.^[48]

Filmography[link]

Considering US box office statistics, the most successful Jet Li film as of August 2010 is Lethal Weapon 4, which grossed over 130 million dollars domestically, while the second is The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor with over 102 million dollars.^[49] Hero is the third most successful foreign language film in the US,^[50] and one of the best critically acclaimed Li movies.^[51] Fearless is the sixth most successful foreign language film of all time in the US.^[50] From a critical point of view, the best acclaimed Li movie is Fist of Legend (Rotten Tomatoes: 100%) and the worst is War (Rotten Tomatoes: 12%).^[51]

See also[link]

• Cinema of China;
• Cinema of Hong Kong.

References[link]

Further reading[link]

• Ducker, Chris, and Stuart Cutler. The HKS Guide to Jet Li. London: Hong Kong Superstars, 2000.
• Marx, Christy. Jet Li. Martial Arts Masters. Rosen Publishing Group, 2002. ISBN 0-8239-3519-1.
• Parish, James Robert. Jet Li: A Biography. New York: Thunder's Mouth Press, 2002. ISBN 1-56025-376-2.
• Farquhar, M.(2010) ‘Jet Li: "Wushu Master" in Sport and Film’ in Jeffreys, Elaine. & Edwards, Louise (eds.), Celebrity in China, Hong Kong University Press, Hong Kong pp. 103–124. ISBN 962-209-088-5

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Jet Li

• Official website
• Jet Li at the Internet Movie Database
• Jet Li's Foundation: The One Foundation Project
• Jet Li Biography (HKCinema)
• Jet Li Biography (HKFilm)
• Jet Li discusses The One Foundation
• Interview At FarEastFilms.com

GZA
GZA performing at the Paid Dues hip hop festival
Background information
Birth name	Gary Grice
Also known as	The Genius, Maximillion, Justice, Allah Justice, the Head
Born	(1966-08-22) August 22, 1966 (age 45) Brooklyn, New York, United States
Genres	Hip hop, hardcore hip hop
Occupations	Lyricist, rapper, songwriter
Years active	1989–present
Labels	Cold Chillin', Loud, Geffen, MCA, Angeles Records, Babygrande
Associated acts	Wu-Tang Clan, DJ Muggs, Soul Assassins, Easy Mo Bee

Gary Grice (born August 22, 1966), better known by his stage names GZA (pronounced /ˈdʒɪzə/ JIZ-ə) and The Genius,^[1] is an American hip hop artist and founding member of the seminal hip hop group the Wu-Tang Clan. Within the clan, he is known as the "spiritual head," being both the oldest and the first within the group to receive a record deal.

GZA has appeared on his fellow clan members' solo projects and since the release of his critically acclaimed solo album, Liquid Swords (1995), he has maintained a successful solo career. Steve Huey of Allmusic has called him "one of the best lyricists of the 1990s,"^[2] while the editors of About.com ranked him #17 on their list of the Top 50 MCs of Our Time (1987–2007), making him the highest-ranking Wu-Tang Clan member on the list (ahead of Method Man, Ghostface Killah and Raekwon).^[3]

Biography[link]

Gary Grice developed an interest in hip-hop by attending block parties as a child in the early '70s. He formed a three-man group with his cousins, who would later be known as RZA and Ol' Dirty Bastard. The group, All in Together Now, saw the three rapping and DJing, switching off names and performing local shows; since they lived in different boroughs, GZA and Ol' Dirty would travel from Brooklyn out to Staten Island to meet up with their cousin RZA, after which the three would travel across NYC and challenge other MCs to battles. After some years of this, GZA was signed to Cold Chillin' Records as a solo artist under the name The Genius. He put together an album called Words from the Genius, produced mostly by Easy Mo Bee, but after it failed to sell—and his rocky experience on tour—Grice became fed up and asked for release from the label.^[4]

After joining the Wu-Tang Clan, a group of nine which included himself, RZA and ODB, GZA boasted some high-profile appearances on the group's debut album, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), including a solo track, "Clan in da Front." This, combined with appearances on other Clan albums such as Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version and Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... brought him much recognition and respect (more than he achieved solo as "The Genius"). These guest appearances were followed up in 1995 with GZA's sophomore solo effort, Liquid Swords, produced entirely by RZA; the album was met with critical and commercial acclaim, and is still considered one of the best albums to come out of the Wu-Tang camp;^[5] in 1998, the album was selected as one of The Source Magazine's 100 Best Rap Albums of all time.

2000

After appearing on the Wu-Tang Clan's second album, Wu-Tang Forever, GZA released Beneath the Surface in 1999. Reviews were mostly positive and the album did well (going Gold), though it failed to live up to Liquid Swords' acclaim or commercial success^{[citation needed]}. Like the post-debut projects of many Clan members, critics decried the album's lack of RZA production^{[citation needed]}, claiming the underground producers and Wu-Elements used did not live up to the producer's skill level. Grice put in appearances on The W, Iron Flag and some of his group members' solo projects, but did not release another of his own until 2002 with Legend of the Liquid Sword. The album was received well by critics, but did not achieve commercial success, failing to go Gold as his previous release had. GZA spent 2004 touring, both solo and with the Clan, and made an appearance with RZA in Jim Jarmusch's film Coffee & Cigarettes, opposite Bill Murray.

In 2005, GZA and DJ Muggs (the producer for hip-hop group Cypress Hill) released the LP Grandmasters. Muggs provided all the production for the album, which saw GZA using chess as a metaphor for the rap game.^[6] The album received positive reviews^[7] and modest commercial success. He then partook in the recording of groupmate Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II, originally stating that he was heavily featured along with Inspectah Deck, though he was later unsure about his status on the project.^[8]

2007 saw GZA teaming up with his Wu-Tang Clan to record the group album 8 Diagrams, and in the ensuing controversy, defended both Raekwon and Ghostface Killah's rights to speak their mind, and RZA's production job on the album.^[9] In the summer of 2008, he released the album Pro Tools which featured production from Black Milk and past collaborators Jay "Waxxx" Garfield, RZA, Mathematics and True Master. A very controversial song on the album was entitled "Paper Plates" a smooth flowing response aimed at rival rapper 50 Cent. After the release GZA toured various parts of Europe on a "Liquid Swords Tour" where he performed songs from Liquid Swords as well as Pro Tools. He later toured parts of the USA. GZA also stated his wish to record another full album with RZA.^[10]

In 2009, GZA made appearances on two more Wu-Tang Clan albums. The first being on a song entitled "Stomp Da Roach" on the album Dopium, by fellow clan member U-God, the other being appearances on the tracks "We Will Rob You", "Rockstars" and "House of Flying Daggers", on Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II. The Genius continued to tour during the year, appearing on the "Rock The Bells" lineup and also performing at the NXNE music festival in Canada. Recently, RZA confirmed that he will be producing Liquid Swords II: The Return Of The Shadowboxer, which is tentatively due in 2012. The GZA also made an appearance in a video for Devendra Banhart's song titled "Baby". For Liquid Swords II, he has recently confirmed with Examiner.com that Killah Priest will hold a solo song ala 'B.I.B.L.E.' to act as the closer to the album just like the original. He has also begun work on an album, a concept album, called Dark Matter. The album is based on a journey thru time and space. He will also be appearing on the upcoming collaboration album between producers Pete Rock & DJ Premier V.S. album appearing on Premier's track.^[11] In a recent lecture, GZA also "hinted at the possibility of an album without a Parental Advisory sticker", after denouncing profanity in hip-hop as "filler which is not needed".^[12]

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

Singles[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: GZA

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: GZA

• GZA on Myspace
• GZA interview and photo shoot with Maxim.com
• Video interview with GZA
• GZA Interview with exclaim!
• GZA UK Live Reviews 2008
• The Making Of Liquid Swords: Waxpoetics' Interview By David Ma
• LOOKOUT Presents: Montreal interview with GZA
• UNCENSORED GZA Radio Interview 2010
• GZA Interview - GZA Interview with SLUG Magazine

This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (April 2009)

Brigitte Lin (Chinese: 林青霞; pinyin: Lín Qīngxiá) or Brigitte Lin Ching Hsia (born 3 November 1954) is a Taiwanese actress. She was a popular actress, regarded as an icon of Chinese cinema, who acted in both Taiwanese and Hong Kong movies. She retired in 1994, although she had a minor role in the 1998 film Bishonen.

Biography[link]

She was born in Taipei, and was "discovered" in 1972 by a film producer, and first appeared in many Taiwanese romance films based on the novels of Chiung Yao. Her movie debut is in Chuangwai. She later switched over to making movies in Hong Kong. At the height of her popularity she was arguably one of the most sought-after actresses in the Chinese film industry. She starred in more than 100 movies^{[citation needed]}.

In Hong Kong movies, Lin made a career of playing transgender roles: in Peking Opera Blues she plays a tomboy who dresses in male Western clothes; in New Dragon Gate Inn she is a woman who dresses as a man, and in Swordsman II and III she plays a male sorcerer who castrates himself for power and so is now slowly turning into a woman. She had a good working relationship with Tsui Hark, acting in many of the films he directed (like Peking Opera Blues) and produced (Swordsman II).

She married businessman Michael Ying in 1994 and left the film industry. She has two daughters, born in 1997 and 2001. She made her first public appearance since her marriage at a screening of Ashes of Time Redux at the 2008 New York Film Festival.

Partial filmography[link]

Lin's hand prints and autograph on the Avenue of Stars, Hong Kong

External links[link]

• Brigitte Lin's microblog at Weibo.com (Sina.com) (Chinese)
• Brigitte Lin at the Internet Movie Database
• Brigitte Lin at Hong Kong Movies Database

Matlock is an American television legal drama that ran from September 23, 1986 to May 8, 1992 on NBC, then from November 5, 1992 to May 7, 1995 on ABC. A total of 195 episodes were produced.

Seasons[link]

Season 1: 1986-1987[link]

• Linda Purl who portrayed Charlene Matlock departed the cast at the end of the first season.

Season 2 (1987-1988)[link]

1. "The Billionaire: Part 1" (first appearance of Michelle Thomas)
2. "The Billionaire: Part 2"
3. "Blind Justice"
4. "The Annihilator"
5. "The Husband"
6. "The Power Brokers: Part 1"
7. "The Power Brokers: Part 2"
8. "The Network" - Matlock defends a television executive accused of murdering his boss. Guest appearance of ALF.
9. "The Best Friend"
10. "The Country Boy"
11. "The Gift" - Matlock defends a Santa accused of murder - Brian Emerson. Maggie Crowley, Brian's ex-wife, was murdered at 5 minutes past 10:00. She was hosting a Christmas party populated by Santa Clauses. Matlock also plays father Christmas to Wendy Crowley, Maggie and Brian's daughter, and spreads some Christmas Cheer on a judge who has lost his Christmas spirit.
12. "The Gambler" - Matlock defends a police Lieutenant against a murder charge in Las Vegas. Laura Norwood, the victim, was killed on the evening of the 19th, between 10:30 and 11:30. She was staying on the 6th floor of a hotel run by Lewis Devlin, in the Princess Suite.
13. "The Body"
14. "The Reunion"
15. "The Gigolo"
16. "The Umpire" - Matlock defends a Insurance Salesman (Richard Kline) accused of killing his boss after a disputed play during a softball game in which the boss was the umpire.
17. "The Investigation: Part 1"
18. "The Investigation: Part 2"
19. "The Hucksters"
20. "The Lovelorn"
21. "The Genius"
22. "The Magician"
23. "The Fisherman"
24. "The Heiress"

Season 3 (1988-1989)[link]

1. "The Lemon" (first appearance of Les Calhoun)
2. "The Ambassador: Part 1"
3. "The Ambassador: Part 2"
4. "The Mistress"
5. "The D.J."
6. "The Captain"
7. "The Vendetta"
8. "The Mayor: Part 1"
9. "The Mayor: Part 2"
10. "The Black Widow"
11. "The Other Woman"
12. "The Starlet"
13. "The Psychic"
14. "The Thief: Part 1"
15. "The Thief: Part 2"
16. "The Thoroughbred"
17. "The Model"
18. "The Cult"
19. "The Blues Singer"
20. "The Priest"

Season 4 (1989-1990)[link]

1. "The Hunting Party: Part 1" (first appearance of Conrad McMasters)
2. "The Hunting Party: Part 2"
3. "The Good Boy"
4. "The Best Seller"
5. "The Ex"
6. "The Clown"
7. "The Star"
8. "The Con Man"
9. "The Prisoner: Part 1"
10. "The Prisoner: Part 2"
11. "The Fugitive"
12. "The Buddies"
13. "The Scrooge"
14. "The Witness"
15. "The Student"
16. "The Talk Show"
17. "The Victim"
18. "The Kidnapper"
19. "The Pro"
20. "The Informer: Part 1"
21. "The Informer: Part 2"
22. "The D.A."
23. "The Blackmailer"
24. "The Cookie Monster"

Season 5 (1990-1991)[link]

1. "The Mother"
2. "No Where To Turn: Part 1"
3. "No Where To Turn: Part 2"
4. "The Madam"
5. "The Personal Trainer"
6. "The Narc"
7. "The Secret: Part 1"
8. "The Secret: Part 2"
9. "The Brothers"
10. "The Cover Girl"
11. "The Biker"
12. "The Broker"
13. "The Fighter"
14. "The Critic"
15. "The Parents"
16. "The Man Of The Year"
17. "The Arsonist"
18. "The Formula"
19. "The Trial: Part 1"
20. "The Trial: Part 2"
21. "The Accident"
22. "The Celebrity"

Season 6 (1991-1992)[link]

1. "The Witness Killings: Part 1"
2. "The Witness Killings: Part 2"
3. "The Strangler"
4. "The Nightmare"
5. "The Marriage Counselor"
6. "The Dame"
7. "The Suspect: Part 1"
8. "The Suspect: Part 2"
9. "The Defense"
10. "The Game Show"
11. "The Foursome"
12. "The Picture: Part 1"
13. "The Picture: Part 2"
14. "The Outcast: Part 1"
15. "The Outcast: Part 2"
16. "The Big Payoff"
17. "The Abduction"
18. "Mr. Awesome"
19. "The Evening News: Part 1"
20. "The Evening News: Part 2"
21. "The Assassination: Part 1" (first appearance of Leanne MacIntyre)
22. "The Assassination: Part 2"

Season 7 (1992-1993)[link]

1. "The Vacation: Part 1" (first appearance of Cliff Lewis)
2. "The Vacation: Part 2"
3. "The Legacy: Part 1"
4. "The Legacy: Part 2"
5. "The Ghost" - A murder victim returns from the dead as a ghost and asks Matlock to defend his wife, who is charged with his death.
6. "The Class"
7. "The Singer"
8. "The Mark"
9. "The Juror"
10. "The Fortune: Part 1"
11. "The Fortune: Part 2"
12. "The Debt"
13. "The Revenge"
14. "The Obsession"
15. "The Divorce"
16. "The Final Affair: Part 1"
17. "The Final Affair: Part 2"
18. "The Competition"

Season 8 (1993-1994)[link]

1. "The Play"
2. "The Fatal Seduction: Part 1"
3. "The Fatal Seduction: Part 2"
4. "The Diner"
5. "The View"
6. "The Last Laugh"
7. "The Capital Offense"
8. "The Haunted: Part 1"
9. "The Haunted: Part 2"
10. "The Conspiracy"
11. "Matlock’s Bad, Bad,Dream"
12. "The Defendant"
13. "The Kidnapping: Part 1"
14. "The Kidnapping: Part 2"
15. "The Temptation"
16. "The Crook"
17. "The Murder Game"
18. "Brennen"
19. "The P.I."-- a backdoor pilot...after Ben briefly meets Jesse Morgan (Tracy Nelson) in the teaser,the remainder is set in Los Angeles and centered entirely on Jesse and her father (George Peppard) with no Matlock characters even mentioned.
20. "The Godfather"
21. "The Idol: Part 1"
22. "The Idol: Part 2"

Season 9 (1994-1995)[link]

1. "The Accused: Part 1" (first appearance of Jerri Stone)
2. "The Accused: Part 2"
3. "The Scandal"
4. "The Dare" - A millionaire bent on revenge murders one of Matlock's closest friends and dares the lawyer to prove he did it.
5. "The Tabloid" - Matlock defends a senatorial candidate accused of murdering a tabloid paper editor. Senatorial candidate Carol Davis has a photo taken of her which embarrasses her, and when she confronts Ross Buckley, the editor-in-chief of the National Informer, she finds him dead. The murder weapon turns up at her house, and she is accused of his murder. The real killer was Chet Sellers, a photographer at the paper and a high school dropout, who discovered that Ross and Reverend Wesley Masters were conspiring together concerning a picture he had taken, and he killed him.
6. "The Coach"
7. "The Dating Game"
8. "The Confession"
9. "Dead Air"
10. "The Getaway"
11. "The Verdict"
12. "The Deadly Dose"
13. "The Target"
14. "The Assault"
15. "The Heist Part: 1"
16. "The Heist Part: 2"
17. "The Scam: Part 1"
18. "The Scam: Part 2"

See also[link]

• List of characters in Matlock

External links[link]

• Complete Episode Guide at tagsrwc.com
• Matlock at tv.com
• Episodes for "Matlock" at the Internet Movie Database
• www.tv.com