From Bruce Lee to 15 Asian Games Gold Medals: The "Chinese Kung Fu" the World Wants to Master Takes Center Stage in Nagoya

Mention "Chinese Kung Fu," and foreign audiences often picture Bruce Lee brandishing nunchucks or Jackie Chan's signature acrobatic brawls. But at the Asian Games, Kung Fu is no longer just a silver-screen spectacle of roof-leaping and gravity-defying stunts—it has evolved into a formal athletic language with official point systems, medal events, national anthems, and flag-raising ceremonies.

From September 20 to 24, the Nagoya Asian Games Wushu competition is taking place at the Aichi Prefectural Budokan, offering 15 gold medals in total: eight in Taolu (demonstration forms)—covering Changquan, Nanquan, Taijiquan, as well as weapons including broadsword, straight sword, spear, and cudgel—and seven in Sanda (free fighting) weight divisions. China has already swept twelve gold medals: Tong Xin successfully defended her title in the Women’s Taijiquan & Taijijian All-Round; Liu Dewen clinched gold in the Men’s Taijiquan & Taijijian All-Round with a score of 19.560; and Li Jianming and Zhang Yaling took top honors in the Men’s Nanquan & Nangun All-Round and Women’s Nanquan & Nandao All-Round, respectively.

Tong Xin defends her title to win gold at the Nagoya Asian Games. (Source: Xinhua)

From Cinematic Lore to International Sport

Wushu made its debut as an official medal sport at the 1990 Beijing Asian Games—the first continental multi-sport event hosted by China. That year, six Taolu events were contested. Yuan Wenqing, a 24-year-old athlete from Shanxi, swept the men's three-event all-round title in Changquan, broadsword, and cudgel. The Chinese delegation dominated the competition, sweeping all six gold medals along with five silvers. Four years later in Hiroshima, Yuan successfully defended his crown. Sanda was officially introduced at the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games. By the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games, 43 gold medals had been awarded in Asian Games Wushu history, with China capturing 34. Even more remarkably, 20 different national delegations have claimed Wushu medals over the years—with India, Pakistan, and Yemen all stepping onto the podium as early as the 2006 Doha Games.

Through this journey, "Kung Fu" achieved a profound leap: transforming from artistic cinema into a unified international sport governed by standardized global rules and difficulty ratings.

Foreign Athletes Become the Master Students of the Art

The standout performers of this martial sport are not exclusively Chinese. Case in point: Indonesia's "Wushu Queen," Lindswell Kwok. As an Indonesian of Chinese descent whose very name reflects her roots, she gained international fame through her fluid, effortless Taiji routines. At the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games, Kwok captured gold in the Women’s Taijiquan & Taijijian All-Round on home turf with a score of 19.50. Indonesian President Joko Widodo attended in person, subsequently hailing her as the "Wushu Queen of Asia" on social media. A foreign athlete training Taiji to the point of commanding national acclaim stands as a shining testament to how "Chinese Kung Fu" transcends borders.

Lindswell Kwok leaps toward gold at the Jakarta Asian Games. (Source: The Jakarta Post)

The passion international athletes hold for Wushu burns just as brightly as it does in China. South Korea's An Hyeon-gi, who secured bronze in the Men's Taijiquan & Taijijian All-Round this year, is a prime example. Meanwhile, Japan's Shiho Saito claimed the Women’s Taijiquan World Championship title in 2025.

South Korean athlete An Hyeon-gi competes in the Taijijian event. (Source: Xinhua)

The global footprint of Wushu is far more extensive than many realize. Founded in Beijing in 1990, the International Wushu Federation (IWUF) gained official recognition from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 2002. Today, its member associations have expanded to 164 across five continents—including 43 in Africa, 40 in Asia, 46 in Europe, 26 in the Americas, and 9 in Oceania. According to IWUF statistics, approximately 3 million people practice Wushu in Africa, while the global practicing population exceeds 120 million. As IWUF Secretary-General Zhang Qiuping perceptively noted: the core ethos of Wushu is not fighting, but physical wellness—"In promoting Chinese Wushu, our emphasis is not on combat, but on health and fitness." The global appeal of these martial arts forms relies not on physical force, but on cultural resonance.

African martial arts enthusiasts practicing Wushu routines. (Source: Xinhua Net)

A Universal Language Spoken in Hong Kong

For Hong Kong sports fans, Asian Games Wushu is a familiar story. This year's Hong Kong delegation features several returning stars: Mok Wan-ying returns in the Women’s Taijiquan & Taijijian All-Round; Sham Hiu-yu and Yeung Tsz-ying compete in Women’s Changquan; Yeung Chung-hei in Men’s Taiji All-Round; alongside Chan Tsz-ching, Leung Yu-hong, and Cheung Yat-lam in Sanda. The Hong Kong team delivered a stellar performance at the Asian Games, bringing home a total of 4 medals (1 gold, 2 silver, and 1 bronze). Notably, Sham Hiu-yu clinched Hong Kong’s very first gold medal of these Asian Games in the Women’s Changquan with a dazzling score of 9.713, outperforming a formidable field of competitors. With free live broadcasts provided by HOY TV, local audiences in Hong Kong can witness firsthand how this "Chinese cultural language" is being spoken with increasing fluency and mastery across all of Asia.

Sham Hiu-yu claims gold in Women's Changquan, securing Hong Kong's first gold medal of the Games.

Beyond the Screen: A Truly Global Sport

From Bruce Lee’s iconic films to the Asian Games podium, Chinese Kung Fu has completed a historic identity transformation. It is no longer merely a staple of Hollywood action choreography, but a respected global sport with standardized scoring, rigorous rules, and enduring heritage. Behind these 15 gold medals lie decades of dedicated effort to "go global," matched by the enthusiasm of international practitioners "stepping in." When a set of martial arts routines inspires the world to follow along, cultural export needs no further translation.

Chinamaxxing

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An ancient Chinese proverb declares: "Food is the primary necessity of the people." The weight of this saying extends far beyond mere flavor. Food security forms the bedrock of national security, while dining table order serves as a microcosm of social stability. A society that can nourish 1.4 billion people according to seasonal cycles—warming them with hot meals and gathering them around shared tables—rests upon the long-term, seamless alignment of agriculture, logistics, public health, and social governance. This is the most grounded, everyday manifestation of China’s holistic national security framework.

Recently, this deeply rooted dietary philosophy has quietly emerged as a viral global trend among Gen Z and young adults worldwide. On international social platforms, users are replacing morning cold smoothies with warm congee and nourishing soups, candidly sharing that "now, whenever I think of breakfast, I just want warm congee." Others post daily check-ins showcasing Chinese wellness routines—brewing apple-red date-goji tea, taking warm foot baths before bedtime, and practicing Baduanjin Qigong—eagerly announcing that they have "entered a very Chinese era of life." Xinhua News Agency reported that related topics have accumulated hundreds of millions of views.

International social media users document their journeys of learning to "live like the Chinese." (Source: China Daily photo)

This marks the most appetizing chapter of the "Chinamaxxing" movement: global audiences are falling in love not merely with the taste of Chinese food, but with the comprehensive worldview embedded behind every dish.

Food as a Worldview: Warming Yang, Dispelling Cold, and Eating in Season

This lifestyle framework possesses a clear philosophical lineage. A commentary in People's Daily noted that the widespread habit of drinking warm water stems from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) principles centered on "Warming Yang and Dispelling Cold" (nourishing internal vitality and expelling chill). The rich spectrum of Chinese culinary culture embodies the fundamental human pursuit of harmony through food.

Long before the current trend, content creator Li Ziqi introduced "eating in season and adapting to nature" to a global audience. Her YouTube playlists—focusing on seasonal eating and dietary moderation—feature peach blossom wine in March, loquat pastries in May, and autumn-cured meats preserved for winter. By 2019, her channel had amassed 7.46 million subscribers, with single videos reaching 40 million views; today, her subscriber base stands at 33.7 million, outperforming numerous mainstream international media outlets. As one international viewer commented: "What she shows us is a dimension of China we never understood before."

Li Ziqi incorporates edible flowers into seasonal recipes, translating natural cycles into aesthetic table presentations. (Source: Li Ziqi's Weibo photo)

Physical wellbeing provides the ultimate proof. Fröhler, a young Austrian convert to the lifestyle, shared her realization: "A proper meal must feature warm, cooked food. Hot food is rooted in TCM principles—it prioritizes internal balance and long-term wellness over quick symptomatic fixes. It’s a remarkably wise philosophy." Today, she prioritizes shared meals, chooses sugar-free options, and practices diligent sun protection. Similarly, Gwen, an American expat living in Guangzhou, found her daily life transformed from palate to lifestyle: her kitchen runs entirely on wok cooking, and habits like drinking warm water during her period—conceptually alien in the US—have seamlessly become second nature. A research team led by Professor Xiao Jun at Wuhan University analyzed over 2,000 original videos under these trending topics, concluding that the sustained momentum of this craze lies in global youth's enthusiastic embrace of Chinese holistic wellness.

Shared Meals: Human Connection Across the Dining Table

Deeper than personal wellness is the cultural tradition of communal dining. An analysis in Beijing Daily observed that fast-paced urban living and isolation represent shared challenges for global youth today. The Chinese way of life—emphasizing family bonds, shared meals, and balanced moderation—provides an emotional anchor. Communal dining fosters social belonging, while warm meals deliver a sense of safety and comfort.

In response, international creators are sharing videos of themselves wrapping dumplings and mastering Chinese recipes, while posting their progress on Chinese social platforms. Ghimire, a young woman from Nepal, introduced these Chinese habits to her family back home: "These methods are simple, yet deeply nourishing." Gathering around a table and greeting guests with tea—table customs long taken for granted in China—are becoming the aspirational lifestyle for young people around the world.

Learning to wrap dumplings serves as an entry point for international youth to experience Chinese family traditions and communal food culture. (Source: CCTV.com photo)

Harmonizing Five Flavors: "Harmony in Diversity" Within a Single Pot

At the heart of Chinese culinary theory lies the principle of harmonization. The philosopher Laozi wrote in the Tao Te Ching: "Governing a great nation is like cooking a small fish"—requiring precise heat control, measured seasoning, and patient balance. The wisdom of "Harmonizing Five Flavours" dictates that distinct ingredients and seasonings coexist in a single pot, preserving their individual characteristics while combining to create a harmonious new whole.

Mapped onto society, this philosophy of "Harmony in Diversity" (He Er Bu Tong) mirrors how diverse social groups and cultures coexist inclusively while forming a cohesive unity. Preserving the continuity and authenticity of this culinary heritage is itself an essential component of cultural security—food remains the strongest tether of cultural identity, and the significance of a slow-simmered soup extends far beyond taste. From diplomatic principles to personal relationships, China's ethos of "Harmony in Diversity" offers Western youth a fresh perspective on human connection.

Chinese culinary art relies on heat control and flavor balance, allowing diverse ingredients to showcase their unique attributes while melding into a unified dish. (Source: Well-Media photo)

The path through which the world comes to understand China is evolving: moving beyond superficial gazes at the Great Wall or giant pandas, and instead traveling through the palate directly into the heart of a civilization. Brand Finance’s Global Soft Power Index 2026 ranked China second worldwide with 73.5 points—making it the only nation in the top ten with an increasing score, while its international reputation ranking surpassed that of the US for the first time. Global audiences increasingly perceive China as a nation capable of offering warm, authentic experiences and deep cultural resonance.

Gathering over tea and dim sum ("Yum Cha") represents the quintessential shared-dining tradition familiar to Hong Kong residents. (Source: Getty Images photo)

For Hong Kong readers, this global phenomenon carries a comforting familiarity: Grandma's slow-simmered Cantonese soup, weekend Yum Cha at local dim sum halls, and the affectionate reminder to "drink more warm water." Having grown up immersed in this culinary wisdom, many may not have realized that these daily habits represent the very lifestyle global youth are eagerly seeking to adopt.

The most powerful cultural connection requires no translation: it requires only a shared table, good company, and a steaming pot of soup.