The top 14 Jet Li Quotes for martial arts and life

Jet Li is a martial artist turned movie star who is best known for films such as Hero and One. Here, he shows off his beautiful array of martial arts skills and stunts that look out of this world. Unlike some movie stars who claim to be well versed in martial arts, Jet Li is legitimate and is the real deal. Back in his early teenage years, he won the Chinese Wushu youth Championship five years in a row before leaving the sport to pursue a career on the big screen.

For those out of the loop, Wushu is a Chinese martial art and is a general term that encompasses many types of fighting. However, for the most part it can be generalized and compared to the likes of Kung Fu and Karate. With this in mind, it’s fair to say that Jet Li earned his stripes and competed often, which proves his skills. However, he’s not just a fighter and also has some great philosophical comments about life in general. Here’s 14 of his best quotes that should help inspire you in all walks of life.

1. “If you are always allowed to stop training whenever you feel discomfort, you will find it too easy to give yourself permission to quit”

2. “Everything too fast is not good but everything too slow is also not good. You need balance. That is why I like martial arts as it always tells you how to control your body, you mind, your heart. Balance. Balance can keep the world’s peace. I think that’s a very good thing”

3. “In martial arts, the biggest enemy is self. Inside you struggle because you want to prove something”

4. “Everywhere I go, I still find time to meditate. People think meditating is sitting there, nobody bothering you, but you can even talk and still meditate”

5. “There is no pure success. I am an action actor. I have broken almost every piece of my body”

6. “Failure is a fuel for excuses”

7. “I think Hero is not a real martial arts movie. It is not about violence, or formula.

8. “You are killing yourself for a job that would replace you within a week if you drop dead. Take care of yourself”

9. “You can use martial arts to tell a different story. Ang Lee made martial arts in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon to talk about love”

10. “One cannot choose how one’s life begins but you can choose to face the end with courage”

11. “A weapon isn’t good or bad. It depends on the person who uses it”

12. “Bruce Lee was very famous. I watched his movies and he is amazing. He is a martial arts master, his philosophy, his movement, both physically and mentally, were very strong”

13. “Wushu is a move in Chinese, a physical move. An attack, Wushu is like art”

14. “I didn’t go to normal children school. I went to sports school when I was 8 so I studied martial arts”

Want to learn more about Chinese Wushu? Check out this great book here.