Many Westerners have the idea that everyone in China knows how to do kung fu. This is, of course, a silly belief. But it is true that kung fu is a big part of Chinese culture.
Like most people from the West, I was first introduced to kung fu through Hong Kong action films. Stars like Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan made kung fu popular in the Western world. The flashy and impressive performances they gave in films like Rumble in the Bronx and Enter the Dragon made them household names in the U.S. and elsewhere.
However, my own personal interest in kung fu was actually inspired by a hip hop group. Wu－Tang Clan, founded in the early 1990s in New York City, is one of the most influential hip hop groups in history.
In their songs, they sometimes mention philosophical concepts that come from
Wudang quan — a classic Chinese martial art from which they take their name — and Shaolin Temple. I was just a teenager when I first started listening to Wu－Tang Clan — little did I know that I would actually end up living in China later in my life!
I myself do not practice kung fu. However, the concepts behind it are quite interesting to me. There is a Bruce Lee quote that I often think of when I'm struggling with challenges in life. "Be formless, shapeless, like water," he once said. By this, he meant that you should be ready to adapt to and change your attitudes or beliefs when you face difficulties. I think this is a good way to deal with life.
