As soon as "The Knife In the Snow" was broadcast, it was complained about by all walks of life, especially for the martial arts in the play, the audience was disappointed, not only this film and television work, but also many film and television dramas, so that the audience have lamented that Chinese martial arts have gone backwards for 20 years.
However, in the 1980s and 1990s, as well as in the 2000s, whether it was action movies or martial arts films, they were second to none in China, and any film and television drama could be taken out of hand to hang some of the martial arts dramas in some of the current film and television dramas.
The 1982 movie "Shaolin Temple" was popular all over the country, and although the ticket price was only a dime, it still hit a box office of 160 million, which was undoubtedly a box office miracle at that time. The film not only made Jet Li burst into flames, but also made the audience remember Jet Li's master in the film, Yu Hai. He is also the action martial arts instructor of Shaolin Temple.
Between filming, he also focused on the communication and dissemination of Chinese martial arts, but what happened to him? Why did he accompany Premier Zhou on a foreign trip?
Martial arts master Yu Hai
Yu Hai was a true martial artist, born in 1942 in an ordinary family in Shandong. He was not originally called Yu Hai, but in Heaven, because of his parents' beliefs, which is why he got this name.
However, at that time, the era was special, and although the meaning of the name was good, it also fell into the handle and became the target of attack by others, so he had to change his name. At that time, the relationship between cadres and the masses was very important, and they were as close as fish and water, so he named himself "Yu Hai", which also meant that fish could not be separated from water.
When he was young, he was very lively and always idle, and most of the physical education classes at that time were martial arts, so this made him have a strong interest. He likes to fight boxing and some leg and foot kung fu, often playing with himself, and he did not expect that he would become a martial arts actor in the future.
But it was also at this time that he had the privilege of meeting his future mentor, Lin Jingshan.
During Lin Jingshan's previous period of study, he worked hard and persevered, and finally inherited the full essence of Mantis Fist. In addition, he will also have some other punches, palm techniques, and some instrumental kung fu, in terms of actual combat, he is also very powerful, is the envy of many people "Zhongyuan Strange Hero".
Lin Jingshan came to Yuhai's middle school to teach physical education, and there were many students, but he still found the outstanding Yu Hai.
Yu Hai has been strong since he was a child, his body is strong, his arms and legs are more powerful than others, and he usually practices at home, which also makes his fists very hard and more powerful.
Lin Jingshan saw that Yu Hai also liked to practice martial arts, so he also attached great importance to him, so he took him as an apprentice and cultivated him with his heart.
Yu Hai was in excellent health and more diligent than others, which made Lin Jingshan very satisfied. Under the guidance of the master, Yu Hai made rapid progress and soon stood out among the brothers of the master.
Lin Jingshan saw that he really had talent and loved to learn martial arts, so he taught him kung fu such as sword techniques, sword skills, plum blossom guns, sticks, etc., and his favorite was mantis fist.
Although Yu Hai practiced each well, the most powerful one was the mantis fist, in order to understand the essence of this set of martial arts, he personally went to catch the mantis, and then observed the mantis attack at close range to find their characteristics.
Also in order to be able to practice mantis fist, he put hundreds of praying mantises in his room and studied them all day.
Kung Fu pays off, Yu Hai's mantis fist is becoming more and more refined, and his master Lin Jingshan is more satisfied with this apprentice, and whenever he mentions this apprentice, he is very happy and proud.
On the recommendation of his master, in 1958, Yu Hai participated in the National Wushu Competition, passed five levels and slashed six generals, and finally won the championship with this set of mantis fists, and he also became a real national martial arts athlete.
Later, Yu Hai represented Shandong in various competitions, he was calm and not impatient, and finally won the all-around championship. And Yu Hai's name is also known to more people.
In 1960, Premier Zhou visited Myanmar with a wushu delegation, and 18-year-old Yu Hai was in the delegation. Later, Yu Hai also served as the head of the Chinese martial arts delegation many times, visited many countries, promoted Chinese martial arts, and let more foreign friends know about Chinese kung fu.
After that, Yu Hai turned into a new industry and became an actor.
Chinese martial arts actor Yu Hai
In 1979, the movie "Shaolin Temple" was in intensive preparation, and most of the actors were from the Henan Peking Opera Troupe, although they were a bit skilled, but after all, they were not trained in martial arts, and could not perfectly interpret Chinese martial arts. Therefore, the producer invited the famous director Zhang Xinyan.
He overturned the previous script and redefined the film as a "light comedy." Director Zhang Xinyan also sought refinement in everything and could not tolerate sloppiness, so he invited a real martial artist to shoot the movie.
At that time, Jet Li had won the national martial arts championship, his image was good, he served as the lead actor of the film Chang Yuan, and the master of "Chang Yuan", Zhang Xinyan, invited Yu Hai, Yu Hai heard that filming can promote Chinese martial arts, and he did not hesitate to agree.
The crew did not ask for martial arts instructors, hoping that the actors could truly perform martial arts, and Yu Hai was senior, he often guided some young actors with weak skills, and he became the martial arts instructor of this film.
Yu Hai and Jet Li had actually met before. Both of them came from martial arts training and often participated in competitions in China, and Jet Li, as a junior, naturally had heard of Yu Hai's name. And Yu Hai's impression of this rising star is also very deep. And at that time, Jet Li loved to laugh very much, and every time the competition was over, he would smile and hug his fist to thank him, which was very pleasing.
In 1975, Yu Hai visited abroad as the head of the Chinese martial arts delegation, and Jet Li was also in this martial arts delegation, and Yu Hai felt that the child's future was unlimited. However, a few years later, Jet Li withdrew from the martial arts world due to injury, which was a pity. Yu Hai and Jet Li did not expect that this time shooting the movie, they could see each other again.
The two of them are masters and apprentices in the play, and outside the play, Yu Hai also gives him more guidance. After contact, the two also feel sorry for each other, one appreciates, one worships, just like a pair of real masters and apprentices. Moreover, Yu Hai also taught mantis fist to Jet Li.
In one of the shoots, Yu Hai accidentally fell off the horse, the protective measures at that time were not as good as now, and he still starred in person, without a stand-in, so he suffered some injuries, dislocated his arm and fractured, but in order not to delay the shooting process, he still endured the pain to complete the shooting task.
In 1982, the film was finally released, and the audience was amazed by the martial arts in the film, and was pleasantly surprised by Hai's martial arts skills and the robust mantis fist.
Later, Yu Hai and Jet Li also collaborated on other films, and the master-apprentice relationship continued to other works.
Later, Yu Hai met a descendant who was born in martial arts, that is, Wu Jing.
Director Zhang Xinyan could not find a suitable actor when filming "Kung Fu Kid Breaks Through", but by chance, he met Wu Jing, and he took a look at him and invited him to star in his own movie.
Although the film is not as popular as "Shaolin Temple", Zhang Xinyan admires Wu Jing. So much so that Zhang Xinyan specially tailored a script for him "Taiji Master", although this is a TV series, director Zhang Xinyan also attaches great importance to the quality of this TV series, invited Yu Hai to play Wu Jing's "father-in-law", Wu Jing also became acquainted with Yu Hai, and also worshiped under his door.
This TV series has achieved unexpected success, and even set off a "Tai Chi fever" in China.
Everyone knows that Wu Jing is the representative of the tough guy, and he is in front of the sea, and he is also obedient like a rabbit.
Although Yu Hai always played the "master", many people remember that he was the "master" of Jet Li and Wu Jing, but he also played the main role. In 1990's "Tongtian Elder", the protagonist is Yu Hai.
It is said that the technology of 1990 should be better than before, and it is a real martial arts master starring, even if it is not a fire, the heat should not be small. However, the director is not Zhang Xinyan, who strives for excellence after all, and the wonderful fights in the play are replaced by "fifty cent special effects", so in the end, this movie seems very rough.
Although Yu Hai did not pass the fire through this movie, he did not mind, the purpose of his film and television drama is to promote Chinese martial arts, let more people know martial arts, and are willing to be patient to learn martial arts.
So in addition to filming film and television dramas, he also founded a martial arts school, which mainly taught mantis fist, supplemented by other kung fu. Under his efforts, many people have come into contact with traditional Chinese martial arts, and he has also made many contributions to the promotion of Chinese martial arts, and Chinese martial arts have also been inherited and carried forward
Martial arts and film and television dramas
In the past, many film and television dramas have shown Chinese martial arts, starting from Bruce Lee and later jackie Chan and other martial arts stars, so that more people love martial arts, even foreign people have a kind of obsession with Chinese martial arts, and even some foreigners think that in China, everyone can do martial arts.
There are many performances of martial arts in film and television dramas, and when the audience watches superb martial arts, on the one hand, they will feel that martial arts are very powerful, which makes people envious of those "masters", on the other hand, they will also think that these film and television dramas are good films.
However, I don't know when it began, the martial arts in the film and television drama has become slow motion, the wonderful martial arts drama from fist to flesh has also been replaced by special effects, and the protagonist is no longer the image of having great love in his heart and maintaining justice, but indecisive, children's love, and love above all else.
In particular, some actors are very "golden", not to mention the injury of filming, even if they are said by the director, they are very injured. Some actors cut their fingers and immediately went to the hospital, which also made many viewers complain: "If you don't hurry to the hospital, the wound will heal!" ”
Some actors use stand-ins at every turn, although it is to catch up with the progress, but many times they will still use stand-ins, riding doubles, fighting with doubles, long-range use doubles, and some close-ups and shots that need to show their faces will be personally starred. This also makes many viewers can't help but complain: stars take high pay, and dangerous things are done by stand-ins.
However, before Yu Hai was filming "Kung Fu Kid Breaks through the Pass", he met the "boxing king" Zhou Billy. Zhou Billy's hands are very heavy, not only his fists are hard, but his legs are also powerful, and in front of him, even Jet Li and Wu Jingjing have to wear protective gear. However, Yu Hai did not wear protective gear when he met him.
Two people compete, much like the master test in martial arts novels, fist to flesh, without relying on any special effects, it is a wonderful fight. The crew applauded when they saw it and couldn't help but admire it.
The competition between them, placed in any film and television drama, is a textbook-level fight.
Unfortunately, there are not many martial arts masters like Yu Hai, and even if he is as powerful, there are not many people who try their best to inherit and promote traditional Chinese martial arts.
The martial arts world lacks inheritors like Yu Hai, and there is a lack of qualified martial arts instructors like him in film and television dramas, and there is also a lack of directors like Zhang Xinyan who strive for excellence.
I don't know if the entertainment industry is too impetuous, or some people are not serious, so that the martial arts drama of some film and television dramas is not as good as the fights between children, special effects, cutouts, slow motion... Let the audience also be powerless to complain.
I hope that China's martial arts films, xianxia films, etc. can be treated well, and the martial arts drama will be promoted, and the Chinese "martial arts" should not be allowed to regress, but should continue to move forward.
Why do many people like Wu Jing's "Wolf Warrior" series? On the one hand, it is patriotic, on the other hand, it is also because of the tough guy image in the movie, the martial arts shot is very smooth.
I hope that the traditional Chinese martial arts can continue to be carried forward, Yu Hai has set a good example to the younger generations with his own practical actions, and now he is old, but the Chinese martial arts will not grow old, and the inheritance cannot be broken!