In the world of Chinese martial arts and film, there is a character whose name may not be as loud as Sammo Hung, Jackie Chan, Jet Li, etc., but his martial arts and influence cannot be underestimated. He is Zhao Changjun, a martial arts master, film and television actor and martial arts instructor, known as "martial arts diplomat", "martial arts prince" and "a new generation of martial arts students".
He used to be a winning general in martial arts competitions at home and abroad, and he was also the male protagonist of the TV series "The Legend of Haitang". He is also the mentor of kung fu superstars such as Donnie Yen, and has made outstanding contributions to the development of Chinese martial arts.
Zhao Changjun was born in 1960 in Xi'an to a family of ordinary workers, Hui nationality, originally from Kaifeng, Henan. He began to practice martial arts at the age of six, and entered the Shaanxi Provincial Wushu Team at the age of ten to receive systematic professional training.
From 1972 to 1987, with his excellent martial arts and superhuman perseverance, he won the individual all-around championship ten times in domestic and foreign wushu competitions, winning 54 gold medals, becoming the only "ten consecutive champions" and "gold medalists" in the Chinese martial arts world so far. The "Earth Trip Fist", "Wind Chasing Knife" and "Mad Devil's Stick" practiced by him are known as the "Three Peerless Zhaos" with their unique style.
Zhao Changjun is not only an excellent athlete, but also a charismatic actor. Since the 80s, he has starred in more than 30 films and TV series such as "Wudang", "Shenzhou First Dao", "Blue Blood Treasure Dao", "Dao King V", "Pujiang Fengyun", "Chinese Kung Fu", "The Legend of Haitang", "Shengshui Guan Seven True Sons" and so on.
Among them, in the late 80s and early 90s of the last century, he starred in the TV series "The Legend of the Sea Lantern", which was popular all over the country and was once empty; It is still a beautiful childhood memory of the post-70s and post-80s! In this drama, Zhao Changjun plays a Shaolin disciple named Hai Deng, who falls in love with the heroine White Lotus (played by Zhang Min), showing a touching love story.
Zhao Changjun not only showed his superb martial arts in the play, but also showed his multi-faceted acting talent, which can play both a righteous warrior and a humorous pranker.
Zhao Changjun is also an educator with a sense of responsibility and mission. After retiring in 1987, he resolutely chose to establish a martial arts school, and took "comprehensive optimization and characteristics, and the establishment of a first-class martial arts school" as the goal of running the school. He has trained many martial arts newcomers, including Donnie Yen, Wu Jing, Jet Li and so on. Donnie Yen once studied martial arts with Zhao Changjun for a whole year, and Zhao Changjun had a great influence on his martial arts skills and performance style.
Donnie Yen has become famous for his superb martial arts and excellent acting skills in films such as "Ip Man" and "Kill the Wolf". However, Donnie Yen never forgot his master Zhao Changjun's guidance to him, and on many occasions he mentioned his unforgettable experience of martial arts training in Xi'an.
Zhao Changjun is also a very caring and public welfare person. As a martial arts expert, he has traveled abroad with Chinese wushu delegations for many times, investigating, lecturing and disseminating Chinese martial arts skills, covering more than 40 countries on five continents. He has made outstanding contributions to the mainland's martial arts career to the world.
He also actively participated in social welfare activities, donating money and materials to children in poverty-stricken areas, helping people with disabilities, and sending warmth to people in disaster-stricken areas. He has won the "Sports Medal of Honor" issued by the National Sports Commission for many times, and has been elected as "National People's Congress Deputy", "National Model Worker" and "National Advanced Individual for National Unity and Progress".
In 1994, Zhao Changjun was selected as the only expert with outstanding contributions in the martial arts field and was selected as one of the "45 heroes of the sports world for the 45th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China"; In 1995, Zhao Changjun was awarded the title of "Chinese Martial Star" by the Chinese Wushu Association.
Zhao Changjun is a rare talent in the martial arts and film industry, who has conquered countless audiences and fans with his strength and charm. He is the person Sammo Hung can't move, the person Jet Li can't beat, the master Donnie Yen respects, and the hero we admire. He is a banner in the Chinese martial arts and film industry, and a pride of the Chinese nation!