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Hong Kong superstar Donnie Yen Ji-dan is revered around the world for his martial arts prowess in such films as the Ip Man series and Rogue One: A Star Wars story. But you might never have imagined him as a skilled pianist.
While the martial artist is 56, let's look at 10 things about him that you may not be aware of.
1. Yen is made a point to change his nationality in Chinese
Born in Guangzhou, China, on July 27, 1963, Yen emigrates to the United States with his family at the age of 11 and obtains US citizenship. But he changed his nationality in China (Hong Kong) in 2009.
"Since I was very young, I know that Chinese blood is flowing in my body," he said. "I need a sense of belonging, I am 100% Chinese now."
2. Yen's mother is also a master of martial arts
Yen's mother, Bow-sim Mark, is a renowned grand martial arts master, specializing in Tai-chi and wudangquan fashionable Fu. She won a gold medal at the first international tai chi tournament in Wuhan City in 1984.
Mark founded the Chinese Wushu Research Institute in 1976. She taught Chinese in Wushu at Boston University and at Harvard University.
Yen began to learn martial arts from her mother from an early age. Her mother taught her red-tipped spear skills in the movie Hero (2002).
"My mother's students are all over the world, I always consider my mother as my idol and she is also my pride," Yen said in an interview.
3. Yen and Jet Li were clbadmates
In the United States, Yen is interested in free wrestling after watching Bruce Lee. But Yen's mother was not happy that he was involved in the practice. She sent Yen to the Shichahai Sport School in Beijing in 1978 to train with the wushu team in Beijing.
Later, Jet Li Lianjie joined the school, and Yen and Li learned with the famous coach Wu Bin.
Yen got a sixth grade black belt in taekwondo at school.
4. Yen really plays the piano
Yen is also good at playing the piano. "I'm happy to let the public know that Donnie Yen can not only fight hard but also play Chopin," he said once.
Yen's father, Klyster Yen, is a violinist and is also good at playing the erhu, a Chinese two-stringed violin.
Influenced by his father, the young Yen played the piano from an early age and eventually reached the 8th grade on piano exams of the ABRSM (Association of Royal Schools of Music).
In Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen (2010), Yen (playing Chen Zhen) plays the piano piece The International in front of Japanese invaders in a Chinese discotheque.
Yen also played a piano accompaniment for the Chinese version of Rogue One's official theme song: A Star Wars Story, in which he played one of the main characters.
In celebration of the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to China in 2017, Yen performed the Yellow River piano piece with pianist Lang Lang.
He remembers how his parents led him to excel in his childhood, often painfully.
"If I did not practice the piano, my father would hit me with a stick when he came home," he said. "If I did not practice martial arts, my mother would also hit me with a wooden stick."
5. The yen dances break-dance and Latin
Yen first showed his dancing skills in his first film, Mismatched Couples (1985), when his character started a break-dance contest with his love rival.
Yen also dances rumba with Shu Qi in Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen. In Ip Man 3 (2015), Yen dance cha cha with Lynn Xiong Dailin, who plays Ip's wife.
In an interview, he once revealed that he had enrolled in 10 Latin dance clbades to chase his wife, Cecilia Wang Shishi, but that he only needed three lessons to earn his love. Both rushed to get married in Toronto, Canada, paying no attention to the remaining seven lessons.
6. Yen likes to wear sunglbades
Yen is a collector of sunglbades. You can see him with his sunglbades in such films as Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen, Chasing the Dragon (2017), xXx: The Return of Xander Cage (2017) and Big Brother (2018).
When he was a child, Yen imitated his idol, Bruce Lee, wearing sunglbades.
"I went to school with the same clothes and sunglbades as Bruce Lee – everyone knew I could practice martial arts so they did not intimidate me." violence in school.
Yen even designed a series of limited edition sunglbades called DonniEYE in 2018, in cooperation with sunglbad brand Zupa Ztar and couture brand On Aura Tout Vu.
7. Yen wrote an autobiography
Yen used to write a column for Hong Kong's East Week magazine. In 2010, all these pieces were collected in an autobiography called Ask a Loyal Heart, detailing his experiences from childhood and friendship to romance.
Through this book, fans can find a different side of the yen. The book is printed in color and costs $ 68 HK ($ 11.90 S).
8. Yen is injured playing Crippled Ho
Yen needed an operation after playing the legendary criminal Crippled Ho in Chasing the Dragon.
After years of filming on martial arts, the problems of the actor had posed many problems. While playing Crippled Ho, he made a scene where he slammed along a road throwing his feet into the ground.
He ended up seriously aggravating his injuries to the toe. After filming, he had to have surgery and used crutches for four months.
9. Yen had only 100 Hong Kong dollars in its poorest era
The yen was not always financially secure. Due to a lack of sponsorship, he devoted all his savings to Ballistic Kiss (1998), his own work as a director. He did not expect the film to behave so badly at the box office.
"At that time, there were 100 Hong Kong dollars in my pocket," said Yen. "I have often eaten a squatting lunch box on the side of the road, so the producer was treating me with a meal."
10. Yen loves horses
With Karson Choi Ka-tsan, Yen bought a horse called Bad Boy in 2016. Born in Australia, Bad Boy won three races for coach John Moore in 2016.
Yen has been the ambbadador of the BMW Hong Kong Derby seven times and has even considered becoming a jockey. He has ridden horses in numerous films, such as 14 Blades (2014), Iceman (2014) and Chasing the Dragon.
In the next live version of Disney, Mulan, he will also ride in his role as Commander Tung, Mulan's teacher.
This article was first published in South China Morning Post.
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