Personality theories and their applications

Jet Li-Psychological Personality Analysis

The Image of Jet Li: Development of a Wu-Shu Master

For many years, Asian actors have not been given enough opportunities to break into the entertainment industry in the United States, popularly called the Hollywood. Only few Asian actors have made it big in Hollywood, of which the famed martial arts master Bruce Lee is considered as the first Asian who brought fame in the Asian entertainment industry through his martial arts movies. Jackie Chan, similarly, shares Bruce Lee's glory but in a different genre, where Chan uses martial arts not as a form of physical violence, but a form of art movement. Also, Chan's movies are mostly humorous, illustrating Chan's penchant for a feel-good movie for his audience.

Another name that has emerged as another potential Asian martial arts actor is Jet Li, a wu-shu expert who hailed from Beijing, China. Jet Li is popularly known for his movies Once Upon a Time in China, as the Triad leader and villain in Lethal Weapon, and once again as the 'fighter against evil forces' -- with the movies The One and The Hero. Apart from these movies, Li had also been other movies that were originally marketed and shown in Hongkong. It was only after his success in Lethal Weapon did he receive acclaim as the "next Bruce Lee" of martial arts genre of movies.

This paper discusses Jet Li's life, starting from his childhood, where his interest in wu-shu began, until he emerged as a movie actor incorporating martial arts in his films, becoming both an acclaimed Hongkong (Asian) and American actor. In addition to Li's biography, this paper also discusses the psychological development of Li's life (from childhood to present life) and how his life can be contextualized based on Erik Erikson's Socioemotional theory of human development.

Jet Li's development to his current image as a martial arts expert and actor was greatly influenced with his childhood, where at a young age of 8, he was enrolled in Chaingquiao Primary School of Beijing to study wu-shu. Wu-shu is a form of martial arts where the movement is used as a form of defense, not just physical violence. In effect, wu-shu is not merely a martial arts form, but rather a kind of discipline, which Li was exposed to when he was just in primary school.

Under the guidance of Wu Bin, Jet Li harnesses his skills in martial arts. He was also given stricter practices and lessons compared with his other classmates, but all of these are due to the potential that Wu Bin sees in Li. Li's practice as a wu-shu expert was still complicated by Li's inability to perform powerful kicks and leaps, which was attributed to Li's no-meat diet when he was a child. Because the Li's family mainly eats vegetables for meals because of his mother's illness, he was not able to get the protein diet that he needs for his wu-shu practices. Wu Bin consulted the Li family and informed them that Li needed to have a protein diet if he wanted to be competent in his skill as a wu-shu martial artist.

Because of his extraordinary talent in wu-shu, Li's ascent to success as a martial arts fighter was easy and rapid. At the age of 11, Li was already making tours in different countries abroad, to showcase his skills and knowledge in wu-shu and other forms of martial arts. One of Li's greatest feats was when he was able to perform in front of U.S. President Richard Nixon in the White House in 1974. His ability to impress and astound people with his martial arts skills made him an excellent martial artist, and people, especially his fellow citizens, dubbed him as a 'prodigy' in martial arts. Li refuted this label, since he wants to be recognized not because of his fame as a martial artist, but he wants to be given credit for the work, strenuous practice, and dedication that Li had given to his craft, the martial arts. Thus, when he was growing up from 11 to 16 years of age, Li continued practicing and his honing his craft.

Becoming a professional martial artist through the entertainment industry, Li began entering the movie industry to illustrate his martial arts skills when he was already 19 years old. His new profession as a martial arts fighter in movies continued, but with average success only. Li only successfully made it into the movie industry when he starred in "Once Upon a Time in China" (1991), earning him the title as the new Bruce Lee of Hongkong films. Li's fame and popularity in Hongkong earned him a role as a Triad leader and villain in the "Lethal Weapon" series, which propelled him to international success, marking him as one of the greatest and most popular Asian actors alongside Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan. As years passed, Li finally considered his being a martial artist in movies as a profession, especially now that he already has a family to raise. Other blockbusters that Li had starred in recently (2000-2002) are the hits, "The One" and "The Hero."

Li's extraordinary success in the martial arts and movie industry (as an actor) is a product of the motivation and dedication inculcated in him while he was a child. Although he grew up without a father, Li had managed to discipline himself with the help of Wu Bin, his trainer and guardian. Li's development as a martial artist ad eventual progress as a martial artist and actor can be best explained through Erik Erikson's socioemotional theory of development, which recognizes socioemotional feelings, thoughts, and interaction as vital to the development of an individual especially during the early childhood stage.