Born in Beijing, Li began studying the art of wushu (the general Chinese term for martial arts) at the young age of 8. After three years of extensive training, Li won his first national championship for the Beijing Wushu Team. Li's celebrity status in China was so great, the government selected him to represent the country in over 45 countries, performing martial arts at various state functions. The most historically notable was his 1974 performance on the lawn of the White house for President Richard Nixon, after the President had just reopened American diplomatic relations with China. For the next five years (1974 -1979), he remained the All-Around National Wushu Champion of China.
