BEYOND LIFE AND DEATH

The martial arts legend and international movie star distills ten powerful lessons from his iconic career, his personal life and philosophies, and his thirty-year Buddhist practice.

Jet Li's story defies legend. Born into extreme hardship, he fought his way to become the youngest national martial arts champion in Chinese history at twelve years old, dominating opponents twice his size. He then became one of the first internationally renowned movie stars from China with films including Once Upon a Time in China, Hero, and Fearless. These films redefined martial arts for the modern world, making him a household name alongside Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan.

But behind the glory lay a deeper battle: a search for meaning beyond fame, fortune, and physical skill. After a near-death encounter in the 2004 tsunami, Li turned inward, deepening his study of Tibetan Buddhism and dedicating his life to philanthropy, though he was at the height of his Hollywood career.

For the very first time, Li shares the ten insights that have guided his life, in which anyone can find wisdom, guidance, and power, including:

life is movement;
the secret to self-defense;
separate the suffering from the pain;
be a grandson to the world; and
learn from everyone.

Li invites readers to share his interior life, to hear untold stories from his martial arts and film career, and to meditate with him on the nature of spiritual awakening. If you look deeply, you can see Li's life philosophy in many of his movies, and in Beyond Life and Death he fully links his own story and spiritual journey with ten actionable insights that anyone can apply to live a healthy and happy life.

Jet Li is regarded as one of the most iconic Chinese film stars, one of the most renowned martial arts stars of his generation, and one of the greatest martial arts stars in the history of cinema. As a philanthropist, he founded One Foundation in 2007, which was registered in 2011 as the first private charitable fundraising organization in China.