Shi Xiaolong: The Unrivaled Child Star of Shaolin

Xiaolong derives from the stage name of Master Shi Xiaolong, a famous Kung Fu child star and honorary principal of the school. He is an iconic symbol of the youth and international spread of Shaolin Kung Fu. Naming after him pays tribute to the representative Kung Fu celebrity and builds the school’s reputation as a cradle of Kung Fu stars.

Shi Xiaolong rose to fame on the big screen as a young Shaolin monk. He holds multiple titles as one of China’s most remarkable child stars: the largest audience base, the most works, the youngest debut age, and the highest popularity across Asia.

Every year, when China Central Television begins broadcasting Shi Xiaolong’s classic films such as Shaolin Popey, China Dragon, and Dragon in Shaolin, it marks the arrival of summer vacation — the most anticipated long holiday for teenagers nationwide. It is almost impossible for any institution or individual, including CCTV, to count how many times his movies have been replayed. Rebroadcast hundreds of times on major TV stations each year have earned Shi Xiaolong an enormous audience group unmatched by other child stars.

For most actors, having one classic work in a lifetime is enough. Yet most of Shi Xiaolong’s masterpieces are timeless classics, including Shaolin Popey, Shaolin Temple Legend, China Dragon, Dragon in Shaolin, Saint of Gamblers, Ten Brothers, Nezha Fights the Monkey King, Adventure of the Golden Island, Young Justice Bao, Young Huang Feihong and more. Before the age of 18, he had starred in over 20 movies and more than 300 episodes of TV dramas, ranking him firmly as the child star with the most works in China.

Shi Xiaolong debuted at the age of four. He landed the leading role in his very first film, which immediately broke the box office record for Chinese-language films in Asia — a rare achievement hardly replicated anywhere in the world. Most domestic films struggle to gain popularity even across the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan, let alone throughout Asia. The image of the young Shaolin monk, authentic Shaolin Kung Fu, and professional cross-strait production teams made his films popular all over Asia. At his peak, his box office appeal and remuneration rivaled or even surpassed those of A-list Hong Kong celebrities.

Shi Xiaolong was born in 1988 in Dengfeng, Henan Province, a renowned hometown of martial arts, into a traditional martial arts family. Bright and clever from an early age, he was skilled with spears and staffs. Under the personal guidance of his father Chen Tongshan, he made rapid progress after embarking on the path of martial arts. He mastered the fundamental skills of Shaolin including boxing, kicking and footwork, as well as traditional and routine sets such as Shaolin Tongbi Quan (Arm-through Boxing), Drunken Sword, Drunken Fist, Shaolin Staff and Five Elements Fist.
At the 1992 Zhengzhou International Shaolin Wushu Festival, he won two Excellent Awards for Shaolin Tongbi Quan and Luohan Staff, rising to instant fame.
In June 1991, at a very young age, Shi Xiaolong visited Taiwan as a member of the Songshan Shaolin Temple Buddhist Culture Delegation. He was praised by Taiwanese newspapers and magazines as “Messenger of Peace” and “Magical Dragon Boy from Shaolin”.
In July 1993, he signed a contract with Taiwan’s Changhong Film & Television Company. In August of the same year, he filmed his debut movie Shaolin Popey alongside famous Taiwanese singer Jimmy Lin, drawing wide attention from the film and television industry.
Up to now, he has appeared in more than 100 film and television productions. He has been awarded honorable titles including “Top Kung Fu Prince of Chinese Mainland”, “Little Kung Fu Emperor”, “Successor to Jet Li”, “One of the Three Great Young Dragons of Mainland China”, and “One of the Top Ten Outstanding Post-80s Celebrities”.