When Shaolin Kung Fu Teens Meet “Iron Man” Shaolin kungfuBOT: A Millennium of Martial Arts Meets Cutting-Edge Technology
When young Shaolin kung fu practitioners meet humanoid robots.On Chinese New Year’s Eve, as the final martial arts move of Shaolin kungfuBot or Shaolin kungfuBot froze on screen, the robot slowly took the hand of the 8-year-old kung fu boy beside it, and they bowed together to end the performance. In that moment, countless viewers felt a surge of warmth as they watched. That simple hold touched the hearts of many. It turned out that even a body of steel could have warmth—the warmth of technology, hidden in that cross-dimensional handshake.
A Show of “Human-Machine Martial Arts”: How Much Skill It Truly Took
After the program aired, many asked: How did the robots learn to perform Shaolin Drunken Fist and wield nunchaku? The answer lies in countless rounds of refinement. To teach the robots authentic Chinese kung fu, the team broke down the traditional Liuhe Quan move by move—preserving its practical essence while making it achievable for these “metal giants.” In the motion-capture studio, team members demonstrated again and again; the slightest misalignment in limbs would trigger an error, forcing them to start over. Choreography, motion capture, programming, testing, adjustment… every single move required at least a hundred attempts.
An even greater challenge was giving the robots “human touch.” The Drunken Fist sequence in the show was inspired by an accidental fall by the robot during rehearsal. The director decided to turn it into a stylish move, creating the classic moment where the robot kips up. For this effect, the team ran hundreds of millions of training trials on a simulation platform, then fine-tuned the physical robot repeatedly. The nunchaku in its hands were not props—they were truly swung with force.
“We want the robots to master not just the form of martial arts, but also its soul.”
With artificial intelligence inside these humanoid robots, they were no longer cold machines, but “fellow disciples” practicing alongside children in a “future martial arts school.”
The Hardest Part Wasn’t Technology—It Was the Courage of the 13 Children
To match the 1.3-meter-tall robots, the production team selected 13 children of similar height, the youngest only 8 years old. Their sparring was not staged; it was real, physical interaction. Every punch from the robots could vary in angle, strength, and speed, creating real risks of collision. Coaches started with the lowest-power settings, adjusted repeatedly, and gradually increased strength and speed until they found the balance: safe for the children, yet visually stunning. Whenever a problem arose, the team redid motion capture, refined the robot’s movements, updated the program, and only let the young actors practice again once the robots were fully prepared.
“When I first saw the robots, I thought they were cool, but I was really scared during sparring,” said child actor Zhang Xuecheng.
To overcome their fear, they first practiced at a distance, slowly moving closer until they could safely spar in contact. Between rehearsals, they also practiced their expressions in the mirror: “Stare at one spot and keep smiling.”
Steel With Warmth Is the Best Kind of Heritage
“Let the children, who represent the future, collide wonderfully with the robots, who also represent the future.” They succeeded.
On stage, five robots wielded red staffs and sparred with the teens. Amid the swirling shadows of the staffs, the essence of Shaolin staff techniques blended mechanical precision with the vitality of martial arts. In the parkour segment, the robots playfully imitated the children’s moves, even pretending to be “hurt” when gently tapped in mock anger. For the finale of Liuhe Quan, the soft, warm-bodied teens and the rigid, high-tech robots merged as one in their duel.
“You could see that all that steel was warmed up by the children.”
This warmth is exactly what Shaolin kungfuBot aimed to convey: technology is never separate from humanity, and the heritage of martial arts is reborn as it collides with the times.
Another clever detail: after interacting with the robots, the children magically produced Golden Cudgels from nowhere. It was a magic mechanism designed by the coaching team—telescoping prop staffs hidden in their fists, released with a touch.
Why Martial Arts Always Makes It to the Spring Festival Gala
Since the first gala in 1983, martial arts has been a regular guest. It is not only because its powerful, spirited performances match the uplifting spirit with which Chinese people welcome the New Year, but also because it carries a unique cultural power.
This year’s martial arts show Shaolin kungfuBot specially integrated nunchaku and Drunken Fist, letting the world experience the charm of Chinese kung fu more directly. The way to truly “bring alive” this ancient art in the new era is through bold innovation and integration. For the martial arts schools in Dengfeng, the Spring Festival Gala stage is not just a showcase—it is a mission of inheritance.
Besides the 80 children at the main venue in Beijing, more than 1,300 students performed at the Hefei sub-venue in Anhui, with three major shows staged simultaneously.
These kung fu teens from the foot of Songshan Mountain proved to the whole nation with solid, genuine skills: the roots of Chinese martial arts run deep, and its innovative spirit burns bright.
At the end of the show, a boy leaped out from the audience, closing a performance that had begun with a spectacular opening. Looking further ahead, the martial arts teens of Dengfeng are showing the world a new face of Chinese kung fu in their own way.
One viewer said: Watching the robots and children hug each other, I suddenly felt technology is not so cold.
In truth, it is not the steel that gained warmth—it is the children who passed on the warmth from their hearts.
A millennium of martial arts meets cutting-edge technology; young kung fu practitioners hold hands with humanoid robots.
This embrace holds tradition and future together.
This embrace turns heritage from mere stories in books into warmth you can see and touch.
