Although it was already deep autumn, the breeze passing through the streets and alleys of Kunming still carried a hint of warmth. Turning into a community street in the northern district of Kunming under the dappled sunlight of avenue trees, and passing through several shops, a Taekwondo gym came into view. A group of children were punching and kicking under the guidance of coaches, the sound of their hands and feet hitting the target reverberated in the gym.

Among several coaches dressed in blue Taekwondo uniforms, a young man in a mustard yellow uniform with a black belt around his waist stood out. "The hitting route must be accurate, and the force must be sufficient," he instructed students in fluent Chinese. He is Li Yingxiong, the founder of the "Handao Lizhi" Taekwondo gym.

Li Yingxiong is guiding a student in Taekwondo movements at the gym. Photo by Shi Jiaxin

This year marked his fourth year in Kunming. Now, like many locals in Kunming, he has grown accustomed to buying a grilled Erkuai on his way to work and reminding the food-service worker to add a golden and crispy deep-fried dough stick. In the noodle shop he frequents, as long as Li Yingxiong goes in and calls "Auntie," a bowl of steaming hot small-pot rice noodles appears on the table after a short wait. "Thick rice noodles have a chewy texture," Li Yingxiong excitedly talked about his preference for Kunming cuisine. This brought back his memories of the breezy summer over a decade ago when the young man from North Chungcheong Province in central South Korea first came to China.

Perseverance - Li Yingxiong’s Chinese learning journey

The encounter between Li Yingxiong and China for the first time was in 2005 when he traveled to Yantai City, Shandong Province with his father, who had long been engaged in Sino-Korean trade. The life of this seaside city, with its delicious and affordable lamb skewers and ice cream, brought the nine-year-old South Korean boy the most genuine joy. It was this pure love for China since childhood that prompted Li Yingxiong, at the age of fourteen, to choose Chinese without hesitation in the elective course between Chinese and Japanese in middle school.

The memories created by the trip to Yantai gave Li Yingxiong a strong affection for China, and he always studied Chinese more diligently than his classmates who passively studied for good grades. He scored full marks in every Chinese exam, ranked first in the school in Chinese, and even won scholarships because of it. However, Li Yingxiong's desire to improve his Chinese proficiency did not stop there. After mastering the knowledge in textbooks, Li Yingxiong would also purchase Chinese books for self-study outside of school. "You carry the load, and I lead the horse..." The TV series "Journey to the West," which left deep childhood memories for the 80s and 90s generations in China, also brought happiness to Li Yingxiong when exposed to Chinese after class.

Perhaps it is true that a strong desire will always bear fruit. By chance, at the age of seventeen, Li Yingxiong had the opportunity to come to Kunming City, Yunnan Province, to study at the Chinese Language and Culture School of Kunming with his sister. Although Li Yingxiong's Chinese scores were already very good when he was studying in South Korea, the immersive Chinese learning environment in Kunming made his Chinese proficiency improve rapidly. With just one semester of effort, Li Yingxiong's Chinese proficiency surpassed that of many overseas Chinese students who already had a solid foundation in Chinese.

Li Yingxiong (the first from the right) at the Chinese Language and Culture School of Kunming. Photo provided by Li Yingxiong

After returning to South Korea as an exchange student from China, standing at the crossroads of life before graduating from high school, Li Yingxiong had the same confusion about the future as almost all eighteen-year-olds. Nevertheless, Li Yingxiong, who had the opportunity to be exposed to a foreign language environment from a young age, had a clear idea: English and Chinese are the two most widely spoken languages in the world. As long as he can master these two languages, he will not have to worry too much about going to any corner of the world in the future. So, Li Yingxiong chose to major in Chinese language and literature and minor in English during his university years, hoping that his fervent pursuit of Chinese would lead him to the next port of life.

Search and pursuit - "dream chaser" of Taekwondo embarking on his second journey to Kunming

If Chinese is the passion that this twenty-seven-year-old South Korean youth refuses to give up, then Taekwondo is the lifelong aspiration that Li Yingxiong cannot forget from childhood to adulthood.

Li Yingxiong's connection with Taekwondo began with his experience of being bullied by classmates in kindergarten. Seeing their son being bullied at school because of his weak physique, Taekwondo, a martial art derived from Korea popular among people in South Korea, became the best choice for Li Yingxiong's parents to improve their son's physical fitness.

After coming to the Taekwondo gym, five-year-old Li Yingxiong watched the coach's clean and neat boxing and kicking techniques, thinking that he must return to school to "avenge" himself after learning. Unexpectedly, as he delved deeper into his studies, Li Yingxiong gradually discovered that the essence of Taekwondo lies not in physical competition but in the changes brought about by sportsmanship. Li Yingxiong, who was somewhat introverted and shy since childhood, gradually became a confident and fearless person during the more than twenty years he spent with Taekwondo.

Li Yingxiong (second from the right) in the Korean Tigers Taekwondo Demonstration Team. Photo provided by Li Yingxiong

Since starting Taekwondo at the age of five, this sport has become a mentor and friend to Li Yingxiong, an indelible "label" on him. After graduating from university, Li Yingxiong's first job was as a Taekwondo coach at a gym in Seoul. However, the Taekwondo market in South Korea was too saturated, which did not meet the aspirations of this young man for his future career. So Li Yingxiong left his hometown and went overseas to continue exploring his Taekwondo career.

The ranks of Taekwondo are divided into ten levels and nine degrees, with the black belt being the highest rank that Taekwondo practitioners can achieve. Having obtained the fifth-degree black belt at a young age and holding an international-level Taekwondo examiner certificate, Li Yingxiong, with good qualifications and rich team experience, can gain recognition in the local Taekwondo industry of any country where he goes.

Li Yingxiong wearing a Taekwondo uniform. Photo provided by Li Yingxiong

From Qingdao and Yantai, which are close to South Korea, to major cities in China such as Beijing and Hangzhou, and then to Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia and Singapore, Li Yingxiong, in his continuous journey, seeks answers about the future. Gradually, Li Yingxiong discovered that whether teaching children Taekwondo in the gym or training Taekwondo coaches in institutions, he could not fully demonstrate his understanding of Taekwondo.

Li Yingxiong's dream of Taekwondo is to establish his own Taekwondo brand, to demonstrate his educational philosophy during teaching processes, and to pass on the feelings brought by Taekwondo when he was five, seven, and nine years old through his educational philosophy to accompany children in their growth. Therefore, compared with Beijing, Shanghai, and other major Chinese cities where Korean coaches have long been "pioneering", Li Yingxiong turned his gaze to the place where he once studied Chinese - the Spring City of Kunming.

Although Kunming had already opened many Taekwondo gyms in 2019, it lacked experienced Korean coaches. For Li Yingxiong, the "beautiful Yunnan with seven colors" is not only the "hometown" where he can taste delicious wild mushrooms and fresh fruits but also the "blue ocean" where he can fully develop his Taekwondo career.

With the advantages of relatively low housing prices and rents compared to first-tier cities, the convenience brought by Kunming's good business environment when handling business licenses and foreign work permits, and the support provided by the community and community leaders for this young man who started from scratch in a foreign country... With the combination of favorable conditions, in November 2019, a Taekwondo gym named "Handao Lizhi" successfully opened on Xiaokang West Road in the northern district of Kunming.

Kunming people’s kindness supporting Li Yingxiong through the "cold winter" of entrepreneurship

Standing outside the gym, rows of trophies and medals shimmered on the white wall in front of the entrance, casting a dazzling light. Within the hundred square meters venue, thick mats covered the floor to protect children from injury; homemade teaching props made of wooden boards were placed aside to enhance children's interest and focus; and a well-equipped fitness area in the basement aimed to improve children's physical fitness. After ambitious preparations for the opening, Li Yingxiong eagerly immersed himself in enrollment and operations. However, unforeseen, just a month after the opening, the COVID-19 pandemic struck, forcing Li Yingxiong to temporarily close the gym.

Losing the sole source of income, Li Yingxiong could have relied on the initial training fees collected during the opening period for some time, but some foreign students' parents requested refunds citing the pandemic. Unwilling to dispute with parents at the early stage of his career, Li Yingxiong reluctantly refunded the tuition fees to these students.

Subsequently, Li Yingxiong's bank account was left with only eight hundred yuan. Looking at the agonizingly low balance, the young man in his twenties confessed, "My heart almost sank." However, passively waiting would only escalate the pressure on Li Yingxiong, burdened with rent and living costs. Fortunately, the stall economy sprouted up like mushrooms in front of major shopping malls in Kunming at that time. With a flash of inspiration, Li Yingxiong thought of selling Korean Kimchi at a stall.

After purchasing Kimchi from a Korean restaurant, Li Yingxiong set up a stall at Tongde Kunming Plaza, earning some money every day. Subsequently, Li Yingxiong bought ingredients for Korean stir-fried rice cakes and fried them on-site to sell to residents. At that time, Kunming Tongde Plaza also set up a small stage. Li Yingxiong, joking about his lack of survival skills, took the stage to perform Taekwondo, attracting cheers from the crowd with his vigorous punches and kicks. "The queue for buying from me got really long afterward," Li Yingxiong proudly recalled.

During the stall period, Li Yingxiong stored Korean Kimchi at home. Photo provided by Li Yingxiong

To attract customers, Li Yingxiong also performed saxophone in front of the stall. The melodious music traveled across the plaza, touching the hearts of the passersby. Seeing a young man far from his hometown using all his skills to survive, almost every resident who came to buy Kimchi and rice cakes cheered Li Yingxiong on. "Without these people, I would not be where I am now. It's the people of Yunnan who gave me positive energy and the confidence to stand up." Li Yingxiong paused, candidly stating.

Li Yingxiong playing saxophone at Tongde Kunming Plaza. Photo provided by Li Yingxiong

After seeing Li Yingxiong playing saxophone at the plaza, many people contacted him to play a few tunes at barber shops or bars. Thus, Li Yingxiong sold Kimchi and fried rice cakes at the stall during the day, and found places to play saxophone at night. "During such difficult times for everyone, I also survived the pandemic with you all." Li Yingxiong felt a strong human touch of the Spring City during the experience of pulling through the pandemic in Kunming. "Although I only made a few hundred yuan selling Kimchi and fried rice cakes, I was deeply moved. I belong here, I'm not only half a Yunnan person, but also half a Kunming person."

Propriety, righteousness, probity, and a sense of shame: "heroic ways" of Li Yingxiong

During the pandemic, Li Yingxiong often saw news on WeChat about many training institutions and gyms "running off." "Actually, I could do that too," Li Yingxiong joked, "but I couldn't." In Li Yingxiong's eyes, he teaches not just a simple sport but Taekwondo, which has been with him since the age of five. "Taekwondo contains the character 'dao,' and I teach Taekwondo to cultivate children's 'dao.' If I can't even follow 'dao' myself, then I have no sense of responsibility."

Li Yingxiong teaching students at the gym. Photo provided by Li Yingxiong

Propriety, righteousness, probity, a sense of shame, perseverance, self-restraint, and indomitable spirit are the twelve-word-spirit of Taekwondo engraved in Li Yingxiong's heart. During the closure, this young South Korean man, who once had only eight hundred yuan in his bank account, also had moments when he wanted to give up. However, even during this period, not a single local student's parents asked Li Yingxiong to refund the tuition fees. The trust of the parents was like a flame in the cold winter, warming Li Yingxiong, who could not afford a return ticket home, and planting seeds of determination in his heart to repay all the support he had received from society one day.

Li Yingxiong at the Taekwondo Competition for Primary and Middle School Students in Yunnan Province. [Photo provided by Li Yingxiong]

One day, Li Yingxiong went to a copy shop to print Taekwondo materials for the gym. The text about Taekwondo on the materials caught the attention of an old man, "Can Taekwondo overcome children's aversion to learning?" Li Yingxiong was somewhat surprised and hoped the old man would continue. The old man tearfully recounted the experience of his grandson.

It turned out that the old man's grandson was originally one of the top students in school, but refused to return to school due to school bullying. Despite consulting a psychologist, nothing worked. Perhaps because he had similar experiences himself, Li Yingxiong could not guarantee that Taekwondo would definitely overcome this student's psychological disorder, but he still wanted the old man to bring his grandson to the gym for an experience.

At their first meeting, the shy boy's eyes were full of timidity, even though these eyes had once carried a thirst for knowledge. Li Yingxiong, looking at him, seemed to see himself in his childhood. As the gym was frequently opening and closing in the early days, Li Yingxiong did not have many students at that time, so he taught this student one-on-one. During the entire year he was away from school, Coach Li taught him boxing, kicking, and "dao" during class, and became a big brother after class, taking him to Korean restaurants to eat and chat.

As the days of sweating in the gym passed, the confident smile returned to his face, and the boy who had suffered from school bullying finally regained his confidence, continuing his studies in Xi'an and Shanghai, and everything returned to normal.

Witnessing such a significant transformation in a child, and accompanying students to overcome life setbacks, is the proudest moment for Li Yingxiong in the process of entrepreneurship. "Actually, how much money you make isn't that important. Everyone wants to make money, and there are different ways to do it. What's important is whether you can find a sense of existence in it. That's my mission in Yunnan."

Gratitude is the word Li Yingxiong most commonly uses when talking about his experiences. Whether it is the Kunming residents who cheered him on at the stall, the parents who trusted him during the pandemic and did not apply for tuition refunds at the gym, or other young coaches who spent their youth with Li Yingxiong in the gym, they are all benefactors in Li Yingxiong's heart.

In Li Yingxiong's view, in the years of entrepreneurship in Kunming, the warmth and trust he has received from the people around him will one day be repaid to society in another way. Li Yingxiong, who has drawn strength from sports since childhood, now hopes to pass on the spirit of sports to more children.

Li Yingxiong leading students to participate in the Martial Arts Competition for Primary and Middle School Students in Yunnan Province. Photo provided by Li Yingxiong

In the future, Li Yingxiong's goal is to establish a sports foundation: "Even if it starts with a small foundation of eight hundred or a thousand yuan, at least in the future, I want to build a basketball or football court in Yunnan’s impoverished areas, with coaches specifically for teaching, hoping that children in these areas can also have the opportunity to feel the power of sports just as children in cities."

Handao Lizhi Taekwondo Gym. Photo provided by Li Yingxiong

For this young man who has been accompanied by Taekwondo for more than twenty years, sports are not just about developing physical fitness and competing in athletic skills, but also about navigating life’s direction after gaining a certain belief through sports training, knowing what is right and what is wrong in life, and at least trying one more time when facing difficulties. For Li Yingxiong, sports are a way of life.

Perhaps the two words "Yingxiong" in his name destined Li Yingxiong to be a "righteous" person. When asked if he felt like a hero, this young man who spoke fluent Chinese showed a rare shyness: "Not yet, I guess, but I strive to be a little hero someday." Life is long, but at the end of that destination called "hero," Li Yingxiong's footsteps are still moving forward.

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(Editors: Ines, Lexi)