The Official Jet Li Website

march 18, 2002

Hi Jet,

I am your fan since 1984, but I moved to the U.S.A. from Japan in 1987. I did not have a chance to see you until last month -- until I recognized that Jet Li is Li Lian Jie (even I read your name in Japanese "Li Renche"), exactly saying, until I saw your face on OUATIC. (I could not recognize you in RMD). I am very happy to find you finally!! So far I watched 9 movies. I like your movies very much. Thank you very much for your good job.

I have three questions. Please answer if you have time.

1) Do you have any reason not to start your work in U.S.A. a bit earlier?
2) Are you interested in making "G" or "PG" movies for your young fans? I have 8 year-old son, who is currently taking karate class, likes Kids from Shaolin very much.
3) What do you think about "True Love"?

I think "True Love" means absolute, eternal, unchanging love. If you believe in "re-incarnation", means a man and woman no matter how much love each other, they have to be separated once they die. Then they may be married another one at their next life. If so, how can you describe a romantic love story especially in this Christian based on society? Or do you think "True Love" can breat "re-incarnation"? Or simplme you do not think love would be continue eternally?

Your loyal fan Sumi

Jet's Response:

I came to the United States when I did because the timing was right. I was invited, and I was ready.

As you know, The One is a PG-13 rated movie. I hope to make a movie in the next year or two that is rated PG.

My feeling is that "true love" is synonymous with giving. If you are willing to give up everything -- wealth, position, even your life -- for somebody, not asking for anything in return, that is true love.

I should first mention that, as a Buddhist, I believe in reincarnation. Nothing in this life, including true love, is permanent. When you have attachments to impermanent things you create the opportunity to experience pain. This attachment to things in this life, and the subsequent pain, brings about reincarnation.

For example, if you have a loved one, and they die first, and you are attached to the relationship you shared which no longer exists, you will feel pain. This pain will go with you in to your next life in the same way that this life is a result of pain, attachments, and other issues you may have experienced in past lives. I also believe that many people have been married in many of their lives. That is why they understand each other very well.

And true love is not the highest level of happiness. An even higher level of true love involves not just giving love to your lover, but giving it to all beings and creatures on earth. A person who gives selflessly of themselves to all beings, realizes that all creatures have the potential of having been their love in another life, or to be so in a future life. Romantic love, by nature, can be a rather selfish endeavor, and those of us who develop strong attachments to the loves of our life will keep coming back -- those feelings and longings create an attachment.

Once a person reaches the level of understanding in which all creatures are recipients of their love, and every life in every form deserves selfless giving, free of attachments, then they will not need to experience reincarnation.

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