The lessons of kung fu found in "Chun Yi: The Legend of Kung Fu" appeal to an international audience.

Fans wait offstage to pose with the performers after the play concluded. [Courtney Price/China.org.cn]

After a recent performance, Zhane Anderson, 15, a tourist from Canberra, Australia who enjoys adopting elements of other martial arts styles into the karate he practices, said, "I liked the play's circle-of-life theme, it was symbolic."

His cousin, Bailey Anderson, 6, from Perth, Australia, preferred the dance moves in the play, especially when a female character performed acrobatics on a swing. When asked if she wanted to start kung fu lessons, she flashed a smile, looked at her father and said yes.

Appealing to children and adults, "Chun Yi: The Legend of Kung Fu" has spread internationally and has run more than 600 times outside of China. Including domestic and international performances, more than 2 million people worldwide have seen the play.

One year after increasing their global exposure with a martial arts performance during the Opening Ceremonies of the Olympics in 2008, the kung fu practitioners performed China's longest running play at the London Coliseum for three weeks.

This summer, the play made its debut in Branson, Missouri, a city 250 miles southwest of St. Louis. The show has also played in Japan, Russia and Canada.

"Over the years, the play has undergone 31 major and minor changes," Cao said. "Now there are English, Japanese and Russian versions. 'Chun Yi: Kung Fu Legend' strives to continuously improve and mature. It has increasingly demonstrated its artistic and economic value on the world stage."

Such an expansive reach, spreads the true, peaceful message of kung fu which helps people realize the danger doesn't come from the martial artists on stage. The only danger is for wannabes like myself who would detach a hip in a feeble attempt to be like the performers, who after being selected through a national recruitment process, rehearse daily and receive medical insurance provided by the company.

As the screen above the stage displayed: "This show is done by professionals, please don't try this at home."

Venue: The Red Theatre 紅劇場

Add: Workers' Cultural Palace, 44 Xingfu Dajie, Chongwen District

Booking: +86-10-67103671

Show time: 19:30-20:45 daily

Ticket price: RMB 180-680