Global box office smashes such as "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", and Zhang Yimou's "Hero" have put wushu techniques on western screens and taken its masters to Hollywood.

Shichahai's most famous wushu graduate was a driven youngster called Li Lianjie, a wushu world champion before he went to Hollywood to be reborn as Jet Li.

"He was so focused, so full of energy...and very clever," coach Lu said.

Zhang is also a fan but more for Li's legacy than his movies.

"Because of Jet Li, the world knows wushu," he said solemnly.

It may be some time before Beijing's wushu team produces another superstar of Li's calibre, but China's Shaolin Temple is fast-tracking the process -- via reality television.

Shaolin monks have teamed up with a Chinese production company to create "Legend of the Shaolin Monk Warrior" -- a show aimed at unearthing the next martial arts hero.

Masters from across China and the world will battle each other for a shot at Hollywood stardom, local media have reported.

Frowning, coach Lu admitted that he had not heard of "Legend".

"Well, we do things differently to the Shaolin Temple," he said. "But it would certainly be a great way to promote the school and wushu."