"Time is silent, yet it never fails those who keep moving forward," Jake Pinnick said on RedNote.

Wearing a loose-sleeved training uniform with a flowing black beard and a topknot tied up with a hairpin, Pinnick, 36, from the United States, told an unusual story of "Becoming Chinese".

At Wudang Mountain in Shiyan, Hubei province, Pinnick was seen guiding a group of students practicing martial arts. The mountain is one of China's most famous and sacred Taoist sites, where Pinnick is known as a famous foreign coach.

He first demonstrated the sword routines once, then let the students follow along. He moved among the crowd, correcting each one's posture one by one.

In his view, Wudang martial arts are never meant to compete against or defeat others, but to achieve balance between inner spirit and outer strength, and integrate hardness with softness.

"They are supposed to develop you into a morally better person through some kind of character building," said Pinnick, whose fans have surpassed 2 million online.

Over the last decade in China, Pinnick has completely adapted to local culture. Now he likes drinking hot tea. He plays a vertical bamboo flute instead of the piano. He refuses waiters' kind offers of a knife and fork. Over the years, even his hair and beard have turned black, which, in his explanation, is that "each land shapes its people". He is proud of his Chinese name Li Zigen, which was given by his master.

Though facing doubts from some netizens, he never regrets his choice.

"I hope that, as a foreigner who has studied and inherited traditional Chinese culture in China, I can promote understanding and exchanges between different cultures. I want to let people from all over the world appreciate the charm of traditional Chinese culture and benefit from it," he said.

And his experience has proven that what began with a teenager's kung fu dream has borne fruitful results in promoting China-US friendship.

A fan of Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee, Pinnick had always wanted to learn "real kung fu from its roots". Fascinated by Yuan Shimao's graceful movements with the Eight Immortals Staff, a classic long weapon routine in Wudang martial arts, on YouTube, he finally made up his mind to come to China and explore the world of martial arts in 2010.

At that time, Yuan, the 15th-generation inheritor of the Wudang Sanfeng School, was recruiting students for a five-year international traditional martial arts program. He spent over a year arranging his university studies and flew to China.

"Back then, I could only speak a few simple Chinese (sentences). I could neither read nor understand the language. Every time the train stopped at a station, I grew extremely nervous and kept asking others: 'Is this Wudang Mountain?'" he said.

Twenty-four students from countries, including the US, Australia, Canada and Germany, were admitted to this class.

"It was so hard to begin with," Pinnick said, adding he had a hard time meeting the demands of the training because of his lack of flexibility and suppleness. "I couldn't straighten my back, and I couldn't do the splits at all."

He woke up at 5:30 am every morning to practice, irrespective of rain or shine, had his body hit with bamboo strips to build resilience, and was punished with palm strikes and horse stance squats for making mistakes.

By repeating every move dozens, or even hundreds of times each day, putting in far more effort than most people, Pinnick gradually realized martial arts are not merely a set of routines, but a philosophy of cultivating both inner character and physical form.

"In the past, I always insisted on winning every argument. Now I am able to control and calm my emotions. My master taught me: Cultivate virtue before practicing martial arts. For example, the tai chi opening form requires moving with both arms as if holding water. Though it looks like simple physical training, it actually teaches humility and tolerance."

Yuan, his teacher, said many students learn kung fu out of temporary curiosity. Over the years, he had seen countless students arrive full of excitement, only to leave dejected and discouraged.

Despite the language barrier and vast cultural differences, Pinnick's burning passion for martial arts as well as his perseverance deeply moved Yuan.

During this period on the mountain, he met his future wife, a Chinese woman. They got married in 2014. They have a daughter.

After completing the program, he went back to the US with his family, only to find himself "suspended between Chinese and American culture", so he decided to go back to Wudang Mountain in 2018 to teach and promote Wudang culture.

With encouragement from his wife, in 2020 Pinnick started posting videos about martial arts, vertical bamboo flute performances, and interpretations of Taoism philosophy, which went viral on social media platforms, attracting a lot of fans.

By now, he has taught some 700 foreign students, with the oldest studying for 8 years. Some visited Wudang Mountain to seek in-person instruction.

In April last year, he secured China's Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card.

Currently, he is busy preparing for a new international summer camp. "I hope my own experience can inspire more people to pursue their dreams. Whether it is a passion for martial arts or a desire to explore different cultures, everyone should try and persist," he said.