PHOTOS: Chinese martial arts champion teaches South L.A. students
Martial arts expert Hu Jianqiang flies back after Ryan Calderon, a sixth grader at Merkin Middle School in Los Angeles, practices a kicking move. Hu teaches a little Mandarin along with martial arts at three schools, under a program funded with the intercession of Lakers star Kobe Bryant. See full story(Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)
Performer and teacher Hu Jianqiang gives classes in the martial arts in an after-school class at Merkin Middle School in Los Angeles. See full story(Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)
Hu Jianqiang helps eighth-grader David Santos do a rolling exercise in an after-school class at Merkin Middle School. See full story(Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)
Hu Jianqiang demonstrates a martial arts move for sixth-grader Elina Ruiz. Hu teaches a little Mandarin along with martial arts in an after-school class at Merkin Middle School. See full story(Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)
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Sixth-graders Sarai Hernandez, left, and Eve Louis take a martial arts stance in an after-school class at Merkin Middle School. See full story(Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)
Kung fu actor and teacher Hu Jianqiang leads his students in stretches before an after school-class at Merkin Middle School in Los Angeles. See full story(Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)
Sixth graders Sarai Hernandez, left, and Cristal Cardona react as assistant Kevin Barile demonstrates several moves in a martial arts class. See full story(Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)