Of all portrayals of Chinese people, few are as ubiquitous as the Old Chinese Man. While this may seem like a stereotype, it is not entirely untrue, for old men have always existed in China. Their origin precedes written history, but most researchers agree they came into existence the moment the first Chinese man lived to the age of 70.

Prized for their wisdom and martial arts ability, Old Chinese Men have been featured in stories for centuries, usually in the role of the Master, passing their secrets unto young protégés whom they refer to as young grasshoppers. This quirky nomenclature is often cited as a vestige of pre-human evolution, and harks back to a time when monkeys actually taught kung fu to grasshoppers.

In recent decades, Old Chinese Men have become more open to cultural diversity in their students, and are more frequently shown teaching their secrets to young Westerners. It is no surprise foreigners seek advice from these men, considering that these men have learnt Ancient Chinese Secrets when they were still relatively new. It is also important to note that both parties benefit from this arrangement. The young man learns how to break bones, and the old man learns how to speak broken English. An additional bonus is that on rare occasions, as seen in The Forbidden Kingdom, these old men turn out to be Jackie Chan.

Unfortunately, these depictions of Old Chinese Men are in decline. Media watchdog groups have complained for years that they do nothing more than promote unrealistic standards in what old men are capable of. They argue that more and more young adults are abandoning their aging parents when they realize that they have to actually drive them to and from the supermarket, and that their parents can’t simply jump from tree to tree. A majority of old men also suffer from low self-esteem whenever their attempts to perform midair acrobatics result in arthritic pain.

Nonetheless, Old Chinese Men remain an important part of Chinese culture, and their body of work continues to inspire new generations, particularly those born with extraordinarily large eyebrows.

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