China’s Unitree Robotics showcases eerily lifelike robot kung-fu performance during Lunar New Year
Humanoid robots took part in the world’s first fully self-contained martial arts show to mark the Lunar New Year. In new footage from the 2026 Spring Festival Gala in Beijing, Unitree Robotics’ G1 and H2 machines can be seen performing complex stunts and wielding weapons.
The robots’ performance is a marked improvement over demonstrations at the same festival in 2025, where the machines seemed stiff and clunky, with awkward transitions between different routines.
Company representatives said the improvements are a result of artificial intelligence (AI) as well as new lidar (light detection and ranging) processing, as well as mechanical upgrades to the robots themselves. They represent an advance in the field of Embodied AIin which scientists attempt to give robots tools to better understand and navigate the physical world.
The Year of the Fire Horse
“The show is inspired by a homage to traditional Chinese martial arts,” Unitree representatives said in a tech blog post. “The concept centers on merging the spirit of martial arts with modern technology, using robotic performances to showcase the power and beauty of Wushu. [the Chinese term for martial arts] while conveying the message of cultural heritage and innovation. It aims to introduce Chinese Kung Fu culture and technological advancements to the world. »
The company’s engineers had been preparing for the performance since November 2025. Scientists pre-trained a stunt movement model using extensive training data from a set of stunts, which then improved the level of fine-tuning to bring the robots up to speed.
They also upgraded the cluster control platform, a system for coordinating dozens of robots simultaneously that involves network communication, different operating systems, on-board peripherals and software engineering elements. This enabled end-to-end automation, from AI-planned choreography planning to real-time multi-robot coordination, with millisecond-level synchronization.
In terms of robotic movement, engineers ensured that the robots could navigate their environment, which involved a lidar-based localization algorithm that could improve the accuracy of their positioning. Another model pre-trained for high-speed movements then ensured that they could track their target positions stably and quickly and perform the desired movement with human-like gaits.
Machine design also played a role in the improvements. Engineers improved the motors to increase peak performance, then configured them to accommodate the new movements. Examples of specific improvements include higher power density for central joint motors, optimized limb robustness, and more dexterous hands.
Although the martial arts exhibition was designed primarily for entertainment purposes, company representatives said the movements and actions demonstrated their real-world utility. For example, the cluster control platform could be a key step in allowing multiple robots to coordinate in various environments without human intervention.
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