Backflipping kung fu robots go viral after jaw dropping Chinese New Year stunts

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Few predicted that the very first completely self-operated humanoid robot Kung Fu show would be a part of this year’s Chinese New Year celebrations, but millions of people were amazed to see it happen.

For the Chinese New Year celebration, Unitree Robotics showed off their latest humanoid robots. These robots demonstrated impressive skills, including complete kung fu performances with nunchucks, flawless backflips and frontflips, precise staff spinning, and even swordplay with a katana.

The robots weren’t performing by themselves; they shared the stage with human martial artists, copying their moves and participating in planned fight sequences. Everything was perfectly timed – from weapon swings to flips – and the robots stayed steady even when moving quickly between actions.

Robots perform kung fu in world-first performance

The performance was seen by around one billion people in China as part of the New Year celebrations, making it one of the most-watched events of the year and a huge platform for the robotics demonstration.

Tonight’s event was watched by a billion people in China. Just a year ago, these robots struggled with simple movements, but now they’re performing impressive feats like backflips and even kung fu with nunchucks. The development of robots’ physical abilities is the next big step forward.

— Tristan (@Tristan0x) February 16, 2026

The company announced that a group of dozens of G1 robots successfully performed a fully autonomous Kung Fu routine – a world first! The robots demonstrated impressive speed and agility, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible for humanoid robot movement and achieving several other milestones.

H2 made a memorable appearance at events in both Beijing and Yiwu, dressed as the Monkey King in full armor. It ‘rode’ a cloud created by four-legged B2W robots, and used this spectacle to share New Year’s greetings, according to the company.

Unitree’s Spring Festival Gala featured a remarkable robot performance! Dozens of G1 robots successfully performed a fully autonomous Kung Fu routine – a world first for humanoid robots – showcasing incredibly fast and complex movements. The H2 robot also demonstrated impressive capabilities…

— Unitree (@UnitreeRobotics) February 16, 2026

This demonstration is a significant improvement over Unitree’s 2025 showcase, where their humanoid robots could only perform a very limited boxing match with restricted movement.

Videos from the performance spread rapidly online, leading many people to wonder how the robot moved so smoothly and if the footage was actually created using artificial intelligence. However, Unitree insists the robot operated completely on its own.

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2026-02-17 14:49