The charismatic founder has long clashed with China's leadership. It was only going to end one way HONG KONG -- Three years ago, on Nov. 11 -- the date of Singles' Day, the Alibaba-led shopping extravaganza -- Jack Ma released a short film. A slick, 22-minute production titled "Gong Shou Dao" ("Martial Arts as Defense"), it follows the diminutive Ma as he encounters a series of ever-more towering opponents, from screen idol Jet Li to a Mongolian sumo wrestler.