Lee, Bruce

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{{epname|Lee, Bruce}}
 
 
 
{{Infobox actor
 
{{Infobox actor
 
| bgcolour    = silver
 
| bgcolour    = silver
 
| name        = Bruce Lee
 
| name        = Bruce Lee
| image        = BruceLee-ImmortalDragon.jpg|550px|
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| image        = Bruce_Lee1.jpg|250px|
 
| caption      = Bruce Lee in ''Enter the Dragon''
 
| caption      = Bruce Lee in ''Enter the Dragon''
 
| birthname    = Jun Fan Lee
 
| birthname    = Jun Fan Lee
| birthdate    = [[November 27]], [[1940]]
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| birthdate    = November 27, 1940
| location    = {{flagicon|United States}} [[Image: Flag of California.svg|25px]] [[San Francisco]], [[California]], [[USA]]
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| location    = [[San Francisco]], California, [[United States]]
| deathdate    = [[July 20]], [[1973]] aged {{age|1940|11|27|1973|7|20}}
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| deathdate    = July 20, 1973  
| deathplace  = [[Image: Flag of Hong Kong 1959.svg|25px]] [[Hong Kong]]
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| deathplace  = [[Hong Kong]]
 
| height      = 5 ft 7½ in (1.71 m)
 
| height      = 5 ft 7½ in (1.71 m)
| notable role = Lee in [[Enter the Dragon]]
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| notable role = 'Lee' in Enter the Dragon
| spouse      = [[Linda Lee Cadwell]]
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| spouse      = Linda Lee Cadwell
 
| homepage    = [http://www.bruceleefoundation.com www.bruceleefoundation.com]
 
| homepage    = [http://www.bruceleefoundation.com www.bruceleefoundation.com]
 
}}
 
}}
  
'''Bruce Jun Fan Lee''' ({{zh-cp|c=李振藩|p=Lǐ Zhènfán}}; [[November 27]], [[1940]] – [[July 20]], [[1973]]) was a [[Han Chinese|Chinese]] [[United States|American]] [[martial artist]], [[Sifu|instructor]], and [[martial arts actor]] widely regarded as one of the most influential [[martial artists]] of the [[20th century]].
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'''Bruce Jun Fan Lee''' (November 27, 1940 July 20, 1973), was a Chinese-American martial artist, instructor, and actor widely regarded as one of the most influential martial artists of the twentieth century.
 
 
Bruce Lee is perhaps the most famous martial artist of the 20th century, iconic for his presentation of [[Chinese martial arts]] to the non-Chinese world. Lee's [[film]]s, especially his performance in the [[Hollywood, California|Hollywood]]-produced ''[[Enter the Dragon]]'', elevated the traditional [[Hong Kong action cinema|Hong Kong martial arts film]] to a new level of popularity and acclaim.<ref>http://www.time.com/time/time100/heroes/profile/lee03.html</ref>
 
  
Bruce Lee's films sparked the first major surge of interest of Chinese martial arts in the West. The direction and tone of his films changed and influenced [[martial arts]] and martial arts films in [[Hong Kong]], [[China]], and the rest of the world. Lee became an [[iconic]] figure particularly to [[Chinese people|Chinese]]; as he portrayed [[China|Chinese]] national pride and [[Chinese nationalism]] in his movies.<ref name=Bio-KOKF>"Bruce Lee King of Kung-Fu", Dennis, Felix & Atyeo, Don, Straight Arrow Books, U.S. (1974) First Printing, ISBN 0-87932-088-5</ref>
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Like many of his colleagues, Lee saw the martial arts in part as a means to promote Chinese national pride. His films sparked the first major surge of interest in Chinese [[martial arts]] in the West. The direction and tone of his films changed and influenced [[martial arts]] and martial-arts films in [[Hong Kong]], [[China]], and the rest of the world. Lee became an iconic, heroic figure particularly to Chinese people, as he portrayed Chinese national pride and Chinese [[nationalism]] in his movies.<ref>Felix Dennis,  & Atyeo, Don. (1974) ''Bruce Lee King of Kung-Fu.'' (Straight Arrow Books. ISBN 0879320885)</ref> His performance in the [[Hollywood]]-produced ''Enter the Dragon'' elevated the traditional Hong Kong, martial-arts film to a new level of popularity and acclaim.<ref>Joel Stein [http://www.time.com/time/time100/heroes/profile/lee03.html Bruce Lee]. ''Time.com'' retrieved March 6, 2007</ref>  
  
Many see Lee as a model blueprint for acquiring a strong and efficient body, as well as developing a mastery of martial arts and [[hand to hand combat]] skills. Lee began the process of creating his own [[martial arts]] [[fighting]] system based on philosophy known as ''[[Jeet Kune Do]]''. Bruce Lee's evaluation of [[List of martial arts|traditional martial arts]] doctrines is nowadays seen as the first step into the modern style of [[mixed martial arts]].<ref>http://www.time.com/time/time100/heroes/profile/lee01.html</ref>
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Many see Lee as a model for acquiring a strong and efficient body, as well as developing a mastery of martial arts and [[hand-to-hand combat]] skills. Lee began the process of creating his own martial-arts, fighting system based on his philosophy known as ''[[Jeet Kune Do]]''. Bruce Lee's critique of traditional, martial-arts doctrines is nowadays seen as the first step into the modern style of [[mixed martial arts]].
  
 
==Early life==
 
==Early life==
Bruce Lee was an [[American-born Chinese|American Born Chinese]] (ABC) born at the ''Chinese Hospital''<ref name=chinesehospital>Chinese Hospital [http://www.chinesehospital-sf.org] - Radiology 845 Jackson Street, San Francisco, CA 94133.</ref> in [[San Francisco, California|San Francisco]] to his [[Han Chinese|Chinese]] father [[Lee Hoi-Chuen]] (李海泉) and Chinese-[[Germans|German]]<ref name=mother>Yang, Jeff, et all. ''Eastern Standard Time: A Guide to Asian Influence on American Culture.'' Boston/New York: Meridian/Houghton Mifflin, 1997.</ref> mother Grace Lee (何愛瑜). At the time Bruce was born, his parents were on a tour with an opera company in the United States. At the age of 3 months, he and his parents returned to Hong Kong where he would be raised until the age of 18.
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Bruce Lee was born at the "Chinese Hospital" in [[San Francisco]], [[California]] to a Chinese father, Lee Hoi-Chuen, and Chinese-German mother, Grace Lee. At the time Lee was born, his parents were on a tour with an [[opera]] company in the [[United States]]. At the age of three months, he and his parents returned to Hong Kong where he would be raised until the age of 18.
  
 
=== Names ===
 
=== Names ===
[[Image:BrceLee-Kick.jpg|thumb|Bruce Lee high kick.]]
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[[Image:Bruce_Lee2.jpg|thumb|250px|Bruce Lee]]
 
 
Bruce Lee's [[Cantonese (linguistics)|Cantonese]] given name, ''Jun Fan'' (振藩; Mandarin [[Pinyin]]: Zhènfán), literally means "''invigorate [[San Francisco, California|San Francisco]]''" (三藩市).<ref name=Bio-TBLS>"The Bruce Lee Story", Lee, Linda & Bleecker, Tom, OHRA PUBLICATIONS INC., U.S. (1989) First Printing, ISBN</ref> At birth, he was given the English name "Bruce" by Dr. Mary Glover. Mrs. Lee had not initially planned on an English name but deemed it appropriate and concurred with Dr. Glover.<ref name=Bio-BLTUS>"Bruce Lee The Untold Story", Lee, Grace & Unique Pub. Editors, CFW Enterprise UNIQUE PUBLICATIONS, U.S. (1980) First Printing, ISBN</ref> Interestingly the name "Bruce" was never used within his family until he enrolled in [[La Salle College]], a [[Hong Kong]] [[high school]], at 12 years of age, <ref name=Bio-TBLS/> and then again at another high school, St Francis Xavier's College, Kowloon, where he represented their [[boxing]] team in inter-school events.
 
  
In addition, Lee initially had a birth name ''Li Yuen Kam''<ref name=Bio-KOKF/>(李炫金); Mandarin Pinyin: Lǐ Xuànjīn) given by his mother, as at the time Lee's father was away on a [[Chinese opera]] tour. After several months, when Lee's father returned, the name was abandoned because of a conflict with the name of Lee's grandfather. Lee was then renamed ''Jun Fan''. Finally, Lee was also given a feminine name, ''Sai Fung'' (細鳳, literally "small [[Fenghuang|phoenix]]"), used throughout his early childhood in keeping with a Chinese custom traditionally thought to hide the child from evil spirits.
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Bruce Lee's [[Cantonese]] given name was ''Jun Fan.'' Literally it means "invigorate San Francisco." <ref>Linda Lee, et al. 1989. ''The Bruce Lee Story.'' (Ohara Publications. ISBN 978-0897501217).
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</ref> At birth, he was given the English name "Bruce" by Dr. Mary Glover, the supervising physician at his birth. Mrs. Lee had not initially planned on an English name, but deemed it appropriate and concurred with Dr. Glover. Interestingly, the name "Bruce" was never used within his family until he enrolled in high school.
  
Bruce Lee's screen name was ''Lee Siu Lung'' in [[Cantonese (linguistics)|Cantonese]] and ''Li Xiao Long'' in [[Mandarin (linguistics)|Mandarin]] (李小龍; Cantonese pengyam: Ley<sup>5</sup> Siw<sup>2</sup> Long<sup>4</sup>; Mandarin Pinyin: Lǐ Xiǎolóng) which literally means "Lee Little Dragon." These were first used by director 袁步雲 of the 1950 Cantonese movie 細路祥 in which Lee performed. It is possible that that the name "''little dragon''" was chosen based on his childhood name "''small phoenix''". In Chinese tradition, the [[Chinese dragon]] and [[Fenghuang|phoenix]] come in pairs to represent the male and female genders, respectively. However, it is more likely that he was called Little Dragon because he was born in the [[Year of the Dragon]] in the Hour of the Dragon, according to the [[Chinese zodiac]].
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Bruce Lee's screen name was ''Lee Siu Lung'' in Cantonese and ''Li Xiao Long'' in Mandarin, which literally means "Lee Little [[Dragon]]." These were first used by a director of a 1950 Cantonese movie in which Lee performed. It is possible that the name Little Dragon was chosen based on his childhood name "small [[phoenix]]." In Chinese tradition, the Chinese dragon and phoenix come in pairs to represent the male and female genders, respectively. However, it is more likely that he was called Little Dragon because he was born in the Year of the Dragon in the Hour of the Dragon, according to the [[Chinese zodiac]].
  
 
=== Education and family ===
 
=== Education and family ===
At age 14, Bruce Lee entered [[La Salle College]], a [[high school]], under the wing of Brother Henry. Then, he attended St Francis Xavier's College.
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At age 14, Bruce Lee entered La Salle College, a [[Hong Kong]] high school, under the wing of brother Henry. Later he attended another high school, Saint Francis Xavier's College, in [[Kowloon]], where he represented their [[boxing]] team in inter-school events.
 
 
In 1959, Bruce got into a fight with a feared [[Triad]] gang member's son. His father became concerned about young Bruce's safety, and as a result, he and his wife decided to send Bruce to the [[United States]] to live with an old friend of his father's. All he had was $100 in his pocket and the title of 1958 [[Crown Colony]] [[Cha-cha-cha|Cha Cha]] Champion of Hong Kong. After living in [[San Francisco]], he moved to [[Seattle]] to work for Ruby Chow, another friend of his father's. In 1959, Lee completed his [[high school]] education in Seattle and received his [[diploma]] from [[Seattle Community College District|Edison Technical School]]. He enrolled at the [[University of Washington]] as a [[philosophy]] [[Academic major|major]]. It was at the [[University of Washington]] that he met his future wife [[Linda Emery]], whom he would marry in 1964.
 
He had two children with Linda, [[Brandon Lee]] (born [[1965]]) and [[Shannon Lee]] (born [[1969]]). Brandon, who would also become an actor like his father, died in an accident during the filming of ''[[The Crow (film)|The Crow]]'' in [[1993]].
 
 
 
==Acting career==
 
Lee's father was a famous [[Beijing Opera]] star.  Through his father he was introduced into films at a very young age and appeared in several black-and-white films as a child.
 
 
 
In the 1960s Lee attempted to start his acting career in America.
 
Lee became famous for playing [[Kato (The Green Hornet)|Kato]] in the TV series ''[[The Green Hornet]]'' which lasted for only one season.
 
 
 
In 1967 he played a martial arts instructor in an episode of the television series ''[[Ironside (TV series)|Ironside]]''. In 1969 he appeared in the film ''[[Marlowe (1969 film)|Marlowe]]'' where he played a thug who smashed up [[James Garner]]'s office with karate chops and kicks. In 1971 he appeared in four episodes of the TV series ''[[Longstreet (TV series)|Longstreet]]'' playing a martial arts instructor to [[James Franciscus]].
 
 
 
Not happy with the roles that he was being offered in America, Lee then returned to Hong Kong and was offered a film contract by [[Raymond Chow]] for his production company ''Golden Harvest''. He starred in three films which shot him to stardom all over Asia, ''[[The Big Boss]]'' (1971), ''[[Fist of Fury]]'' (1972) and ''[[Way of the Dragon]]'' (1972) which he also wrote and directed.  In [[1964]] at a demonstration in [[Long Beach, California]], Lee met [[Karate]] champion [[Chuck Norris]]. In ''Way of the Dragon'' Lee introduced [[Chuck Norris]] as his opponent in the famous final fight scene at the [[colloseum]] in [[Rome]].
 
 
 
His last completed film ''[[Enter the Dragon]]'' (1973) was the first to be produced jointly by a Chinese and American studio and released two weeks after his untimely death cementing his status as a martial arts legend.
 
 
 
[[Kareem Abdul-Jabbar]], a student of Bruce Lee,  co-starred in [[Game of Death]], Lee's incomplete film which he also directed. In the film, Lee, wearing the now famous yellow track suit, took on the 7 foot 2 giant basketball player in a climactic fight scene. Unfortunately, Lee died before the film was finished. Lee had shot over 40 minutes of footage for ''Game of Death'' prior to starting shooting for ''Enter the Dragon''. After his death, [[Robert Clouse]] who directed ''Enter the Dragon'' finished the film using a Bruce Lee [[look-alike]] and footage of Lee from his other films and released it in 1978.
 
 
 
===Filmography===
 
Three of Lee's films (''[[Enter the Dragon]]'', [[Way of the Dragon]], and ''[[Game of Death]]'') premiered after his death.
 
 
 
{| border cellpadding=5 class="prettytable"
 
!Released !! Chinese and English title of original release !! U.S. title !! Note
 
|-
 
|1941|| Golden Gate Girl|| || Plays an infant
 
|-
 
|1946|| The Birth of Mankind|| ||
 
|-
 
|1948|| Fu gui fu yun, aka Wealth is Like a Dream|| ||
 
|-
 
|1949|| Meng li xi shi, aka Sai See in the Dream|| || Plays "'''Yam Lee'''"
 
|-
 
|1950|| Xi lu xiang, aka The Kid|| My Son, Ah Chung || Plays "'''Lee Siu Lung'''"
 
|-
 
|1951|| Ren zhi cue aka Infancy|| || Plays "'''Ngau'''".
 
|-
 
|1953|| Qian wan ren jia|| ||
 
|-
 
|1953|| Fu zhi guo aka Blame it on Father|| Father's Fault ||
 
|-
 
|1953|| Ku hai ming deng aka The Guiding Light|| ||
 
|-
 
|1953|| Ci mu lei aka A Mother's Tears|| ||
 
|-
 
|1953|| Wei lou chun xiao aka In the Face of Demolition|| ||
 
|-
 
|1955|| Gu xing xue lei|| ||
 
|-
 
|1955|| Gu er xing|| ||
 
|-
 
|1955|| Ai aka Love|| ||
 
|-
 
|1955|| Ai xia ji aka Love Part 2|| ||
 
|-
 
|1955|| Er nu zhai aka We Owe It to Our Children|| ||
 
|-
 
|1956|| Zhia dian na fu|| ||
 
|-
 
|1957|| Lei yu aka The Thunderstorm|| ||
 
|-
 
|1960|| Ren hai gu hong aka The Orphan|| || Plays "'''Ah San'''".
 
|-
 
|1969|| [[Marlowe (1969 film)|Marlowe]] ||''same''|| Plays "'''Winslow Wong'''".
 
|-
 
|1971|| [[The Big Boss]]||Fists of Fury||Plays "'''Cheng Chao-an'''". Fights against a drug lord in [[Thailand]].
 
|-
 
|1972|| [[Fist of Fury]]||The Chinese Connection||Plays "'''Chen Zhen'''" 陳真. Fights against Japanese tyrants to avenge his master in [[Shanghai]].
 
|-
 
|1973|| [[Way of the Dragon]]||Return of the Dragon||Plays "'''Tang Long'''". Fights crime in [[Rome, Italy]]. Released after 'Enter the Dragon' in the U.S.; hence the title.
 
|-
 
|1973|| [[Enter the Dragon]]||''same''||Plays martial arts master "'''Mr. Lee'''". Sent as a spy into a tournament, hosted by a rogue-monk-turned-drug-lord.
 
|-
 
|1978|| [[Game of Death]]||''same''||Plays "'''Billy Lo'''" in the US edited version and "'''Hai Tien'''" in the actual version Lee imagined. Lee acts only in the last third of the movie, due to it being pieced together after his death.
 
|}
 
Note: The title ''The Chinese Connection'' (a play on the then-recently-released ''The French Connection'') was originally intended for ''The Big Boss'' due to the drugs theme of the story.
 
  
[[Yuen Lo]], known later as [[Jackie Chan]], was a stunt double for the villain Mr. Suzuki in Lee's ''Fist of Fury''. In the film ''Enter the Dragon'', Chan was one of the henchmen disposed of in the underground lair.
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In 1959, Bruce got into a fight with a feared [[Triad]] gang member's son. His father became concerned about young Bruce's safety, and as a result, he and his wife decided to send Bruce to the United States to live with an old friend of his father's. All he had was $100.00 in his pocket and the title of 1958 Crown Colony Cha Cha Champion of Hong Kong. After living in [[San Francisco]], he moved to [[Seattle]] to work for Ruby Chow, another friend of his father's. In 1959, Lee completed his high-school education in Seattle and received his diploma from Edison Technical School, in Seattle. He enrolled at the [[University of Washington]] as a philosophy major. It was at the University of Washington that he met his future wife, Linda Emery, whom he would marry in 1964.
  
[[Yuen Wah]], also a member of the [[Seven Little Fortunes]], and later to become a well known actor in his own right (notably starring in [[2005]]'s ''[[Kung Fu Hustle]]''), was Lee's stunt double in Lee's last few films.
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Lee had two children with Linda, [[Brandon Lee]] (born 1965) and Shannon Lee (born 1969). Brandon, who would also become an actor like his father, died in an accident during the filming of ''The Crow'' in 1993.
  
===Television Appearances===
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== Martial arts training ==
* ''[[The Green Hornet]]'' (1966-1967) .... Kato
 
* ''[[Batman (TV series)|Batman]]'' (1966) .... Kato
 
* ''[[Ironside (TV series)|Ironside]]'' (1967) .... Leon Soo
 
* ''[[Here Come the Brides]]'' (1969) .... Lin
 
* ''[[Longstreet (TV series)|Longstreet]]'' (1971) .... Li Tsung
 
  
== Martial arts training and development ==
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Bruce Lee saw the martial arts not only as a fighting discipline, but also as a way to improve the moral and spiritual health of the Chinese people, as well as mankind generally. Young Bruce learned the fundamentals of ''Wu'' style [[Tai Chi Chuan]] from his father, Lee Hoi Cheun. He always held that the principles of Tai Chi Chuan influenced his view of martial arts all through his life, both as an actor and a martial artist. While it is obvious that the style studied by his father was the Wu style, Lee was seen on at least one occasion demonstrating the 108 basic movements of the ''Yang'' form.
[[Image:BruceLee-FlyingKick.jpg|thumb|550px|left|]]
 
Young Bruce learned the fundamentals of [[Wu style T'ai Chi Ch'uan|Wu style Tai Chi Chuan]] from his father, Lee Hoi Cheun. Lee's Wing Chun sifu, [[Yip Man]], was also a colleague and friend of Hong Kong Wu family teacher [[Wu Ta-ch'i]]. He always held that the principles of Tai Chi Chuan influenced his view of martial arts all through his life as an actor and a martial artist. While it is obvious that the style studied by his father was the Wu style, Lee was seen on at least one occasion demonstrating the 108 Basic Movements of the Yang form.
 
  
Lee started training in [[Wing Chun]] at the age of 14 under Hong Kong Wing Chun master Yip Man. Lee was introduced to Yip Man in early 1954 by [[William Cheung]], then a live-in student of Yip Man. Like most martial arts schools at that time, Sifu Yip Man's classes were often taught by the highest ranking students. One of the highest ranking students under Yip Man at the time of Lee's training was [[Wong Shun-leung]], who is understood to have had the largest influence. Yip Man trained Lee privately after some students refused to train with Lee due to his ancestry.<ref>FunTrivia.com. [http://www.funtrivia.com/en/Celebrities/Lee-Bruce-13857.html Interesting Questions, Facts, and Information]</ref>  Lee would leave before learning the entire Wing Chun curriculum, but Wing Chun formed a base for his later explorations of martial arts.
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Lee started training in ''Wing Chun'' at the age of 14 under Hong Kong ''Wing Chun'' master Yip Man. Lee was introduced to his ''sifu,'' [[Yip Man]], in early 1954 by William Cheung, who was then a live-in student of Yip Man. Like most martial arts schools at that time, Yip Man's classes were often taught by the highest-ranking students. One of these at the time of Lee's training was Wong Shun-leung, who is understood to have had the largest influence on Lee. Yip Man trained Lee privately after some students refused to train with Lee due to his mixed ancestry. Lee would leave before learning the entire Wing Chun curriculum, but Wing Chun formed a foundation for his later explorations of martial arts.
  
In between the learning of Tai Chi and Wing Chun, Lee also learned bits and pieces of the [[Hung Gar]] style from a friend of his father. There are photographs of Bruce demonstrating animal stances and forms found within its teachings.
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In between the learning of [[Tai Chi]] and Wing Chun, Lee also learned bits and pieces of the ''Hung Gar'' style from a friend of his father. There are photographs of Lee demonstrating animal stances and forms found within its teachings.
  
==Jun Fan Gung Fu==
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==Fighting Styles==
{{main|Jun Fan Gung Fu}}
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===Jun Fan Gung Fu===
Lee began the process of creating his own martial arts system after his arrival in the United States in 1959. Lee called his martial art ''[[Jun Fan Gung Fu]]'' (literally Bruce's Gung Fu), which consisted mostly of [[Wing Chun]], with elements of Western [[boxing]] and [[fencing (sport)|fencing]]. Lee taught friends he met in Seattle, starting with [[Judo]] practitioner [[Jesse Glover]] as his first student and who later became his first assistant instructor. Before moving to [[California]], Lee opened his first martial arts school, named the Lee Jun Fan Gung Fu Institute, in Seattle.
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Lee began the process of creating his own martial-arts system after his arrival in the United States in 1959. Lee called his martial art ''Jun Fan Gung Fu'' (literally "Bruce's" [[Kung Fu|Gung Fu]]). It consisted mostly of ''Wing Chun,'' with elements of Western [[boxing]] and [[fencing]]. Lee taught friends he met in [[Seattle]], starting with [[Judo]] practitioner Jesse Glover as his first student. Glover later became his first assistant instructor. Before moving to [[California]], Lee opened his first, martial-arts school, named the Lee Jun Fan Gung Fu Institute, in Seattle.
  
In 1964, Lee was challenged by [[Wong Jack Man]], a practitioner of [[Northern Shaolin (martial art)|Northern Shaolin]]. Lee claimed that, after arriving in San Francisco, his theories about martial arts and his teaching of "secret" Chinese martial arts to non-Asian students created him enemies in the martial arts community. In contrast, Wong stated that he requested a bout with Lee as a result of Lee's open challenge during a demonstration at a Chinatown theater; Lee had claimed to be able to defeat any martial artist in San Francisco, according to Wong.<ref name=dorgan>Dorgan, Michael. ''Bruce Lee's Toughest Fight''. Official Karate, July 1980.</ref> The two fought in December, 1964, at a kung fu school in [[Oakland, California]]. Lee and Wong provided significantly different accounts of the private bout<ref>See the article on [[Wong Jack Man]] for details.</ref>, which was not filmed. Afterwards, Lee stated in an interview, without naming Wong as the loser, that he had defeated an unnamed challenger. In response, Wong wrote his description of the fight as well as an invitation to Lee for a public match, which was printed on the front page of Chinese Pacific Weekly, a Chinese-language newspaper in San Francisco.  
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In 1964, Lee was challenged by Wong Jack Man, a practitioner of the Northern [[Shaolin]] form of [[martial arts]]. Wong said that he requested a bout with Lee as a result of Lee's open challenge during a demonstration at a Chinatown theater. Lee had claimed to be able to defeat any martial artist in San Francisco, according to Wong. The two fought in December, 1964, at a ''kung fu'' school in [[Oakland, California|Oakland]]. Lee and Wong provided significantly different accounts of the private bout, which was not filmed. Lee later stated in an interview, without naming Wong as the loser, that he had defeated an unnamed challenger. In response, Wong wrote his own description of the fight ''Chinese Pacific Weekly,'' a Chinese-language newspaper in San Francisco. Lee believed that his willingness to teach "secret" Chinese martial arts to non-Asian students created enemies in the martial-arts community.
  
 
===Jeet Kune Do===
 
===Jeet Kune Do===
[[Image:JKD.jpg|thumb|The Jeet Kune Do Emblem. The [[Chinese character]]s around the [[Taijitu]] symbol indicate: "''Using no way as way''" & "''Having no limitation as limitation''" The arrows represent the endless movement and change of the universe.]]
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Lee believed that the fight with Wong had lasted too long and that he had failed to live up to his potential. He took the view that traditional, martial-arts techniques were too rigid and formalistic to be practical in scenarios of real street fighting. Lee decided to develop a system with an emphasis on "practicality," "flexibility," "speed," and "efficiency." He started to use different methods of training such as [[weight training]] for strength, [[running]] for endurance, [[stretching]] for flexibility, and many others which he constantly adapted.
{{main|Jeet Kune Do}}
 
The match with Wong influenced Lee's philosophy on fighting. Lee believed that the fight had lasted too long and that he had failed to live up to his potential. He took the view that traditional martial arts techniques were too rigid and formalistic to be practical in scenarios of chaotic street fighting. Lee decided to develop a system with an emphasis on "''practicality'', ''flexibility'', ''speed'', and ''efficiency''". He started to use different methods of training such as [[weight training]] for strength, running for endurance, stretching for flexibility, and many others which he constantly adapted.
 
  
Lee emphasized what he called "''the style of no style''". This consisted of utilizing a non-formalized approach which Lee claimed was not indicative of traditional styles. Because Lee felt the system he called Jun Fan Gung Fu was too restrictive, it was transformed to what he would come to describe as ''Jeet Kune Do'' or the ''Way of the Intercepting Fist'', a term he would later regret because ''Jeet Kune Do'' implied specific parameters that styles connotate whereas the idea of the martial art was to exist outside of parameters and limitations. Some confuse the Jeet Kune Do system with the personal version that Bruce Lee practiced. Jeet Kune Do can be seen as both a process and a product, the latter deriving from the former.
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Lee emphasized what he called "the style of no style." This consisted of utilizing a non-formalized approach which he claimed was not indicative of traditional styles. Because Lee felt the system he called ''Jun Fan Gung Fu'' was too restrictive, he transformed it into what he would come to describe as ''Jeet Kune Do,'' or the "Way of the Intercepting Fist." This was a term he would later regret because it implied a specific style, whereas his real idea was a martial-arts system outside of parameters and limitations.
  
Bruce Lee certified three instructors: [[Taky Kimura]], [[James Yimm Lee]] (no relation to Bruce Lee) and [[Dan Inosanto]]. James Yimm Lee, a close friend of Bruce Lee, died without certifying additional students. Taky Kimura, to date, has certified one person in [[Jun Fan Gung Fu]]: his son and heir [[Andy Kimura]]. Dan Inosanto continues to teach and certify select students. Prior to his death, Lee told his then only two living instructors Inosanto and Kimura (James Yimm Lee had died in 1972) to dismantle his schools. Both Taky Kimura and Dan Inosanto were allowed to teach small classes thereafter without using the name Jeet Kune Do.
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Lee certified three instructors: Taky Kimura, James Yimm Lee (no relation to Bruce Lee), and Dan Inosanto. James Yimm Lee, a close friend of Bruce Lee, died in 1972 without certifying additional students. Kimura trained one certified practitioner in Jun Fan Gung Fu: his son and heir Andy Kimura. Inosanto continued to teach and certify select students. Prior to his death, Lee told Inosanto and Kimura to dismantle his schools for fear that the students would mistake Bruce's program as the "Way" and the agenda as the "Truth." Both Kimura and Inosanto continued to teach small classes thereafter, but without using the name Jeet Kune Do.
  
As a result of a lawsuit between the estate of Bruce Lee and the Inosanto Academy, the name "Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do" was legally trademarked, and the rights were given solely to the Lee estate. "The name is made up of two parts: 'Jun Fan' (Bruce's given Chinese name) and 'Jeet Kune Do' (the Way of the Intercepting Fist). The development of Bruce Lee's art from 1961 until the end of his life was one smooth and indivisible path. In the beginning, he referred to his teachings simply as ''Jun Fan Gung Fu''.  
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As a result of a lawsuit between the estate of Bruce Lee and the Inosanto Academy, the name "Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do" was legally trademarked, and the rights were given solely to the Lee estate.
  
Some martial arts instructors, in an effort to promote themselves or their martial arts schools, make dubious claims about learning from or teaching Bruce Lee. Yet, only three were certified by Lee.
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== 1964 Long Beach International Karate Championships ==
  
== 1964 Long Beach International Karate Championships ==
+
Lee appeared in the 1964 Long Beach International [[Karate]] Championships, performing repetitions of two-finger pushups using the thumb and the index finger, with feet at approximately a shoulder-width apart. In the same Long Beach event he also performed his famous "One-inch punch."
  
At the invitation of [[Ed Parker]], Lee appeared in the 1964 [[Long Beach International Karate Championships]] <ref>[http://www.longbeachikc.com/ Long Beach International Karate Championship]</ref> and performed repetitions of two-finger [[pushups]] (using the [[thumb]] and the [[index finger]]) with feet at approximately a shoulder-width apart. In the same Long Beach event he also performed the "[[One inch punch]]". The description of which is as follows: Lee stood upright, his right foot forward with knees bent slightly, in front of a standing, stationary partner. Lee's right arm was partly extended and his right fist approximately an inch away from the partner's chest. Without retracting his right arm, Lee then forcibly delivered the punch to his partner while largely maintaining his posture, sending the partner backwards and falling into a chair placed behind the partner to prevent injury, though the force of the impact caused his partner to soon after fall onto the floor.
+
Lee stood upright, his right foot forward with knees bent slightly, in front of a standing, stationary partner. Lee's right arm was partly extended and his right fist approximately an inch away from the partner's chest. Without retracting his right arm, Lee then forcibly delivered the punch to his partner while largely maintaining his posture, sending the partner backwards and falling into a chair placed behind the partner to prevent injury, though the force of the impact caused his partner to soon after fall onto the floor.
  
== Physical fitness and nutrition ==
+
==Acting career==
Bruce Lee felt that many [[martial artist]]s of his day did not spend enough time on physical conditioning. Bruce Lee did not resort to traditional [[bodybuilding]] techniques to build mass; he was more interested in speed and power. In his book the [[Tao of Jeet Kune Do]], he wrote ''"Training is one of the most neglected phases of athletics. Too much time is given to the development of skill and too little to the development of the individual for participation." "JKD, ultimately is not a matter of petty techniques but of highly developed spirituality and physique".'' <ref>Sanchez, Leonel. http://www.hybridmartialart.com/Martial%20Art%20Overview/Martial_%20Arts_%20Overview.html
+
Through his [[opera]]-singer father, Lee was introduced into films at a very young age, appearing in several black-and-white films as a child.
Martial Arts Overview]. ''www.hybridmartialart.com''. URL last accessed [[January 16]], [[2007]].</ref>
 
  
The [[weight training]] program that Lee used during a stay in Hong Kong in 1965 indicated [[biceps curl]]s of eighty pounds (36 kgs) and eight repetitions<ref>Lee, Linda. 1989. ''The Bruce Lee Story'' Ohara Publications, California. (''p.70'')</ref> for endurance. This translates to an estimated [[One rep maximum|one repetition maximum]] of 110 pounds, <ref>Wathen, Dan. 1994. ''Load Assignment. In Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning.'' Human Kinetics, Illinois. (''p.436'')</ref> placing Lee in approximately the 100th [[percentile]] for the 121 to 140 pound weight class.<ref>Hatfield, Fredrick C., Ph. D. 1993. ''Fitness: The Complete Guide.'' International Sport Sciences Association, California. (''p.119'')</ref>
+
Lee attempted to start his acting career in America. He became famous for playing the role of Kato in the TV series ''The Green Hornet,'' which lasted for only one season, from 1966 to 1967. Lee's popularity in [[Hong Kong]], where he was raised, was such that the show was marketed there as ''The Kato Show.'' The Green Hornet roles also inspired the comedic combination of [[Peter Sellers]] as Inspector Clouseau and [[Burt Kwouk]] as Cato in the ''Pink Panther'' movies co-written and directed by [[Blake Edwards]].
  
Lee believed that the abdominal muscles were one of the most important muscle groups for a martial artist, since virtually ''every movement'' requires some degree of abdominal work. Perhaps more importantly, the "abs" are like a shell, protecting the ribs and vital organs. Bruce Lee's washboard abs did not come from mere abdominal training; he was also a proponent of cardiovascular conditioning and would regularly run, jump rope, and ride a stationary bicycle. A typical exercise for Lee would be to run a distance of two to six [[mile]]s in fifteen to forty-five minutes.
+
In 1967, he played a martial-arts instructor in an episode of the [[television]] series ''Ironside.'' In 1969, he appeared in the film ''Marlowe,'' where he played a thug who smashed up [[James Garner]]'s office with [[karate]] chops and kicks. In 1971, he appeared in four episodes of the TV series ''Longstreet'' playing a martial-arts instructor to [[James Franciscus]].
  
=== Nutrition ===
+
Not happy with the roles that he was being offered in America, Lee then returned to [[Hong Kong]] and was offered a film contract by Raymond Chow for his production company, Golden Harvest. He starred in three films which brought him immense popularity across [[Asia]], ''The Big Boss'' (1971), ''Fist of Fury'' (1972), and ''Way of the Dragon'' (1972,) which he also wrote and directed. In 1964, at a demonstration in Long Beach, California, Lee first met his co-star in ''Way of the Dragon'' [[karate]], champion Chuck Norris.
Another element in Lee's quest for abdominal definition was [[nutrition]]. According to Linda Lee, soon after he moved to the [[United States]], Bruce Lee started to take [[nutrition]] ''seriously'' and developed an interest in health foods and high-protein drinks. ''"Several times a day, he took a high-protein drink made up of powdered milk, ice water, eggs, eggshells, bananas, vegetable oil, peanut flour and chocolate ice cream,"'' and she claims Bruce's waist fluctuated between 26 and 28 inches. ''"He also drank his own juice concoctions made from vegetables and fruits, apples, celery, carrots and so on, prepared in an electric blender."''  
 
  
Bruce Lee ate lean meat sparingly and consumed large amounts of fruits and vegetables. In later years, he became very knowledgeable about [[vitamin]] supplements, and each day apportioned himself exactly the right quota of [[vitamins]] A, B, C, D, and E.
+
His last completed film, ''Enter the Dragon'' (1973) was the first to be produced jointly by a Chinese and American studio and was released two weeks after Lee's untimely death, cementing his status as a martial arts legend. The film epic was made for $850,000 in 1973 ($3.74 million in 2005 currency. To date, ''Enter the Dragon'' has grossed more than $90,000,000. <ref>[http://imdb.com/title/tt0070034/business Internet Movie Database]. ''imdb.com''. Retrieved March 7, 2007. </ref>
  
== Bruce Lee's feats ==
+
[[Kareem Abdul-Jabbar]], a student of Lee, co-starred in ''Game of Death,'' which Lee also directed. In the film, Lee, wearing the now-famous, yellow track suit, took on the seven-foot-two, [[basketball]] player in a climactic fight scene. Unfortunately, Lee died before the film was finished. After his death, Robert Clouse, who directed ''Enter the Dragon,'' finished the film using a Bruce Lee look-alike and footage from Lee's other films. It was released in 1978.
*Bruce Lee's striking [[speed]] from 3 feet away was five hundredths of a second. (Glover<ref name=misc>Miscellaneous. [http://www.bruceleedivinewind.com/feats.html bruceleedivinewind.com page] ''The accuracy of this source has been disputed: see [[Talk:Bruce Lee#Referenced quotes|here]].</ref>)
 
*Bruce did one-hand [[push up]]s using only 2 fingers<ref name=bls>Two Finger Pushups [http://www.maniacworld.com/bruce_lee_3.htm Bruce Lee Two Finger Pushups]</ref>.
 
*Bruce was able to break a 150lb bag with a sidekick. (Coburn<ref name=misc/>)
 
*Bruce would ride the equivalent of 10 miles in 45 minutes on a stationary [[bike]], sweating profusely afterwards. (Uhera <ref name=misc/>)
 
*Bruce's last movie ''[[Enter the Dragon]]'' was made for [[United States dollar|US$]]850,000 in 1973 ($3.74 million in 2005 currency. BLS<ref name=bls>U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. [http://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl Inflation Calculator]</ref>). To date, ''Enter the Dragon'' has grossed over $90,000,000. (IMDB.com<ref>Internet Movie Database. [http://imdb.com/title/tt0070034/business]</ref>)
 
*Bruce was able to hold a 125-pound [[barbell]] at arms length in front of him (with elbows locked) for 20 seconds.<ref name=little>John Little</ref>
 
Wally Jay - "I last saw Bruce after he moved from Culver City to Bel Air. He had a big heavy bag hanging out on his patio. It weighed 300lbs. I could hardly move it at all. Bruce said to me "Hey, Wally, watch this" and he jumped back and kicked it and this monster of a heavy bag went up to the ceiling, Thump!!! And came back down. I still can't believe the power that guy had".
 
Danny Inosanto - "Bruce would always shadow box with small weights in his hands and he'd do a drill in which he'd punch for 12 series in a row. 100 punches per series, using a pyramid system of 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 and 10lb dumbbells and then he'd reverse the pyramid and go 10, 7, 5, 3, 2, 1 and finally zero weight. He had me do this drill with him and man what a burn you'd get in your delts and arms."
 
  
 
== Philosophy ==
 
== Philosophy ==
Although Bruce Lee is best known as a [[martial artist]] and actor, Lee majored in [[philosophy]] at the [[University of Washington]]. Lee's books on [[martial arts]] and [[fighting]] philosophy are well-known both for their philosophical assertions both inside and outside of martial arts circles. His philosophy often mirrored his [[fighting]] beliefs, though he was quick to claim that his martial arts were solely a metaphor for such teachings. His influences include [[Taoism]] and [[Buddhism]]. Lee was a contemporary of the Hindu Philosopher and teacher [[Jiddu Krishnamurti]], whose philosophy influenced Lee's.[http://www.andykimura.com/krishnamurti.htm] Lee referred to Krishnamurti in the book The Tao Of Jeet Kune Do.
+
Although Bruce Lee is best known as a martial artist and actor, he majored in [[philosophy]] at the [[University of Washington]]. His philosophy often mirrored his fighting beliefs, though he was quick to claim that his martial arts were solely a metaphor for such teachings. His influences include [[Taoism]] and [[Buddhism]]. Lee was a younger contemporary of the [[Hindu]] Philosopher and teacher, [[Jiddu Krishnamurti]], whose philosophy also influenced Lee's.<ref>Andy Kimura, 
 
+
[http://www.andykimura.com/krishnamurti.htm Jun Fan Gung Fu Institute of Seattle] Retrieved February 26, 2008.</ref> Lee referred to Krishnamurti in the book ''The Tao Of Jeet Kune Do''.
[[Image:BruceLee-Philosophy.jpg|thumb|550px|left|The Warrior Within]]
 
  
 +
=== Quotations ===
 
The following are some of Bruce Lee's quotes that reflect his fighting philosophy.
 
The following are some of Bruce Lee's quotes that reflect his fighting philosophy.
 
* "If I tell you I'm good, you would probably think I'm boasting. If I tell you I'm no good, you ''know'' I'm lying."
 
* "If I tell you I'm good, you would probably think I'm boasting. If I tell you I'm no good, you ''know'' I'm lying."
* "Be formless... shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle; it becomes the bottle. You put it into a teapot; it becomes the teapot. Water can flow, and it can crash. Be water, my friend..."
+
* "Be formless… shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle; it becomes the bottle. You put it into a teapot; it becomes the teapot. Water can flow, and it can crash. Be water, my friend…"
 
* "Use only that which works, and take it from any place you can find it."
 
* "Use only that which works, and take it from any place you can find it."
* "The more relaxed the muscles are, the more energy can flow through the body. Using muscular tensions to try to 'do' the punch or attempting to use brute force to knock someone over will only work to opposite effect."
+
* "The more relaxed the muscles are, the more energy can flow through the body. Using muscular tensions to try to 'do' the punch or attempting to use brute force to knock someone over will only work to the opposite effect."
 
* "Mere technical knowledge is only the beginning of Kung Fu. To master it, one must enter into the spirit of it."
 
* "Mere technical knowledge is only the beginning of Kung Fu. To master it, one must enter into the spirit of it."
* "There are lots of guys around the world that are lazy. They have big fat guts. They talk about chi power and things they can do, but don't believe it."
 
 
* "I'm not a master. I'm a student-master, meaning that I have the knowledge of a master and the expertise of a master, but I'm still learning. So I'm a student-master. I don't believe in the word 'master.' I consider the master as such when they close the casket."
 
* "I'm not a master. I'm a student-master, meaning that I have the knowledge of a master and the expertise of a master, but I'm still learning. So I'm a student-master. I don't believe in the word 'master.' I consider the master as such when they close the casket."
 
* "Do not deny the classical approach, simply as a reaction, or you will have created another pattern and trapped yourself there."
 
* "Do not deny the classical approach, simply as a reaction, or you will have created another pattern and trapped yourself there."
* "Jeet Kune Do: it's just a name; don't fuss over it. There's no such thing as a style if you understand the roots of combat."
+
* "''Jeet Kune Do'': it's just a name; don't fuss over it. There's no such thing as a style if you understand the roots of combat."
* "Unfortunately, now in boxing people are only allowed to punch. In Judo, people are only allowed to throw. I do not despise these kinds of martial arts. What I mean is, we now find rigid forms which create differences among clans, and the world of martial art is shattered as a result."
+
* "Unfortunately, now in [[boxing]] people are only allowed to punch. In [[Judo]], people are only allowed to throw. I do not despise these kinds of [[martial arts]]. What I mean is, we now find rigid forms which create differences among clans, and the world of martial arts is shattered as a result."
* "I think the high state of martial art, in application, must have no absolute form. And, to tackle pattern A with pattern B may not be absolutely correct."
 
 
* "True observation begins when one is devoid of set patterns."
 
* "True observation begins when one is devoid of set patterns."
 +
* "Use no way as way; use no limitation as limitation."
 
* "The other weakness is, when clans are formed, the people of a clan will hold their kind of martial art as the only truth and do not dare to reform or improve it. Thus they are confined in their own tiny little world. Their students become machines which imitate martial art forms."
 
* "The other weakness is, when clans are formed, the people of a clan will hold their kind of martial art as the only truth and do not dare to reform or improve it. Thus they are confined in their own tiny little world. Their students become machines which imitate martial art forms."
* "Some people are tall; some are short. Some are stout; some are slim. There are various different kinds of people. If all of them learn the same martial art form, then who does it fit?"
 
 
* "Ultimately, martial art means honestly expressing yourself. It is easy for me to put on a show and be cocky so I can show you some really fancy movement. But to express oneself honestly, not lying to oneself, and to express myself honestly enough; that my friend is very hard to do."
 
* "Ultimately, martial art means honestly expressing yourself. It is easy for me to put on a show and be cocky so I can show you some really fancy movement. But to express oneself honestly, not lying to oneself, and to express myself honestly enough; that my friend is very hard to do."
* "Use no way as way; use no limitation as limitation."
 
  
 
See also [[wikiquote:Bruce Lee|Wikiquotes]] for more quotes by Bruce Lee.
 
See also [[wikiquote:Bruce Lee|Wikiquotes]] for more quotes by Bruce Lee.
  
== Bruce Lee and popular culture ==
+
== Physical fitness ==
:''Main article: [[Bruce Lee and popular culture]]''
+
=== Exercise ===
 
+
Bruce Lee felt that many martial artists of his day did not spend enough time on physical conditioning. Lee did not resort to traditional [[bodybuilding]] techniques to build mass; he was more interested in speed and power. In his book the ''Tao of Jeet Kune Do,'' he wrote ''"Training is one of the most neglected phases of athletics. Too much time is given to the development of skill and too little to the development of the individual for participation."
There exists many references to Bruce Lee in [[anime]], [[manga]], and other [[popular culture]], which are covered in a [[Bruce Lee and popular culture|separate article]].
 
  
== Awards and honors ==
+
Lee believed that the abdominal [[muscles]] were one of the most important muscle groups for a martial artist, since virtually ''every movement'' requires some degree of abdominal work. Perhaps more importantly, the "abs" are like a shell, protecting the ribs and vital [[organs]]. However, Bruce Lee's washboard abs did not come from mere abdominal training; he was also a proponent of [[cardiovascular conditioning]] and would regularly run, jump rope, and ride a stationary [[bicycle]]. A typical exercise for Lee would be to run a distance of two to six miles in 15 to 45 minutes.
* With his ancestral roots coming from Gwan'on in [[Shunde|Seundak]], [[Guangdong]] province of [[China]] (广东顺德均安, Guangdong Shunde Jun'An), a street in the village is named after him where his ancestral home is situated. The home is open for public access.
 
* Bruce Lee was named ''[[TIME Magazine]]'' 's '''100 Most Important People of the Century''' as one of the ''greatest heroes & icons'' and among the most influential [[martial artists]] of the [[20th century]].
 
* The 1993 [[film]] ''[[Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story]]'' is a slightly fictionalized biographical film about Bruce Lee.
 
* In 2001, ''[[LMF]]'', a [[Cantonese]] [[hip-hop]] group in [[Hong Kong]], released a popular song called "1127" as a tribute to Bruce Lee.
 
* In 2003, "Things Asian" wrote an article to his 30th day of death: His Legend remains strong 30 years after his death, and in the process he establish his place in martial arts folklore as the greatest martial artist of all time.<ref>http://www.thingsasian.com/stories-photos/2629</ref>
 
* In 2004, [[UFC]] president [[Dana White]] credited Bruce Lee as the "'''''father of [[mixed martial arts]]'''''"<ref>Wickert, Marc. 2004. ''Dana White and the future of UFC''. kucklepit.com. See [http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Dana_White Wikiquotes] for the text.</ref>.
 
* In September [[2004]], a BBC story stated that the [[Herzegovina|Herzegovinian]] city of [[Mostar]] was to honor Lee with a statue on the Spanish Square, as a '''symbol of solidarity'''. After many years of war and religious splits, Lee's figure is to commend his work: to successfully bridge culture gaps in the world. The statue, placed in the city park, was unveiled on [[November 26]], [[2005]] (One day before the unveiling of the statue in Hong Kong, below).<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3620752.stm</ref>
 
* In 2005, Lee was remembered in [[Hong Kong]] with a bronze statue to mark his sixty-fifth birthday. The bronze statue, unveiled on [[November 27]], [[2005]], honored Lee as '''Chinese film's bright star of the century'''.<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4711947.stm</ref>
 
  
== Martial arts lineage ==
+
His physical prowess impressed others, including friend Wally Jay, who said: "I last saw Bruce after he moved from Culver City to Bel Air. He had a big [[heavy bag]] hanging out on his patio. It weighed 300 pounds. I could hardly move it at all. Bruce said to me 'Hey, Wally, watch this,' and he jumped back and kicked it and this monster of a heavy bag went up to the ceiling, Thump!!! And came back down. I still can't believe the power that guy had."
{| border cellpadding=5 class="prettytable"
 
| colspan="2" align="center" | Lineage in [[Wing Chun]] / [[Jeet Kune Do]]
 
|-
 
|[[Sifu]] in Wing Chun||[[Yip Man]] (葉問)
 
|-
 
|Other instructors||[[Sihing]] [[Wong Shun-leung]] (黃惇樑)
 
|-
 
|Notable Sparring partner||[[Toe Dai]] [[Hawkins Cheung]]  Note: He was Bruce Lee's friend at the time.
 
|-
 
| colspan="2" align="center" | &nbsp;<br>'''Bruce Lee''' (李小龍)<br>Creator of Jeet Kune Do<br>&nbsp;
 
|-
 
|Known students in Jun Fan<br>Gung Fu/Jeet Kune Do||[[Jesse Glover]]<br>[[Steve Golden]]<br>[[Dan Inosanto]]<br>[[Taky Kimura]]<br>[[Jerry Poteet]]<br>[[Ted Wong]]<br>[[James Yimm Lee]]<br>Numerous others...
 
|-
 
|Famous students taught<br>Jun Fan/Jeet Kune Do||[[Kareem Abdul-Jabbar]]<br>[[James Coburn]]<br>[[Joe Lewis (martial arts)|Joe Lewis]]<br>[[Roman Polanski]]<br>[[Lee Marvin]]<br>[[Steve McQueen]]<br>[[Chuck Norris]]<br>Numerous others...
 
|}
 
  
== Death by "misadventure" ==
+
=== Nutrition ===
Bruce Lee's death was officially attributed to [[cerebral edema]].
+
Another element in Lee's quest for abdominal definition was [[nutrition]]. According to his wife, Linda Lee, soon after he moved to the United States, Bruce Lee started to take nutrition seriously, and developed an interest in health foods and high-protein drinks. "Several times a day, he took a high-protein drink made up of powdered milk, ice water, eggs, eggshells, bananas, vegetable oil, peanut flour, and chocolate ice cream," and, she claims, Lee's waist fluctuated between 26 and 28 inches. "He also drank his own juice concoctions made from vegetables and fruits, apples, celery, carrots and so on, prepared in an electric blender." 
  
On [[July 20]], [[1973]], Lee was in [[Hong Kong]], due to have dinner with former [[James Bond]] star [[George Lazenby]], with whom he intended to make a film. According to Lee's wife Linda, Lee met producer [[Raymond Chow]] at 2 P.M. at home to discuss the making of the movie ''[[Game of Death]]''. They worked until 4 P.M. and then drove together to the home of Lee's mistress [[Betty Ting Pei]], a [[Taiwan]]ese actress who was to have a leading role in the film. The three went over the script at her home, and then Chow left to attend a dinner meeting.
+
Lee ate lean meat sparingly and consumed large amounts of fruits and vegetables. In later years, he became very knowledgeable about vitamin supplements, and each day apportioned himself exactly the right quota of [[vitamins]] A, B, C, D, and E.
  
A short time later, Lee complained of a headache, and Ting Pei gave him an [[analgesic]]. At around 7:30 P.M., he laid down for a nap. After Lee did not turn up for the dinner, Chow came to the apartment but could not wake Lee up. A [[Physician|doctor]] was summoned, who spent ten minutes attempting to revive him before sending him by ambulance to [[Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Hong Kong|Queen Elizabeth Hospital]]. However, Lee was dead by the time he reached the hospital. There was no visible external injury; however, his [[brain]] had swollen considerably, from 1,400 to 1,575 grams (13%). Lee was thirty-two years old. On [[October 15]], [[2005]], Chow stated in an interview that Lee was allergic to [[Equagesic]]. When the [[physicians|doctors]] announced Bruce Lee's death officially, it was coined as "Death by Misadventure."
+
== Death by "misadventure" ==
 +
Bruce Lee's death was officially attributed to cerebral edema.
  
Another theory is he died from allergic reaction to marijuana, which he was consuming at the time in hashish form.[http://www.bruceleedivinewind.com/death.html].
+
On July 20, 1973, Lee was in Hong Kong, due to have dinner with former ''James Bond'' star George Lazenby, with whom he intended to make a film. According to Bruce's wife Linda, Lee met producer Raymond Chow at 2:00 p.m. at home to discuss the making of the movie ''Game of Death.'' They worked until 4:00 p.m. and then drove together to the home of Lee's mistress, Betty Ting Pei, a Taiwanese actress who was to have a leading role in the film. The three went over the script at her home, and then Chow left to attend a dinner meeting.
This is controversial, but it is confirmed that they did find traces of the substance during his autopsy.[http://www.time.com/time/time100/heroes/profile/lee03.html] [http://www.cheungswingchun.com/g/1473/the-gladiator---bruce-lee.html]
 
  
However, the exact details of Lee's death are controversial. Bruce Lee's iconic status and unusual death at a young age led many people to develop many theories about Lee's death. Such theories about his death included murder involving the [[triads]], a [[curse]] on Lee and his family, etc. The theory of the curse carried over to Lee's son [[Brandon Lee]], also an actor, who died nearly 20 years after his father in a bizarre accident while filming ''[[The Crow (film)|The Crow]]''.
+
A short time later, Lee complained of a headache, and Ting Pei gave him an [[analgesic]]. At around 7:30 p.m., he laid down for a nap. After Lee did not turn up for the dinner, Chow came to the apartment but could not wake Lee up. A doctor was summoned, who spent ten minutes attempting to revive him before sending him by ambulance to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in [[Hong Kong]]. However, Lee was dead by the time he reached the hospital. There was no visible external injury; however, his brain had swollen considerably, from 1,400 to 1,575 grams (13 percent). Lee was 32 years old. On October 15, 2005, Chow stated in an interview that Lee was allergic to the drug Equagesic. When the doctors announced Bruce Lee's death officially, it was termed, "Death by Misadventure."
  
[[Image:Bruce_Lee_1.JPG|thumb|right|The grave site of Bruce Lee and his son, Brandon]]
+
Another theory is that Lee died from an allergic reaction to [[marijuana]], which he was consuming at the time in hashish form.<ref>[http://www.bruceleedivinewind.com/death.html Cause of Death], ''Bruce Lee Divine Wind''. Retrieved February 26, 2008.</ref>
 +
This allegation has been the cause of much controversy, but it is confirmed that traces of the substance were found during his autopsy.<ref>[http://www.cheungswingchun.com/g/1473/the-gladiator---bruce-lee.html The Gladiator &ndash; Bruce Lee], ''The World Wing Jung Kung Fu Association'', Retrieved February 26, 2008.</ref>
  
Upon his death his wife, Linda, returned to her home town of [[Seattle]] and had Bruce buried at lot 276 of [[Lake View Cemetery (Seattle)|Lakeview Cemetery]].  His son Brandon is buried beside him. Pallbearers at his funeral on [[July 31]] [[1973]] included [[Steve McQueen]], [[James Coburn]], [[Dan Inosanto]], [[Taky Kimura]], [[Peter Chin]], and his brother, Robert Lee. To this day, over 30 years after his death, fresh flowers are found on his gravestone every day.
+
[[Image:Bruce_Lee_1.JPG|thumb|right|300px|The grave site of Bruce Lee and his son, Brandon]]
  
== Books authored ==
+
However, the exact details of Lee's death are controversial. Bruce Lee's iconic status and unusual death at a young age led many people to develop many theories about Lee's death. Such theories included his murder by the triads and a curse on Lee and his family, which carried over to Lee's son, [[Brandon Lee]], also an actor, who died nearly 20 years after his father in a bizarre accident while filming ''The Crow.''
* ''[[Bruce Lee's Fighting Method 1-5]]''
 
* ''[[Chinese Gung-Fu: The Philosophical Art of Self Defense]]''
 
* ''[[The Tao of Jeet Kune Do]]''
 
  
== Books about Bruce Lee and/or JKD ==
+
Despite the "curse," three of Lee's films (''Enter the Dragon,'' ''Way of the Dragon,'' and ''Game of Death'') successfully premiered after his death, catapulting him into the status of international film star.  
* ''[[Absorb What Is Useful]]'' - written by [[Dan Inosanto]] mostly about JKD training practices.
 
* ''[[Bruce Lee Between Wing Chun and JKD]]'' - written by Jesse Glover
 
* ''[[Bruce Lee: Dynamic Becoming]]'' - a book about Bruce Lee's philosophy
 
* ''[[Bruce Lee: Fighting Spirit]]'' - a biography by Bruce Thomas
 
* ''[[Striking Thoughts]]'' - thoughts and quotes of Bruce Lee
 
* ''[[The Tao of Bruce Lee]]'' - written by Davis Miller mostly about Bruce Lee.
 
* "[[Jeet Kune Do: The Principles of a Complete Fighter]]" by [[Ron Balicki]], Steve Gold ISBN 9-531766-3-0
 
  
== Bruce Lee documentaries ==
+
Lee was buried in Seattle. His son, Brandon, is buried beside him. Pallbearers at his funeral on July 31, 1973 included [[Steve McQueen]], [[James Coburn]], Dan Inosanto, Taky Kimura, Peter Chin, and Bruce's brother, Robert Lee. To this day, over 30 years after his death, fresh flowers are found on his gravestone every day.
* [[Bruce Lee: A Warrior's Journey]]
 
  
== References ==
+
== Notes ==
 
<div class="references-small"><references/></div>
 
<div class="references-small"><references/></div>
  
== See also ==
+
== Books authored ==
{{ChineseText}}
 
* [[Bruce Lee and popular culture]]
 
* [[Bruce Lee: A Warrior's Journey]]
 
* [[Bruce Lee Library]]
 
* [[Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story]]
 
* [[The Tao of Jeet Kune Do]]
 
  
==External links==
+
* Lee, Bruce, with Uyehara, Mitoshi. (1978) ''Bruce Lee's Fighting Method, Vol. 1: Self-Defense Techniques.'' Ohara Publications. ISBN 978-0897500500
{{Wikiquote}}
+
* Lee, Bruce. (1982) ''Bruce Lee's Fighting Method, Vol. 2: Basic training.'' Ohara Publications. ISBN 978-0897500517,
*{{imdb name|id=0000045|name=Bruce Lee}}
+
* Lee, Bruce. (1977) ''Bruce Lee's Fighting Method, Vol. 3: Skill in Techniques.'' Ohara Publications. ISBN 978-0897500524
 
+
* Lee, Bruce. (1977) ''Bruce Lee's Fighting Method, Vol. 4: Advanced Techniques.'' Ohara Publications. ISBN 978-0897500531 
{{commons}}
+
* Lee, Bruce, with John R. Little, ed., (1997) ''Words of the Dragon: Interviews 1958-1973.'' Tuttle Publishing. ISBN 978-0804831338
 
+
* Lee, Bruce, with John R. Little, ed. (2000) ''Bruce Lee: The Celebrated Life of the Golden Dragon.'' Tuttle Publishing. ISBN 978-0804832304
{{Persondata
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* Lee, Bruce. (1988) ''Chinese Gung-Fu: The Philosophical Art of Self Defense.'' Ohara Publications. ISBN 978-0897501125
|NAME=Lee, Bruce
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* Lee, Bruce, with John R. Little, ed. (1997) ''Jeet Kune Do: Bruce Lee's Commentaries on the Martial Way.'' Tuttle Publishing. ISBN 978-0804831321
|ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
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* Lee, Bruce, with John R. Little, ed. (1997) ''The Tao of Gung Fu: A Study in the Way of Chinese Martial Arts, Vol. 2'' Tuttle Publishing. ISBN 978-0804831109
|SHORT DESCRIPTION=Martial artist
 
|DATE OF BIRTH=[[November 27]], [[1940]]
 
|PLACE OF BIRTH=[[San Francisco]], [[United States]]
 
|DATE OF DEATH=[[July 20]], [[1973]]
 
|PLACE OF DEATH=[[Hong Kong]]
 
}}
 
 
 
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== References ==
  
[[category:History and biography]]
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* Balicki, Ron, and Steve Gold. ''Jeet Kune Do: The Principles of a Complete Fighter.''  HNL Publishing, 2007. ISBN 978-0955264849
[[category:Art, music, literature, sports and leisure]]
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* Dennis, Felix & Atyeo, Don. ''Bruce Lee King of Kung-Fu.'' Straight Arrow Books, 1974. ISBN 0879320885
[[category:Sports]]
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* Lee, Linda et al. ''The Bruce Lee Story.'' Ohara Publications, 1989. ISBN 978-0897501217
 +
* Miller, Davis. ''The Tao of Bruce Lee.'' Three Rivers Press. 2001. ISBN 978-0609805381 
 +
* Thomas, Bruce. ''Bruce Lee: Fighting Spirit.'' North Atlantic Books, Frog, Ltd., 1994. ISBN 978-1883319250
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[[Category:Art, music, literature, sports and leisure]]
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Latest revision as of 16:58, 29 April 2020

Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee1.jpg
Bruce Lee in Enter the Dragon
Birth name: Jun Fan Lee
Date of birth: November 27, 1940
Birth location: San Francisco, California, United States
Date of death: July 20, 1973
Death location: Hong Kong
Height: 5 ft 7½ in (1.71 m)
Official site: www.bruceleefoundation.com
Notable role(s): 'Lee' in Enter the Dragon
Spouse: Linda Lee Cadwell

Bruce Jun Fan Lee (November 27, 1940 – July 20, 1973), was a Chinese-American martial artist, instructor, and actor widely regarded as one of the most influential martial artists of the twentieth century.

Like many of his colleagues, Lee saw the martial arts in part as a means to promote Chinese national pride. His films sparked the first major surge of interest in Chinese martial arts in the West. The direction and tone of his films changed and influenced martial arts and martial-arts films in Hong Kong, China, and the rest of the world. Lee became an iconic, heroic figure particularly to Chinese people, as he portrayed Chinese national pride and Chinese nationalism in his movies.[1] His performance in the Hollywood-produced Enter the Dragon elevated the traditional Hong Kong, martial-arts film to a new level of popularity and acclaim.[2]

Many see Lee as a model for acquiring a strong and efficient body, as well as developing a mastery of martial arts and hand-to-hand combat skills. Lee began the process of creating his own martial-arts, fighting system based on his philosophy known as Jeet Kune Do. Bruce Lee's critique of traditional, martial-arts doctrines is nowadays seen as the first step into the modern style of mixed martial arts.

Early life

Bruce Lee was born at the "Chinese Hospital" in San Francisco, California to a Chinese father, Lee Hoi-Chuen, and Chinese-German mother, Grace Lee. At the time Lee was born, his parents were on a tour with an opera company in the United States. At the age of three months, he and his parents returned to Hong Kong where he would be raised until the age of 18.

Names

Bruce Lee

Bruce Lee's Cantonese given name was Jun Fan. Literally it means "invigorate San Francisco." [3] At birth, he was given the English name "Bruce" by Dr. Mary Glover, the supervising physician at his birth. Mrs. Lee had not initially planned on an English name, but deemed it appropriate and concurred with Dr. Glover. Interestingly, the name "Bruce" was never used within his family until he enrolled in high school.

Bruce Lee's screen name was Lee Siu Lung in Cantonese and Li Xiao Long in Mandarin, which literally means "Lee Little Dragon." These were first used by a director of a 1950 Cantonese movie in which Lee performed. It is possible that the name Little Dragon was chosen based on his childhood name "small phoenix." In Chinese tradition, the Chinese dragon and phoenix come in pairs to represent the male and female genders, respectively. However, it is more likely that he was called Little Dragon because he was born in the Year of the Dragon in the Hour of the Dragon, according to the Chinese zodiac.

Education and family

At age 14, Bruce Lee entered La Salle College, a Hong Kong high school, under the wing of brother Henry. Later he attended another high school, Saint Francis Xavier's College, in Kowloon, where he represented their boxing team in inter-school events.

In 1959, Bruce got into a fight with a feared Triad gang member's son. His father became concerned about young Bruce's safety, and as a result, he and his wife decided to send Bruce to the United States to live with an old friend of his father's. All he had was $100.00 in his pocket and the title of 1958 Crown Colony Cha Cha Champion of Hong Kong. After living in San Francisco, he moved to Seattle to work for Ruby Chow, another friend of his father's. In 1959, Lee completed his high-school education in Seattle and received his diploma from Edison Technical School, in Seattle. He enrolled at the University of Washington as a philosophy major. It was at the University of Washington that he met his future wife, Linda Emery, whom he would marry in 1964.

Lee had two children with Linda, Brandon Lee (born 1965) and Shannon Lee (born 1969). Brandon, who would also become an actor like his father, died in an accident during the filming of The Crow in 1993.

Martial arts training

Bruce Lee saw the martial arts not only as a fighting discipline, but also as a way to improve the moral and spiritual health of the Chinese people, as well as mankind generally. Young Bruce learned the fundamentals of Wu style Tai Chi Chuan from his father, Lee Hoi Cheun. He always held that the principles of Tai Chi Chuan influenced his view of martial arts all through his life, both as an actor and a martial artist. While it is obvious that the style studied by his father was the Wu style, Lee was seen on at least one occasion demonstrating the 108 basic movements of the Yang form.

Lee started training in Wing Chun at the age of 14 under Hong Kong Wing Chun master Yip Man. Lee was introduced to his sifu, Yip Man, in early 1954 by William Cheung, who was then a live-in student of Yip Man. Like most martial arts schools at that time, Yip Man's classes were often taught by the highest-ranking students. One of these at the time of Lee's training was Wong Shun-leung, who is understood to have had the largest influence on Lee. Yip Man trained Lee privately after some students refused to train with Lee due to his mixed ancestry. Lee would leave before learning the entire Wing Chun curriculum, but Wing Chun formed a foundation for his later explorations of martial arts.

In between the learning of Tai Chi and Wing Chun, Lee also learned bits and pieces of the Hung Gar style from a friend of his father. There are photographs of Lee demonstrating animal stances and forms found within its teachings.

Fighting Styles

Jun Fan Gung Fu

Lee began the process of creating his own martial-arts system after his arrival in the United States in 1959. Lee called his martial art Jun Fan Gung Fu (literally "Bruce's" Gung Fu). It consisted mostly of Wing Chun, with elements of Western boxing and fencing. Lee taught friends he met in Seattle, starting with Judo practitioner Jesse Glover as his first student. Glover later became his first assistant instructor. Before moving to California, Lee opened his first, martial-arts school, named the Lee Jun Fan Gung Fu Institute, in Seattle.

In 1964, Lee was challenged by Wong Jack Man, a practitioner of the Northern Shaolin form of martial arts. Wong said that he requested a bout with Lee as a result of Lee's open challenge during a demonstration at a Chinatown theater. Lee had claimed to be able to defeat any martial artist in San Francisco, according to Wong. The two fought in December, 1964, at a kung fu school in Oakland. Lee and Wong provided significantly different accounts of the private bout, which was not filmed. Lee later stated in an interview, without naming Wong as the loser, that he had defeated an unnamed challenger. In response, Wong wrote his own description of the fight Chinese Pacific Weekly, a Chinese-language newspaper in San Francisco. Lee believed that his willingness to teach "secret" Chinese martial arts to non-Asian students created enemies in the martial-arts community.

Jeet Kune Do

Lee believed that the fight with Wong had lasted too long and that he had failed to live up to his potential. He took the view that traditional, martial-arts techniques were too rigid and formalistic to be practical in scenarios of real street fighting. Lee decided to develop a system with an emphasis on "practicality," "flexibility," "speed," and "efficiency." He started to use different methods of training such as weight training for strength, running for endurance, stretching for flexibility, and many others which he constantly adapted.

Lee emphasized what he called "the style of no style." This consisted of utilizing a non-formalized approach which he claimed was not indicative of traditional styles. Because Lee felt the system he called Jun Fan Gung Fu was too restrictive, he transformed it into what he would come to describe as Jeet Kune Do, or the "Way of the Intercepting Fist." This was a term he would later regret because it implied a specific style, whereas his real idea was a martial-arts system outside of parameters and limitations.

Lee certified three instructors: Taky Kimura, James Yimm Lee (no relation to Bruce Lee), and Dan Inosanto. James Yimm Lee, a close friend of Bruce Lee, died in 1972 without certifying additional students. Kimura trained one certified practitioner in Jun Fan Gung Fu: his son and heir Andy Kimura. Inosanto continued to teach and certify select students. Prior to his death, Lee told Inosanto and Kimura to dismantle his schools for fear that the students would mistake Bruce's program as the "Way" and the agenda as the "Truth." Both Kimura and Inosanto continued to teach small classes thereafter, but without using the name Jeet Kune Do.

As a result of a lawsuit between the estate of Bruce Lee and the Inosanto Academy, the name "Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do" was legally trademarked, and the rights were given solely to the Lee estate.

1964 Long Beach International Karate Championships

Lee appeared in the 1964 Long Beach International Karate Championships, performing repetitions of two-finger pushups using the thumb and the index finger, with feet at approximately a shoulder-width apart. In the same Long Beach event he also performed his famous "One-inch punch."

Lee stood upright, his right foot forward with knees bent slightly, in front of a standing, stationary partner. Lee's right arm was partly extended and his right fist approximately an inch away from the partner's chest. Without retracting his right arm, Lee then forcibly delivered the punch to his partner while largely maintaining his posture, sending the partner backwards and falling into a chair placed behind the partner to prevent injury, though the force of the impact caused his partner to soon after fall onto the floor.

Acting career

Through his opera-singer father, Lee was introduced into films at a very young age, appearing in several black-and-white films as a child.

Lee attempted to start his acting career in America. He became famous for playing the role of Kato in the TV series The Green Hornet, which lasted for only one season, from 1966 to 1967. Lee's popularity in Hong Kong, where he was raised, was such that the show was marketed there as The Kato Show. The Green Hornet roles also inspired the comedic combination of Peter Sellers as Inspector Clouseau and Burt Kwouk as Cato in the Pink Panther movies co-written and directed by Blake Edwards.

In 1967, he played a martial-arts instructor in an episode of the television series Ironside. In 1969, he appeared in the film Marlowe, where he played a thug who smashed up James Garner's office with karate chops and kicks. In 1971, he appeared in four episodes of the TV series Longstreet playing a martial-arts instructor to James Franciscus.

Not happy with the roles that he was being offered in America, Lee then returned to Hong Kong and was offered a film contract by Raymond Chow for his production company, Golden Harvest. He starred in three films which brought him immense popularity across Asia, The Big Boss (1971), Fist of Fury (1972), and Way of the Dragon (1972,) which he also wrote and directed. In 1964, at a demonstration in Long Beach, California, Lee first met his co-star in Way of the Dragon karate, champion Chuck Norris.

His last completed film, Enter the Dragon (1973) was the first to be produced jointly by a Chinese and American studio and was released two weeks after Lee's untimely death, cementing his status as a martial arts legend. The film epic was made for $850,000 in 1973 ($3.74 million in 2005 currency. To date, Enter the Dragon has grossed more than $90,000,000. [4]

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, a student of Lee, co-starred in Game of Death, which Lee also directed. In the film, Lee, wearing the now-famous, yellow track suit, took on the seven-foot-two, basketball player in a climactic fight scene. Unfortunately, Lee died before the film was finished. After his death, Robert Clouse, who directed Enter the Dragon, finished the film using a Bruce Lee look-alike and footage from Lee's other films. It was released in 1978.

Philosophy

Although Bruce Lee is best known as a martial artist and actor, he majored in philosophy at the University of Washington. His philosophy often mirrored his fighting beliefs, though he was quick to claim that his martial arts were solely a metaphor for such teachings. His influences include Taoism and Buddhism. Lee was a younger contemporary of the Hindu Philosopher and teacher, Jiddu Krishnamurti, whose philosophy also influenced Lee's.[5] Lee referred to Krishnamurti in the book The Tao Of Jeet Kune Do.

Quotations

The following are some of Bruce Lee's quotes that reflect his fighting philosophy.

  • "If I tell you I'm good, you would probably think I'm boasting. If I tell you I'm no good, you know I'm lying."
  • "Be formless… shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle; it becomes the bottle. You put it into a teapot; it becomes the teapot. Water can flow, and it can crash. Be water, my friend…"
  • "Use only that which works, and take it from any place you can find it."
  • "The more relaxed the muscles are, the more energy can flow through the body. Using muscular tensions to try to 'do' the punch or attempting to use brute force to knock someone over will only work to the opposite effect."
  • "Mere technical knowledge is only the beginning of Kung Fu. To master it, one must enter into the spirit of it."
  • "I'm not a master. I'm a student-master, meaning that I have the knowledge of a master and the expertise of a master, but I'm still learning. So I'm a student-master. I don't believe in the word 'master.' I consider the master as such when they close the casket."
  • "Do not deny the classical approach, simply as a reaction, or you will have created another pattern and trapped yourself there."
  • "Jeet Kune Do: it's just a name; don't fuss over it. There's no such thing as a style if you understand the roots of combat."
  • "Unfortunately, now in boxing people are only allowed to punch. In Judo, people are only allowed to throw. I do not despise these kinds of martial arts. What I mean is, we now find rigid forms which create differences among clans, and the world of martial arts is shattered as a result."
  • "True observation begins when one is devoid of set patterns."
  • "Use no way as way; use no limitation as limitation."
  • "The other weakness is, when clans are formed, the people of a clan will hold their kind of martial art as the only truth and do not dare to reform or improve it. Thus they are confined in their own tiny little world. Their students become machines which imitate martial art forms."
  • "Ultimately, martial art means honestly expressing yourself. It is easy for me to put on a show and be cocky so I can show you some really fancy movement. But to express oneself honestly, not lying to oneself, and to express myself honestly enough; that my friend is very hard to do."

See also Wikiquotes for more quotes by Bruce Lee.

Physical fitness

Exercise

Bruce Lee felt that many martial artists of his day did not spend enough time on physical conditioning. Lee did not resort to traditional bodybuilding techniques to build mass; he was more interested in speed and power. In his book the Tao of Jeet Kune Do, he wrote "Training is one of the most neglected phases of athletics. Too much time is given to the development of skill and too little to the development of the individual for participation."

Lee believed that the abdominal muscles were one of the most important muscle groups for a martial artist, since virtually every movement requires some degree of abdominal work. Perhaps more importantly, the "abs" are like a shell, protecting the ribs and vital organs. However, Bruce Lee's washboard abs did not come from mere abdominal training; he was also a proponent of cardiovascular conditioning and would regularly run, jump rope, and ride a stationary bicycle. A typical exercise for Lee would be to run a distance of two to six miles in 15 to 45 minutes.

His physical prowess impressed others, including friend Wally Jay, who said: "I last saw Bruce after he moved from Culver City to Bel Air. He had a big heavy bag hanging out on his patio. It weighed 300 pounds. I could hardly move it at all. Bruce said to me 'Hey, Wally, watch this,' and he jumped back and kicked it and this monster of a heavy bag went up to the ceiling, Thump!!! And came back down. I still can't believe the power that guy had."

Nutrition

Another element in Lee's quest for abdominal definition was nutrition. According to his wife, Linda Lee, soon after he moved to the United States, Bruce Lee started to take nutrition seriously, and developed an interest in health foods and high-protein drinks. "Several times a day, he took a high-protein drink made up of powdered milk, ice water, eggs, eggshells, bananas, vegetable oil, peanut flour, and chocolate ice cream," and, she claims, Lee's waist fluctuated between 26 and 28 inches. "He also drank his own juice concoctions made from vegetables and fruits, apples, celery, carrots and so on, prepared in an electric blender."

Lee ate lean meat sparingly and consumed large amounts of fruits and vegetables. In later years, he became very knowledgeable about vitamin supplements, and each day apportioned himself exactly the right quota of vitamins A, B, C, D, and E.

Death by "misadventure"

Bruce Lee's death was officially attributed to cerebral edema.

On July 20, 1973, Lee was in Hong Kong, due to have dinner with former James Bond star George Lazenby, with whom he intended to make a film. According to Bruce's wife Linda, Lee met producer Raymond Chow at 2:00 p.m. at home to discuss the making of the movie Game of Death. They worked until 4:00 p.m. and then drove together to the home of Lee's mistress, Betty Ting Pei, a Taiwanese actress who was to have a leading role in the film. The three went over the script at her home, and then Chow left to attend a dinner meeting.

A short time later, Lee complained of a headache, and Ting Pei gave him an analgesic. At around 7:30 p.m., he laid down for a nap. After Lee did not turn up for the dinner, Chow came to the apartment but could not wake Lee up. A doctor was summoned, who spent ten minutes attempting to revive him before sending him by ambulance to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Hong Kong. However, Lee was dead by the time he reached the hospital. There was no visible external injury; however, his brain had swollen considerably, from 1,400 to 1,575 grams (13 percent). Lee was 32 years old. On October 15, 2005, Chow stated in an interview that Lee was allergic to the drug Equagesic. When the doctors announced Bruce Lee's death officially, it was termed, "Death by Misadventure."

Another theory is that Lee died from an allergic reaction to marijuana, which he was consuming at the time in hashish form.[6] This allegation has been the cause of much controversy, but it is confirmed that traces of the substance were found during his autopsy.[7]

The grave site of Bruce Lee and his son, Brandon

However, the exact details of Lee's death are controversial. Bruce Lee's iconic status and unusual death at a young age led many people to develop many theories about Lee's death. Such theories included his murder by the triads and a curse on Lee and his family, which carried over to Lee's son, Brandon Lee, also an actor, who died nearly 20 years after his father in a bizarre accident while filming The Crow.

Despite the "curse," three of Lee's films (Enter the Dragon, Way of the Dragon, and Game of Death) successfully premiered after his death, catapulting him into the status of international film star.

Lee was buried in Seattle. His son, Brandon, is buried beside him. Pallbearers at his funeral on July 31, 1973 included Steve McQueen, James Coburn, Dan Inosanto, Taky Kimura, Peter Chin, and Bruce's brother, Robert Lee. To this day, over 30 years after his death, fresh flowers are found on his gravestone every day.

Notes

  1. Felix Dennis, & Atyeo, Don. (1974) Bruce Lee King of Kung-Fu. (Straight Arrow Books. ISBN 0879320885)
  2. Joel Stein Bruce Lee. Time.com retrieved March 6, 2007
  3. Linda Lee, et al. 1989. The Bruce Lee Story. (Ohara Publications. ISBN 978-0897501217).
  4. Internet Movie Database. imdb.com. Retrieved March 7, 2007.
  5. Andy Kimura, Jun Fan Gung Fu Institute of Seattle Retrieved February 26, 2008.
  6. Cause of Death, Bruce Lee Divine Wind. Retrieved February 26, 2008.
  7. The Gladiator – Bruce Lee, The World Wing Jung Kung Fu Association, Retrieved February 26, 2008.

Books authored

  • Lee, Bruce, with Uyehara, Mitoshi. (1978) Bruce Lee's Fighting Method, Vol. 1: Self-Defense Techniques. Ohara Publications. ISBN 978-0897500500
  • Lee, Bruce. (1982) Bruce Lee's Fighting Method, Vol. 2: Basic training. Ohara Publications. ISBN 978-0897500517,
  • Lee, Bruce. (1977) Bruce Lee's Fighting Method, Vol. 3: Skill in Techniques. Ohara Publications. ISBN 978-0897500524
  • Lee, Bruce. (1977) Bruce Lee's Fighting Method, Vol. 4: Advanced Techniques. Ohara Publications. ISBN 978-0897500531
  • Lee, Bruce, with John R. Little, ed., (1997) Words of the Dragon: Interviews 1958-1973. Tuttle Publishing. ISBN 978-0804831338
  • Lee, Bruce, with John R. Little, ed. (2000) Bruce Lee: The Celebrated Life of the Golden Dragon. Tuttle Publishing. ISBN 978-0804832304
  • Lee, Bruce. (1988) Chinese Gung-Fu: The Philosophical Art of Self Defense. Ohara Publications. ISBN 978-0897501125
  • Lee, Bruce, with John R. Little, ed. (1997) Jeet Kune Do: Bruce Lee's Commentaries on the Martial Way. Tuttle Publishing. ISBN 978-0804831321
  • Lee, Bruce, with John R. Little, ed. (1997) The Tao of Gung Fu: A Study in the Way of Chinese Martial Arts, Vol. 2 Tuttle Publishing. ISBN 978-0804831109

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  • Balicki, Ron, and Steve Gold. Jeet Kune Do: The Principles of a Complete Fighter. HNL Publishing, 2007. ISBN 978-0955264849
  • Dennis, Felix & Atyeo, Don. Bruce Lee King of Kung-Fu. Straight Arrow Books, 1974. ISBN 0879320885
  • Lee, Linda et al. The Bruce Lee Story. Ohara Publications, 1989. ISBN 978-0897501217
  • Miller, Davis. The Tao of Bruce Lee. Three Rivers Press. 2001. ISBN 978-0609805381
  • Thomas, Bruce. Bruce Lee: Fighting Spirit. North Atlantic Books, Frog, Ltd., 1994. ISBN 978-1883319250

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