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Bruce Lee
Birth name	Lee Jun-Fan (李振藩)
Born	November 27, 1940(1940-11-27) San Francisco, California, United States
Died	July 20, 1973 (aged 32) Hong Kong
Spouse(s)	Linda Lee Cadwell
Official site	Bruce Lee Foundation

Bruce Lee (traditional Chinese: 李小龍; simplified Chinese: 李小龙; Pinyin: Lǐ Xiǎolóng; Cantonese Yale: Léih Síulùhng; November 27, 1940 – July 20, 1973) was a Chinese-American martial artist, philosopher, instructor, and martial arts actor widely regarded as the most influential martial artist of the 20th century and a cultural icon.^[1] He was the father of deceased actor Brandon Lee and of actress Shannon Lee. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... is the 331st day of the year (332nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Largest metro area Greater Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... is the 201st day of the year (202nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the song by James Blunt, see 1973 (song). ... Linda Lee Cadwell (born 21 March 1945), a. ... Traditional Chinese characters refers to one of two standard sets of printed Chinese characters. ... Simplified Chinese character (Simplified Chinese: or ; traditional Chinese: or ; pinyin: or ) is one of two standard sets of Chinese characters of the contemporary Chinese written language. ... Pinyin, more formally called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), is the most common variant of Standard Mandarin romanization system in use. ... The Yale romanizations are four systems created during World War II for use by United States military personnel. ... is the 331st day of the year (332nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 201st day of the year (202nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the song by James Blunt, see 1973 (song). ... Chinese Americans (Chinese language: 美籍華人 or 華裔美國人) are Americans of Chinese descent. ... Hawaiian State Grappling Championships. ... A philosopher is a person who thinks deeply regarding people, society, the world, and/or the universe. ... Sifu (師傅 or 師父; Pinyin: shÄ«fu) is a Chinese term for a master or teacher. ... A martial arts actor is someone who makes martial arts movies. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999... American cultural icons. ... Brandon Bruce Lee (李國豪 Cantonese: Léi Gwokhòu Pinyin: Lǐ Guóháo; February 1, 1965 – March 31, 1993) was an American actor of Chinese, English and Swedish descent. ... Shannon Lee at the premiere of The Story of Us in 1999 Shannon Emery Lee (36 years old) (born April 19, 1969) is an American actress. ...

Lee was born in San Francisco, California and raised in Hong Kong. His Hong Kong and Hollywood-produced films elevated the traditional Hong Kong martial arts film to a new level of popularity and acclaim, and 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 and the rest of the world as well. Lee became an iconic figure particularly to the Chinese, as he portrayed Chinese national pride and Chinese nationalism in his movies.^[2] Many see Lee as a model blueprint for acquiring a strong and efficient body and the highest possible level of physical fitness, as well as developing a mastery of martial arts and hand to hand combat skills. San Francisco redirects here. ... ... This article is about motion pictures. ... Hong Kong action cinema is the principal source of the Hong Kong film industrys global fame. ... Kung fu redirects here. ... Occident redirects here. ... Hawaiian State Grappling Championships. ... The May Fourth Movement in 1919 marked a turning point in the history of Chinese nationalism. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Close Quarters Combat. ...

Early life

Jun Fan Lee was born in the hour of the dragon, between 6-8 a.m., in the Year of the Dragon according to the Chinese zodiac calendar, November 27, 1940 at the Chinese Hospital in San Francisco’s Chinatown in the United States.^[3] His father, Lee Hoi-Chuen (李海泉), was Chinese, and his Catholic mother, Grace (何愛瑜), was of Chinese and German ancestry.^{[4][5][6][7][8][9]} Lee and his parents returned to Hong Kong when he was three months old. He was a citizen of the United States by birth and did not hold any other citizenships. A Chinese dragon The Dragon ( 龍 ) is the only mythical creature in the Chinese zodiac. ... Chinese astrology (占星術 pinyin: zhan4 xing1 shu4; 星學 pinyin: xing1 xue2; 七政四餘 pinyin: qi1 zheng4 si4 yu2; and 果老星宗 pinyin: guo3 lao3 xing1 zong1) is related to the Chinese calendar, particularly its 12-year cycle of animals (aka Chinese Zodiac), and... An intersection of Chinatown in San Francisco. ... Lee Hoi-Chuen (李海泉, 4 February 1901 – 7 February 1965) was a Hong Kong Cantonese opera singer with the Cantonese Opera Company and film actor. ... The word citizen may refer to: A person with a citizenship Citizen Watch Co. ...

Education and family

At age 12, Lee entered La Salle College. Then, he attended St. Francis Xavier's College. In 1959, at the age of 18, Lee got into a fight with, and badly beat, a feared Triad gang member's son.^[10]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. Lee left with $100 in his pocket and the titles of 1958 Boxing Champion and the Crown Colony Cha Cha Champion of Hong Kong.^[3] 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. He enrolled at the University of Washington as a drama major and took some philosophy classes.^[11] It was at the University of Washington that he met his future wife Linda Emery, whom he would marry in 1964. {{ La Salle College (LSC; Chinese: 喇沙書院, Mandarin pinyin: LÇŽshā ShÅ«yuàn, Cantonese jyutping: laa3 sa1 syu1 jyun2 ) is a boys secondary school in Kowloon, Hong Kong, China. ... Saint Francis Xavier (Basque: San Frantzisko Xabierkoa; Spanish: San Francisco Javier; Portuguese: São Francisco Xavier; Chinese: 聖方濟各沙勿略) (7 April 1506 - 2 December 1552) was a Spanish pioneering Roman Catholic Christian missionary and co-founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuit Order). ... Triad (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: ; Pinyin: ; literally Triad Society) or (Traditional Chinese: ; Simplified Chinese: ; Pinyin: ; literally Black Society, a general term for criminal organizations) is a term that describes many branches of Chinese underground society and/or organizations based in Hong Kong and Macau and also operating in Taiwan, mainland... A United Kingdom overseas territory (formerly known as a dependent territory or earlier as a crown colony) is a territory that is under the sovereignty and formal control of the United Kingdom but is not part of the United Kingdom proper (Great Britain and Northern Ireland). ... For the dance, see Cha-cha-cha (dance). ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... City nickname Emerald City City bird Great Blue Heron City flower Dahlia City mottos The City of Flowers The City of Goodwill City song Seattle, the Peerless City Mayor Greg Nickels County King County Area   - Total   - Land   - Water   - % water 369. ... For other uses, see High school (disambiguation). ... City nickname Emerald City City bird Great Blue Heron City flower Dahlia City mottos The City of Flowers The City of Goodwill City song Seattle, the Peerless City Mayor Greg Nickels County King County Area   - Total   - Land   - Water   - % water 369. ... Diploma from Mexico City College, 1948 (in Latin) A diploma (from Greek δίπλωµα diploma) is a certificate or deed issued by an educational institution, such as a university, that testifies that the recipient has successfully completed a particular course of study, or confers an academic degree. ... The Seattle Community College District is a group of community colleges located in Seattle, Washington. ... The University of Washington, founded in 1861, is a public research university in Seattle, Washington. ... For other uses, see Drama (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Philosophy (disambiguation). ... Linda Lee cadwell. ...

He had two children with Linda, Brandon Lee (1965-1993) and Shannon Lee (1969-). Brandon, who would also become an actor like his father, died in an accident during the filming of The Crow in 1993. Shannon Lee also became an actress and appeared in some low-budget films since the mid 1990s, but has since quit acting. Brandon Bruce Lee (李國豪 Cantonese: Léi Gwokhòu Pinyin: Lǐ Guóháo; February 1, 1965 – March 31, 1993) was an American actor of Chinese, English and Swedish descent. ... Year 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ... Shannon Lee at the premiere of The Story of Us in 1999 Shannon Emery Lee (36 years old) (born April 19, 1969) is an American actress. ... Also: 1969 (Stargate SG-1) episode. ... The Crow is a 1994 American film adaptation of the comic book of the same name by James OBarr (who himself makes a cameo in the film). ...

Names

Lee's Cantonese given name was Jun Fan (振藩; Mandarin Pinyin: Zhènfán).^[12] At his birth, he additionally was given the English name of "Bruce" by a Dr. Mary Glover. Though Mrs. Lee had not initially planned on an English name for the child, she deemed it appropriate and would concur with Dr. Glover's addition.^[13] However, his American name was never used within his family until he enrolled in La Salle College (a Hong Kong high school) at the age of 12,^[12] and again at another high school (St. Francis Xavier's College in Kowloon), where Lee would come to represent the boxing team in inter-school events. This article is about all of the Cantonese (Yue) dialects. ... Pinyin, more formally called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; Pinyin: ), is the most common variant of Standard Mandarin romanization system in use. ... {{ La Salle College (LSC; Chinese: 喇沙書院, Mandarin pinyin: LÇŽshā ShÅ«yuàn, Cantonese jyutping: laa3 sa1 syu1 jyun2 ) is a boys secondary school in Kowloon, Hong Kong, China. ... In modern day Hong Kong, Kowloon refers to the urban area made up of Kowloon Peninsula and New Kowloon, bordered by the Lei Yue Mun strait in the east, Mei Foo Sun Chuen and Stonecutters Island in the west, Tates Cairn and Lion Rock in the north, and... For other senses of these words, see boxing (disambiguation) or boxer (disambiguation). ...

Lee initially had the birth name Li Yuen Kam^[2](李炫金); Mandarin Pinyin: Lǐ Xuànjīn) given to him by his mother, as at the time, Lee's father was away on a Chinese opera tour. This name would later be abandoned because of a conflict with the name of Bruce's grandfather, causing him to be renamed Jun Fan upon his father's return. Also of note is that Bruce Lee was given a feminine name, Sai Fung (細鳳, literally "small phoenix"), which was used throughout his early childhood in keeping with a Chinese custom, traditionally thought to hide a child from evil spirits. Emperor Xuan-Zong of Tang (left) and his Consort Yang Yuhuan (right) portrayed in a Chinese Opera 19th century Chinese opera Chinese opera costumes Some athletic jump Chinese opera is a popular form of drama in China. ... Fenghuang sculpture, Nanning city, Guangxi, China. ...

Lee's screen names were respectively Lee Siu Lung (in Cantonese), and Li Xiao Long (in Mandarin) (李小龍; Cantonese pengyam: Ley⁵ Siu² Long⁴; Mandarin Pinyin: Lǐ Xiǎolóng) which literally translate to "Lee the Little Dragon" in English. These names were first used by director 袁步雲 of the 1950 Cantonese movie 細路祥, in which Lee would perform. It is possible that the name "Lee Little Dragon" was based on his childhood name of "small dragon", as, in Chinese tradition, the dragon and phoenix come in pairs to represent the male and female genders respectively. The more likely explanation is that he came to be called "Little Dragon" because, according to the Chinese zodiac, he was born in the Year of the Dragon. This article is on all of the Northern and Southwestern Chinese dialects. ... Japanese name Hiragana: KyÅ«jitai: Shinjitai: Korean name Hangul: Hanja: Thai name Thai: Vietnamese name Quốc ngữ: Hán tá»±: The Chinese dragon is a Chinese mythical creature, depicted as a long, scaled, snake-like creature with four claws. ... Fenghuang sculpture, Nanning city, Guangxi, China. ... Chinese astrology (占星術 pinyin: zhan4 xing1 shu4; 星學 pinyin: xing1 xue2; 七政四餘 pinyin: qi1 zheng4 si4 yu2; and 果老星宗 pinyin: guo3 lao3 xing1 zong1) is related to the Chinese calendar, particularly its 12-year cycle of animals (aka Chinese Zodiac), and... A Chinese dragon The Dragon ( 龍 ) is the only mythical creature in the Chinese zodiac. ...

Acting career

Bruce Lee in Enter The Dragon

Lee's father Hoi-Chuen was a famous Cantonese Opera star. Thus, through his father, Bruce was introduced into films at a very young age and appeared in several short black-and-white films as a child. Lee had his first role as a baby who was carried onto the stage. By the time he was 18, he had appeared in twenty films.^[3] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Cantonese opera is one of the major categories in Chinese opera, originating in southern Chinas Cantonese culture. ...

While in the United States from 1958-1964, Lee abandoned thoughts of a film career in favor of pursuing martial arts. However, after Lee's high-profile martial arts demonstration at the 1964 Long Beach Karate Tournament, he was seen by some of the nation's most proficient martial artists--as well as the hairdresser of Batman producer William Dozier.^[14] Dozier soon invited Lee for an audition, where Lee so impressed the producers with his lightning-fast moves that he earned the role of Kato alongside Van Williams in the TV series The Green Hornet. The show lasted just one season, from 1966 to 1967. Lee would also play Kato in three episodes of the series Batman, produced by the same company as The Green Hornet. This was followed by guest appearances in a host of television series, including Ironside (1967) and Here Come the Brides (1969). Hawaiian State Grappling Championships. ... Long Beach is the name of several places: Long Beach, British Columbia, Canada Long Beach, California, United States of America Long Beach, Mississippi, United States of America Long Beach, New York, United States of America Long Beach, Washington, United States of America Long Beach Township, New Jersey, United States of... For other uses, see Karate (disambiguation). ... This article is about the 1960s television series. ... William Dozier (13 February 1908 – 23 April 1991) was a television producer and actor, most famous as the producer and narrator of the Batman television series. ... The Green Hornet with Kato below the title character. ... Van (Van Zandt) Williams is an American actor (born February 22, 1934, in Fort Worth, Texas) best known for his brief yet world famous television role as Britt Reid aka Green Hornet with the late Bruce Lee as his sidekick Kato, in the 1966-1967 ABC The Green Hornet television... The Green Hornet is a fictional crimefighter. ... This article is about the 1960s television series. ... Ironside (originally broadcast under the name A Man Called Ironside in the United Kingdom) was a Universal television series which ran on NBC from March 28, 1967 to January 16, 1975. ... Here Come the Brides was a television program that aired on the ABC television network from 1968 to 1970. ...

In 1969, Lee made his first major film appearance in Marlowe which was based on one of Raymond Chandler's novels. In the film, Lee's henchman character is hired to intimidate private detective Philip Marlowe (played by James Garner) by smashing up his office with leaping kicks and flashing punches, only to later accidentally jump off a tall building while trying to kick Marlowe off. In 1971, Lee appeared in four episodes of the television series Longstreet as the martial arts instructor of the title character Mike Longstreet (played by James Franciscus). Bruce would later pitch a television series of his own tentatively titled The Warrior. Allegedly, Lee's concept was retooled and renamed Kung Fu, but if so, Warner Bros. gave Lee no credit. The role of the Shaolin monk in the Wild West, known to have been coveted by Bruce, was awarded to non-martial artist David Carradine, purportedly because of the studio's belief that a Chinese leading man would not be embraced by the American public. Marlowe is a 1969 movie about Raymond Chandlers fictional detective Philip Marlowe starring James Garner as Marlowe and featuring Bruce Lee as a thug who smashes Marlowes office into pieces with karate chops. ... For other persons named Raymond Chandler, see Raymond Chandler (disambiguation). ... Ed Bishop had the title role in BBC Radios The Adventures of Philip Marlowe. ... For other uses, see James Garner (disambiguation). ... Longstreet was a television series starring James Franciscus. ... James Grover Franciscus (January 31, 1934 – July 8, 1991) was a leading and supporting American actor. ... Kung Fu (1972-1975) was an award-winning American television series which starred David Carradine. ... “WB” redirects here. ... Shaolin may refer to: Shaolin Monastery (or the Shaolin Temple), a Chinese Buddhist monastery associated with the martial arts Shaolin kung fu, the martial arts associated with that temple Staten Island, an area in New York nicknamed the Shaolin by the rappers of the Wu-Tang Clan Category: ... Great Basin region, typical American West The Western United States has played a significant role in history and fiction. ... David Carradine (born John Arthur Carradine on December 8, 1936 in Hollywood, California) is an American actor. ...

Not happy with his supporting roles in the U.S., Lee returned to Hong Kong and was offered a film contract by legendary director Raymond Chow and his production company Golden Harvest. Lee played his first leading role in The Big Boss (1971) which proved an enormous box office success across Asia and catapulted him to stardom. He soon followed up his success with two more huge box office successes: Fist of Fury (1972) and Way of the Dragon (1972). For Way of the Dragon, he took complete control of the film's production as the writer, director, star, and choreographer of the fight scenes. In 1964, at a demonstration in Long Beach, California, Lee had met karate champion Chuck Norris. In Way of the Dragon Lee introduced Norris to moviegoers as his opponent in the final death fight at the Colosseum in Rome, today considered one of Lee's most legendary fight scenes. ramond chow ... Golden Harvest (Chinese: ) SEHK: 1132 is a film production, distribution and exhibition company based in Hong Kong. ... The Big Boss (1971, 唐山大兄, also known as Fists of Fury in the U.S., not to be confused with Fist of Fury) was Bruce Lees first major film. ... Jing Wu Men redirects here. ... Bruce Lee in Way of the Dragon Way of the Dragon (Chinese: 猛龍過江) released as Return of the Dragon in the U.S.) is a 1972 Hong Kong martial arts film. ... Choreography (also known as dance composition) is the art of making structures in which movement occurs, the term composition may also refer to the navigation or connection of these movement structures. ... Nickname: Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates: , Country State County Los Angeles County Government  - Mayor Bob Foster Area  - City  65. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Largest metro area Greater Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... For other uses, see Karate (disambiguation). ... Carlos Ray Chuck Norris (born on 10 March 1940) is an American martial artist, action star, Hollywood actor, and recently, an internet phenomenon, who is best known for playing Cordell Walker on Walker, Texas Ranger. ... The Colosseum by night: exterior view of the best-preserved section. ... For other uses, see Rome (disambiguation). ...

In 1973, Lee starred as the lead role in Enter the Dragon (1973), his first film to be produced jointly by Golden Harvest and Warner Bros. This film would skyrocket Lee to fame in the U.S. and Europe. However, only a few months after the film's completion and three weeks before its release, the supremely fit Lee mysteriously died. Enter the Dragon would go on to become one of the year's highest grossing films and cemented Lee as a martial arts legend. It was made for US$850,000 in 1973 (equivalent to $3.74 million adjusted for inflation as if 2005).^[15] To date, Enter the Dragon has grossed over $200 million worldwide.^[16] The movie sparked a brief fad in the martial-arts epitomized in songs like "Kung Fu Fighting" and TV shows like Kung Fu. This article does not cite its references or sources. ... For other uses, see FAD (disambiguation). ... Kung Fu Fighting is a song performed by Carl Douglas. ... Kung Fu (1972-1975) was an award-winning American television series which starred David Carradine. ...

Robert Clouse, the director of Enter the Dragon, attempted to finish Lee's incomplete film Game of Death which Lee was to also write and direct. Lee had shot over forty minutes of footage for Game of Death before shooting was stopped to allow him to work on Enter the Dragon. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, a student of Bruce Lee, also appeared in the film, which culminates in Lee's character, Billy Lo (clad in the now-famous yellow track suit) taking on the 7'2" basketball player in a climactic fight scene. In a controversial move, Robert Clouse finished the film using a Bruce Lee look-alike and archive footage of Lee from his other films and released it in 1978 with a new storyline and cast. However, the cobbled-together film contained only 15 minutes of actual footage of Lee while the rest had a Lee lookalike, Tai Chung Kim, and Yuen Biao as stunt doubles. The unused footage Lee had filmed was recovered 22 years later and included in the Bruce Lee documentary Bruce Lee: A Warrior's Journey. This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Game of Death (Chinese: 死亡遊戲) was the film Bruce Lee had planned to be the demonstration piece of his martial art Jeet Kune Do. ... For the football player, see Abdul-Karim al-Jabbar. ... A look-alike is a person who bears a close physical resemblance to a celebrity, politician or royalty. ... Stock footage, also termed archive footage, and file footage is a film either in the public domain or available for a set fee that can thus be put into any other film. ... Kim Tai-Jung (b. ... Yuen Biao (Chinese: ; pinyin: ) (born 26 July 1957) is a Chinese actor from Hong Kong. ...

Challengers on the set

Bruce Lee's celebrity and martial arts prowess often put him on a collision course with a number of street thugs, stunt men and martial arts extras, all hoping to make a name for themselves. Lee typically defused such challenges without fighting, but felt forced to respond to several persistent individuals.

Bob Wall, USPK karate champion and co-star in Enter the Dragon, recalled a particularly serious encounter that transpired after a film extra kept taunting Lee. The extra yelled that Lee was "a movie star, not a martial artist", that he "wasn't much of a fighter". Lee answered his taunts by asking him to jump down from the wall he was sitting on. Bob Wall described Lee's opponent as "a gang-banger type of guy from Hong Kong," a "damned good martial artist," and observed that fast, strong, and bigger than Bruce. ^[17] Robert Wall (born 22 August 1939 in California) is an American actor who specialised in martial arts. ... For other uses, see Karate (disambiguation). ...

Wall would recall the confrontation in detail:

"This kid was good. He was strong and fast, and he was really trying to punch Bruce's brains in. But Bruce just methodically took him apart."^[18]

"Bruce kept moving so well, this kid couldn't touch him...Then all of a sudden, Bruce got him and rammed his ass into the wall and swept him, he proceeded to drop his knee into his opponent's chest, locked his arm out straight, and nailed him in the face repeatedly."^[19]

After his victory, Lee gave his opponent lessons on how to improve his fighting skills. His opponent, now impressed, would later say to Lee, "You really are a master of the martial arts."^[18]

Hong Kong legacy

There are a number of legacies surrounding Bruce Lee that still exist in Hong Kong culture today. One is that his early 70s interview on the TVB show Enjoy Yourself Tonight cleared the busy streets of Hong Kong as everyone was watching the interview at home. The culture of Hong Kong can best be described as a foundation that began with China, and then leaned West for much of the 20th century under constructive British colonialism. ... REDIRECT Television Broadcasts Limited ... Enjoy Yourself Tonight or E.Y.T was a popular variety show in Hong Kong. ...

Another topic is that his moment of birth is often used as a modern cultural proof of the existence of the Four Pillars of Destiny concept, having been born in the year of the dragon and hour of the dragon along with other astrological alignment. The Four Pillars Life-ology Traditional Chinese: Four Pillars of Destiny is a Chinese conceptual term that describes the four components creating a persons destiny or fate. ... A Chinese dragon The Dragon ( 龍 ) is the only mythical creature in the Chinese zodiac. ... Chinese astrology is the divination of the future from the Chinese calendar, which is based on astronomy, and ancient Chinese philosophy. ...

Martial arts training and development

Bruce Lee's first introduction to martial arts was through his father, Lee Hoi Cheun. He learned the fundamentals of Wu style Tai Chi Chuan from his father.^[20] Lee's sifu, Wing Chun master Yip Man, was also a colleague and friend of Hong Kong's Wu style Tai Chi Chuan teacher Wu Ta-ch'i. Wu Chien-chuan in the Wu styles version of the posture Cloud Hands 雲手 The Wu family style (吳氏 or 吳家) tai chi chuan (taijiquan) of Wu Chuan-yü (Wu Quanyou) and Wu Chien-chüan (Wu Jianquan) is the second most popular form of tai chi... Sifu (師傅 or 師父; Pinyin: shīfu) is a Chinese term for a master or teacher. ... Wing Chun, occasionally romanized as Ving Tsun or Wing Tsun (literally spring chant and alternatively as forever spring, or substituted with the character for eternal springtime[1]) is a Chinese martial art that specializes in aggressive close-range combat. ... Yip Man (葉問 in pinyin: yè wèn; in Jyutping: jip6 man6; alternative spelling Ip Man; also known as 葉繼問; 1893-1972) was the first martial arts master (Chinese: Sifu) to teach the Chinese martial art of Wing Chun openly. ... Wu Chien-chuan in the Wu styles version of the posture Cloud Hands 雲手 The Wu family style (吳氏 or 吳家) tai chi chuan (taijiquan) of Wu Chuan-yü (Wu Quanyou) and Wu Chien-chüan (Wu Jianquan) is the second most popular form of tai chi... Wu Ta-chi (Wu Daqi, 吳大齊, 1926-1993) was the descendant of the famous Wu style Tai Chi Chuan founders Wu Chuan-yu (1834-1902) and Wu Chien-chuan (1870-1942). ...

Lee trained in Wing Chun Gung Fu from age 13-18 under Hong Kong Wing Chun Sifu Yip Man. Lee was introduced to Yip Man in early 1954 by William Cheung, then a live-in student of Yip Man. Like most Chinese 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 was Wong Shun-Leung. Wong is thought to have had the largest influence on Bruce's training. Yip Man trained Lee privately after some students refused to train with Lee due to his ancestry.^[21] Wing Chun, occasionally romanized as Ving Tsun or Wing Tsun (literally spring chant and alternatively as forever spring, or substituted with the character for eternal springtime[1]) is a Chinese martial art that specializes in aggressive close-range combat. ... Alternative meaning: Kung Fu (TV series) Kung fu or gongfu (功夫, Pinyin: gōngfu) is a well-known Chinese term used in the West to designate Chinese martial arts. ... Sifu (師傅 or 師父; Pinyin: shÄ«fu) is a Chinese term for a master or teacher. ... Yip Man (葉問 in pinyin: yè wèn; in Jyutping: jip6 man6; alternative spelling Ip Man; also known as 葉繼問; 1893-1972) was the first martial arts master (Chinese: Sifu) to teach the Chinese martial art of Wing Chun openly. ... William Cheung (張卓興, Cheung Cheuk Hing in pinyin) (born 1940) is a Wing Chun Kung Fu practitioner and currently the Grandmaster of his lineage of Wing Chun, entitled Traditional Wing Chun (TWC). ... Self-defense is only an illusion, a dark cloak beneath which lurks a razor-sharp dagger waiting to be plunged into the first unwary victim. ...

Bruce was also trained in Western boxing and won the 1958 Boxing Championship match against 3-time champion Gary Elms by knockout in the 3rd round. Before arriving to the finals against Elms, Lee had knocked out 3 straight boxers in the first round.^[22] In addition, Bruce learned western fencing techniques from his brother Peter Lee, who was a champion fencer at the time.^[23] This multi-faceted exposure to different fighting arts would later play an influence in the creation of the eclectic martial art Jeet Kune Do. For other senses of these words, see boxing (disambiguation) or boxer (disambiguation). ...

Jun Fan Gung Fu

Main article: Jun Fan Gung Fu

Lee began teaching martial arts after his arrival in the United States in 1959. Originally trained in Wing Chun Gung Fu, Lee called what he taught Jun Fan Gung Fu. Jun Fan Gung Fu (literally Bruce's Gung Fu), is basically a slightly modified approach to Wing Chun Gung Fu^[24]. 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. Jun Fan Gung Fu is a martial art that stems from Bruce Lees modifications of Wing Chun. ... Jun Fan Gung Fu is a martial art that stems from Bruce Lees modifications of Wing Chun. ... This article is about the martial art and sport. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Largest metro area Greater Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ...

Lee also improvised his own kicking method, involving the directness of Wing Chun and the power of Northern Shaolin kung fu. Lee's kicks were delivered very quickly to the target, without "chambering" the leg.

Jeet Kune Do

The Jeet Kune Do Emblem. The Chinese characters around the Taijitu symbol indicate: "Using no way as way" & "Having no limitation as limitation" The arrows represent the endless interaction between yang and yin.^[25]

Main article: Jeet Kune Do

Jeet Kune Do originated in 1965. A match with Wong Jack Man 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 using Wing Chun techniques. 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. Image File history File links JKD.jpg‎ Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1. ... Image File history File links JKD.jpg‎ Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1. ... Jeet Kune Do (Chinese: Cantonese: Jitkyùndou Pinyin: Jiéquándào, lit. ... Japanese name Kanji: Hiragana: Korean name Hangul: Hanja: Vietnamese name Quốc ngữ: Hán tá»±: A Chinese character or Han character (simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ) is a logogram used in writing Chinese, Japanese, sometimes Korean, and formerly Vietnamese. ... A commonly used version of the Taijitu The Taijitu of Zhou Dun-yi. ... Jeet Kune Do (Chinese: Cantonese: Jitkyùndou Pinyin: Jiéquándào, lit. ... Wong Jack Man is a Chinese martial artist and martial arts teacher, best known for fighting Bruce Lee in a real-life challenge match in San Francisco in 1964. ... For other uses, see Philosophy (disambiguation). ... This article is about strength training using weight (gravity) to generate resistance to contraction. ...

Lee emphasized what he called "the style of no style". This consisted of getting rid of a formalized approach which Lee claimed was indicative of traditional styles. Because Lee felt the system he now 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. It is a term he would later regret because Jeet Kune Do implied specific parameters that styles connotate whereas the idea of his martial art was to exist outside of parameters and limitations.^[26]

Bruce Lee certified 3 instructors. Taky Kimura, James Yimm Lee (deceased and no relation to Bruce Lee) and Dan Inosanto are the only instructors certified by Bruce Lee. Dan Inosanto holds the 3rd rank (Instructor) Directly from Bruce Lee in Jeet Kune Do, Jun Fan Gung Fu, and Bruce Lee's Tao of Chinese Gung Fu. Taky Kimura holds a 5th rank in Jun Fan Gung Fu. James Yimm Lee held a 3rd rank in Jun Fan Gung Fu. Ted Wong was never directly certified by Bruce Lee, however Dan Inosanto presented Ted with an honorary Intructorship after Bruce had died. Dan Inosanto is the only living instructor certified by Bruce Lee to teach Jeet Kune Do, as he is the only remaining instructor to be given the 3rd rank diploma. (James Yimm Lee and Taky Kimura hold ranks in Jun Fan Gung Fu, Not Jeet Kune Do, Taky Received his 5th rank in Jun Fan Gung Fu after the term Jeet Kune Do existed). Also Bruce gave Dan all three diplomas on the same day, suggesting perhaps that Bruce wanted Dan to be his protege. Dan Danny Inosanto (born July 24, 1936) is a Filipino martial arts (FMA) instructor from California who is best-known as a student of the late Bruce Lee and the worlds foremost authority on Jeet Kune Do. ...

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, under the guideline "keep the numbers low, but the quality high". Bruce also instructed several World Karate Champions including Chuck Norris, Joe Lewis, and Mike Stone. Between all 3 of them, during their training with Bruce they won every Karate Championship in the United States.^[27] Jun Fan Gung Fu is a martial art that stems from Bruce Lees modifications of Wing Chun. ... For over a quarter of a century Taky Kimura was given the privilege and responsibility of making instructors in Bruce Lees art. ...

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).

Jujitsu

Main article: Jujitsu

At 22 Bruce also met Professor Wally Jay. From Jay, Bruce would receive informal instruction in Jujitsu. The two would have long conversations about theories surrounding the martial arts and grew to be longtime friends^[28]. Jujutsu (also jujitsu, ju jitsu, ju jutsu, or jiu jitsu; from the Japanese 柔術 jūjutsu gentle/yielding/compliant Art) is a Japanese martial art. ... Wally Jay (also Professor Jay) the Founder and Grandmaster of Small Circle JuJitsu, was born in Honolulu, Hawaii June 15, 1917. ... Wally Jay (also Professor Jay) the Founder and Grandmaster of Small Circle JuJitsu, was born in Honolulu, Hawaii June 15, 1917. ... Jujutsu (also jujitsu, ju jitsu, ju jutsu, or jiu jitsu; from the Japanese 柔術 jūjutsu gentle/yielding/compliant Art) is a Japanese martial art. ... Hawaiian State Grappling Championships. ...

1964 Long Beach International Karate Championships

Bruce Lee's "One inch punch"

At the invitation of Ed Parker, Lee appeared in the 1964 Long Beach International Karate Championships^[29] 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".^[30] 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 said to be placed behind the partner to prevent injury, though the force of gravity caused his partner to soon after fall onto the floor. Image File history File links One_inch_punch_bruce_lee_1964aug2_long_beach. ... Image File history File links One_inch_punch_bruce_lee_1964aug2_long_beach. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Edmund Kealoha Parker (March 19, 1931–December 15, 1990) was an American martial artist, exhibitionist, and teacher, perhaps most famous as the founder of American Kenpo. ... International Karate and martial arts tournament at Long Beach, California. ... A press up (North American English: push up) is a common strength training exercise performed while lying horizontal and face down, raising and lowering using the arms. ... For other uses, see Thumb (disambiguation). ... The Index finger The index finger, pointer finger or forefinger is the second digit of a human hand, located between the thumb and the middle finger. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

His volunteer was Bob Baker of Stockton, California. "I told Bruce not to do this type of demonstration again", he recalled. "When he punched me that last time, I had to stay home from work because the pain in my chest was unbearable."^[31]

1967 Long Beach International Karate Championships

Vic Moore (left) and Bruce Lee

Bruce Lee also appeared at the 1967 Long Beach International Karate Championships^[32] and performed various demonstrations, including the famous "unstoppable punch" with USKA world karate champion Vic Moore. Bruce would announce to Vic Moore that he was going to throw a straight punch to his face, and all he had to do was block it. He would take several steps back and ask if Moore was ready, when Moore nodded in affirmation, Lee would glide towards him until he was within striking range. He would then throw a straight punch directly at Moore's face and stop before impact. In eight attempts, Moore blocked zero punches. ^[33] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... International Karate and martial arts tournament at Long Beach, California. ... Vic Moore (b. ...

Official Fights

This section overlaps with other sections; it should be combined with the rest of the article. Please post any comments on this issue on the talk page.

Bruce Lee was not a professional competitor, but he did set his sights upon the goal of being one of the fittest and strongest fighters of the world, and he went through life earnestly attempting to achieve this. Lee researched many arts in his life and used what he found was useful and rejected what he did not. He also made subtle changes where he could if what he found did not fit his specific requirements. He tended to favour techniques where he could best take advantage of his own attributes, be it his phenomenal speed, strength, elusiveness or power. Bruce Lee did say he could have beaten anybody in the world in a real fight. Whether he would have will never be known for sure, but the people who encountered Bruce Lee had absolute faith in Bruce Lee's ability to do what he said he could do. Image File history File links Broom_icon. ...

James Demile a former student of Bruce and a former heavyweight boxing champ of the US Airforce has commented that, "I wouldn't have put a dime on anyone to beat Bruce Lee in a real confrontation. Bruce Lee was the best fighter I ever saw, even to this very day, and not just pound for pound - but against anyone in a real fight." ^[34]

Dan Inosanto said, "there's no doubt in my mind that if Bruce Lee had gone into pro boxing, he could easily have ranked in the top three in the lightweight division or junior-welterweight division." Birchland, Bob (November), ""The Truth of Boxing: A Critical Look at Bruce Lee's Hand Skills"", Black Belt Magazine: pg. 93, <http://www.blackbeltmag.com>

Lee had boxed in the 1958 Boxing Championships held between twelve Hong Kong schools, a tournament in which he beat the three-time champion from another school (an English boy). (Thomas, Bruce. Bruce Lee: Fighting Spirit. 1994, Frog, Ltd. page 27)

Physical fitness and nutrition

Physical fitness

Bruce Lee in Way of the Dragon in 1972

Bruce Lee felt that many martial artists of his day did not spend enough time on physical conditioning. Bruce included all elements of total fitness--muscular strength, muscular endurance, cardiovascular endurance, and flexibility. He tried traditional bodybuilding techniques to build bulky muscles or mass. However, Lee was careful to admonish that mental and spiritual preparation was fundamental to the success of physical training in martial arts skills. 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".^[35] Image File history File links Bruce Lee flexing his muscles in the 1972 movie Way of the Dragon. ... Image File history File links Bruce Lee flexing his muscles in the 1972 movie Way of the Dragon. ... Bruce Lee in Way of the Dragon Way of the Dragon (Chinese: 猛龍過江) released as Return of the Dragon in the U.S.) is a 1972 Hong Kong martial arts film. ... Hawaiian State Grappling Championships. ... Professional Bodybuilder Gustavo Badell posing Bodybuilding is the process of maximizing muscle hypertrophy through the combination of weight training, sufficient caloric intake, and rest. ... Cover sample of the Book ISBN 0897500482. ...

The weight training program that Lee used during a stay in Hong Kong in 1965 at only 24 years old placed heavy emphasis on his arms. At that time he could perform bicep curls at a weight of 70 to 80lbs for three sets of eight repetitions, along with other forms of exercises, such as squats, push-ups, reverse curls, concentration curls, French presses, and both wrist curls and reverse wrist curls. ^[36] The repetitions he performed were 6 to 12 reps (at the time). While this method of training targeted his fast and slow twitch muscles, it later resulted in weight gain or muscle mass, placing Bruce a little over 160 lbs. Bruce Lee was documented as having well over 2,500 books in his own personal library, and eventually concluded that "A stronger muscle, is a bigger muscle", a conclusion he later disputed. However, Bruce forever experimented with his training routines to maximize his physical abilities. He employed many different routines and exercises including skipping, which effectively served his training and bodybuilding purposes.^[37] This article is about strength training using weight (gravity) to generate resistance to contraction. ... The biceps curl is sometimes performed on the preacher bench, which helps to keep the upper arm motionless. ... Skipping can refer to several things: Jump rope Stone skipping Snowmobile skipping Skipping class This is a disambiguation page &#8212; a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

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.

He trained from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., including stomach, flexibility, and running, and from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. he would weight train and cycle. A typical exercise for Lee would be to run a distance of two to six miles in 15 to 45 minutes, in which he would vary speed in 3-5 minute intervals. Lee would ride the equivalent of 10 miles in 45 minutes on a stationary bike.^[38]

Lee would sometimes exercise with the jumping rope in 800 jumps after cycling. Lee would also do exercises to toughen the skin on his fists, including thrusting his hands into buckets of harsh rocks and gravel. He would do over 500 repetitions of this on a given day. ^[39]

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, high-protein drinks and vitamin and mineral supplements. Bruce later realized that in order to achieve a high-performance body, one could not fuel it with a diet of junk food. With the wrong fuel, the body's performance would become sluggish or sloppy. Lee also avoided baked goods, as he believed they contained empty calories. He was not interested in consuming calories which did nothing for his body. Lee's diet included protein drinks; he always tried to consume one or two daily, but discontinued drinking them later on in his life. Linda Lee Cadwell (born 21 March 1945), a. ... Cheetos The Luther Burger, a bacon cheeseburger which employs a glazed donut in place of each bun. ...

Linda recalls 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".^{[citation needed]} He consumed large amounts of green vegetables, fruits, and fresh milk everyday. Bruce always preferred to eat Chinese or other Asian food because he loved the variety that it had. Bruce also became a heavy advocate of dietary supplements. Some of the well known supplements he consumed included: A dietary supplement is intended to supply nutrients, (vitamins, minerals, fatty acids or amino acids) that are missing or not consumed in sufficient quantity in a persons diet. ...

• Vitamin C
• Lecithin granules
• Bee pollen
• Vitamin E
• Rose hips (liquid form)
• Wheat germ oil
• Natural protein tablets (chocolate flavour)
• Acerola - C
• B-Folia

This article is about the nutrient. ... Lecithin is mostly a mixture of glycolipids, triglycerides, and phospholipids (e. ... Tocopherol, or Vitamin E, is a fat-soluble vitamin in eight forms that is an important antioxidant. ... Wheat germ is the heart of the wheat kernel - a concentrated source of several essential nutrients including Vitamin E, folate (folic acid), phosphorus, thiamin, zinc and magnesium. ...

Physique

Lee's devotion to fitness gave him a body that was admired by many of the top names in bodybuilding community. Joe Weider, the founder of Mr. Olympia, described Bruce's physique as "the most defined body I've ever seen!" Many top body building competitors have indicated Bruce as a major influence on their bodybuilding careers including Flex Wheeler, Shawn Ray, Rachel McLish, Lou Ferrigno, Lee Haney, Lenda Murray and 6 time Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates.^[40] Arnold Schwarznegger was also influenced by Bruce, and said of his body, Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger (born July 30, 1947 in Thal, Styria, Austria) is an Austrian-American actor, Republican politician, and bodybuilder, currently serving as the 38th Governor of California. ...

"Bruce Lee had a very--I mean a very defined physique. He had very little body fat. I mean, he probably had one of the lowest body fat counts of any athlete. And I think that's why he looked so believable."^[41]

A doctor who knew Lee once claimed that he was "Muscled as a squirrel, and spirited as a horse" and fitter than anyone he had ever seen.^[42]

Lee was known to have collected over 140 books in his lifetime on bodybuilding, weight training, physiology and kinesiology. In order to better train specific muscle groups, he also created several original designs of his own training equipment and had his friend George Lee build them to his specifications.^[43]

Physical feats

Lee's phenomenal fitness meant he was capable of performing many exceptional physical feats.^{[44][45][46][47]} The following list are the physical feats that are documented and supported by reliable sources.

• Lee's striking speed from three feet with his hands down by his side reached five hundredths of a second.^[48]
• Lee could spring a 235lb opponent 15 feet away with a 1 inch punch.^[47]
• Lee's combat movements were at times too fast to be captured on film at 24fps, so many scenes were shot in 32fps to put Lee in slow motion. Normally martial arts films are sped up.^[49][50][51]
• In a speed demonstration, Lee could snatch a dime off a person's open palm before they could close it, and leave a penny behind.^[52]
• Lee could perform push ups using only his thumbs^[40][47]
• Lee would hold an elevated v-sit position for 30 minutes or longer.^[46]
• Lee could throw grains of rice up into the air and then catch them in mid-flight using chopsticks.^[40]
• Lee performed one-hand push-ups using only the thumb and index finger^{[47][53][40][47]}
• Lee performed 50 reps of one-arm chin-ups.^[54]
• From a standing position, Lee could hold a 125lb barbell straight out. ^[46][40]
• Lee could break wooden boards six inches thick.^[55]
• Lee performed a side kick while training with James Coburn and broke a 150-pound punching bag^[46][56]
• Lee could cause a 300-lb bag to fly towards and thump the ceiling with a sidekick.^[47]
• In a move that has been dubbed "Dragon Flag", Lee could perform leg lifts with only his shoulder blades resting on the edge of a bench and suspend his legs and torso perfectly horizontal midair. ^[57]
• Lee could thrust his fingers through unopened steel cans of Coca-Cola, at a time before cans were made of the softer aluminum metal.^[58]
• Lee would use one finger to leave dramatic indentations on pine wood.^[58]

Philosophy

Although Bruce Lee is best known as a martial artist and actor, Lee majored in philosophy at the