Bearing a legacy of self-expression, equality and pioneering innovation, Bruce Lee was a martial artist, philosopher, actor and film director of various record breaking films, among them ‘Enter the Dragon’.
Born in the hour and year of the dragon, November 27th, 1940, in San Francisco, California, Bruce Jun Fan Lee was the 4th child in his family. Lee was introduced to the film industry by his father and became a child actor in many films. Having featured in five famous films, he is credited for enabling change in the way Asians were presented in American films. Lee died on 20th July 1973 at the age of 32 after experiencing hypersensitive reaction from an ingredient in a pain killer.
At 3 months, Bruce returned to Hong Kong and lived there until he was 18. He studied and became an expert in the Wing Chun style of gung fu. Besides acting and martial arts, Lee became a great dancer under the tutelage of his father.
He moved Seattle, abandoning his spotlight life and enrolled in at the University of Washington to pursue Philosophy. While at school, he earned a living from teaching gung fu after his friends persuaded him to start a real martial art school. Among his students was Linda Emery who he later married and had two children; Brandon and Shannon. Lee later opened two other schools but shifted his attention to acting after the birth of his son. He continued to give private lessons in the martial art he founded- Jeet Kune Do, to people in entertainment industry.
His zeal for training and physical culture led to an injury that required 6 months bed rest. Being so depressed about his state, he redefined his goals and began writing. When he recovered, he returned to Hong Kong and began acting while preparing for the American studios.
Lee moved his family to Hong Kong and worked on several films including “Return of the Dragon” with great success. This drew Holly Wood’s attention calling for a Hollywood/ Hong Kong film partnership for “Enter the Dragon’, a film he didn’t live to see since he died a month before it’s premier in Hollywood.
I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.
– Bruce Lee
A wise man can learn more from a foolish question than a fool can learn from a wise answer
– Bruce Lee
Do not pray for an easy life, pray for the strength to endure a difficult one.
– Bruce Lee
If you spend too much time thinking about a thing, you’ll never get it done.
– Bruce Lee
I’m not in this world to live up to your expectations and you’re not in this world to live up to mine.
– Bruce Lee
Mistakes are always forgivable, if one has the courage to admit them.
– Bruce Lee
The more we value things, the less we value ourselves.
– Bruce Lee
Real living is living for others.
– Bruce Lee
