Black Belt Test Essay: Bruce Lee: Legacy Continues
By Michael Luis Ongsansoy
Bruce Lee was born on November 27, 1940, in San Francisco, California, but grew up in Hong Kong as a movie actor and a martial artist. He played an important role in popularizing martial arts in the western part of the United States. Bruce Lee once said,” Knowing is not enough, we must apply. Willing is not enough, we must do.” He wanted to distinguish new ways to build his body and improve his fighting skills.
As a young boy, he had a talent for acting and appeared in some movies. At the age of twelve, he was beaten up by a street gang, so he wanted to learn martial arts. He learned under the training of Sifu Yip Man for approximately five years. However, his temper and martial art skills got him in trouble with the Hong Kong police on many events, and his parents suggested he should go to the United States.
There, he finished high school and enrolled at the University of Washington to study philosophy and drama. In 1963, he met Linda Emery, his wife in the future, and opened his first Kung fu school. During the early 1600s, he became associated with many key martial artists in the United States, including kenpo karate expert Ed Parker and Tae Kwon Do master Jhoon Rhee.
He made guest appearances at martial arts events including the Long Beach Nationals. Around this time, Bruce relocated to Oakland, California, and opened a second kung fu school to be closer to Hollywood. When he arrived, it was time for him to make his own technique which was jeet kune do. It was a blend of fencing, boxing, and philosophy. He then began teaching Jeet Kune Do to Hollywood stars instead of martial arts.
Later on, he went to Hong Kong and was approached by a film producer named Raymond Chow who had started Golden Harvest Productions. Then, he was able to be in the films The Big Boss and Fist of Fury. Soon, the Hong Kong streets were jammed with thousands of Chinese movie fans.
He was a remarkable athlete. He had the amazing ability to do 50 one-arm chin-ups. A chin-up is just a pull-up, but using your chin. There are even stories of him doing push-ups with 125 pounds on his back, even though he is only 130 pounds. He also became famous for the one-inch punch and the two-finger push-ups.
Later on in life, he took a headache medicine called Equagesic and was unable to be revived. When they went to the hospital, he was announced dead. The cause of death was caused by an allergic reaction to the headache medicine. He died in the year 1973. Half a century after his death, he still has a great impact on new generations of martial artists.
References:
Augustyn, Adam. “Bruce Lee.” Encyclopædia Britannica, 24 Apr. 2023, www.britannica.com/biography/Bruce-Lee.
Blake, John. “Enter the Mind of Bruce Lee.” CNN, 20 July 2020, www.cnn.com/2020/07/19/world/bruce-lee-philsophical-legacy-trnd/index.html.
Cooper, Edward. “Bruce Lee’s Fingertip Press-up Remains Undefeated. Here’s How to Master It.” Men’s Health, 8 June 2021, www.menshealth.com/uk/fitness/a36416791/bruce-lee-finger-tip-press-up-challenge/.
IMDb. “Bruce Lee.” IMDb, m.imdb.com/name/nm0000045/bio/?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm. Accessed 26 May 2023.
Kerridge, Steve. “The Life and Workouts of Martial Arts Legend Bruce Lee.” Muscle & Fitness, 2013, www.muscleandfitness.com/athletes-celebrities/news/life-and-workouts-martial-arts-legend-bruce-lee/
“Top 15 Bruce Lee Facts Everyone Should Know about Him.” NY Martial Arts Academy, 9 May 2017, www.nymaa.com/martial-arts-blog/Facts-You-May-Not-Know-About-Bruce-Lee_AE168.html#:~:text=One%20of%20the%20most%20incredible,only%20weighed%20around%20130%20pounds
