by Assunta Ng
Northwest Asia Weekly
Li Shannon (Photo by Assunta Ng)
Did you know that Bruce Lee has more magazine covers than Marilyn Monroe?
Google it and you’ll find Li on hundreds of magazine covers not only in martial arts but also in mainstream media like Rolling Stone, Time and People. If you take into account the multilingual martial arts and entertainment media in Asia, the number of Li’s magazine covers easily exceeds the thousands.
And if you count the toys with Lee’s image and other memorabilia, you’ll find that Lee’s collection is worth a lot. According to Seattle-based Bruce Lee historian and collector Perry Lee (no relation to Lee), he has fans all over the world, not just in the U.S. and Asia.
Bruce Lee (center, back) with some Seattle judo students, including Cheryl Chow (second from left, center), Wendee Ong (third from left, center), Brien Chow (front, center), and Mark Chow (front, far right) ) and Don Wong (front row, far left). (Photo by Wendee Ong)
What sets him apart from other American action heroes is that he is Asian American. Even 49 years (more than a generation) after his death, his popularity has skyrocketed.
“He (Lee) is still important today,” said Perry, who met Lee in 1964. Perry was only 14 years old, and he witnessed how Lee won a fight against a tall, non-Asian boxing champion.
“No one can match his talent. He revolutionized martial arts.”
Lee invented a kung fu style, Jeet Kune Do (JKD), which is different from other forms of kung fu. It is also recognized by the federal government as uniquely Asian-American, while other martial arts styles have Asian origins. An innovator, he has developed his modern brand by blending Eastern and Western martial arts philosophies.
In front of the Wing Luke Museum. From left: Derek Chinn, Betty Lau, Gary Locke, Shannon Lee, Wendee Ong, guests, Park Eng, Perry Lee and Mark Chow. (Photo by Jerry Lee)
During his years in Seattle from 1959 to 1964, he founded kung fu schools in Chinatown and the University District to teach judo and martial arts, which inspired the JDK. There are millions of JKD students and schools around the world.
To see how he taught himself to apply philosophy to kung fu, the new Bruce Lee exhibition at the Wing Luke Asia Museum will illuminate his thirst for knowledge from the 2,800 books collected during his 32 years of life. His collection of 230 books is artfully displayed through decoupage images of Li Gao raising his fist and kicking.
Shannon Lee and Joël Barraquiel Tan (Photo by Jerry Lee)
“This is [an] It has been an exciting and beautiful journey of self-discovery, says Wing executive director Joël Barraquiel Tan.
“It points to how young Bruce Lee was shaped by this community and community. A lot of his teaching and learning came from here (Seattle). The ability to be in a safe nurturing community allowed him to experiment and made him unique himself. That’s why he became a Bruce Lee idol.”
His daughter Shannon Lee was in town earlier to kick off the new exhibition.
Visiting used bookstores is one of Lee’s pastimes. A small selection of his books, some 230 books, is part of the exhibition.
“He signed everyone,” Shannon said. “He researches, underlines and marks books. He takes notes in the margins. He is an active reader. He wants to educate himself and apply what he learns from books.”
Among the piles of books he has accumulated include philosophy, movies, Eastern and Western martial arts, and different types of sports, including boxing, weight training, yoga, and even how to play football. Why football? I think Lee studied football because it is a combat sport in which violence and perseverance are the main components. He might be able to apply some of its tactics.
Water is an important element of his philosophy. Through training with Master Ip Man, Li will practice fetching water. He found that water is “the essence of kung fu”. The theme of the exhibition is “Being Water, My Friend: The Teachings of Bruce Lee”. The exhibition shows how he evolved at different stages of development. It will give you a glimpse of Lee’s mind through the element of water.
The exhibition has a meditative style unlike any other Bruce Lee exhibition in San Francisco and Hong Kong.
“People can experience a different side of my dad than ever before,” Shannon said. “Arose from his side, exposed to his knowledge, philosophy and books. How he cultivated his mind, body and philosophy and integrated it in his life.”
Li’s book, some small balls, is written in other languages such as Chinese, English, and even French. He didn’t understand those languages, but he studied pictures of battle books. Shannon said they all read it clearly because Lee had put quotes and written notes in the book.
He also added his own writing, the stage of practice, you can see the process and process of gaining knowledge in his life.
Bruce Lee in Seattle
Bruce Lee merchandise is one of Wing’s best-selling merchandise. (Photo by Assunta Ng)
If you’ve read Bruce Lee, you’ll find that he taught several Hollywood celebrities, from Steven McQueen to Chuck Norris.
But locally, his students are equally impressive, including former Governor Gary Locke, former Justice Park Young and Justice Mark Chow.
Born in San Francisco, he moved back to Hong Kong with his family in 1941. In 1959, Lee returned to the United States at the age of 19.
According to the Bruce Lee tour organized by the Wing On Museum, he opened a martial arts school on South King Street and another on South Wheeler Street.
Li’s parents were Cantonese opera and movie stars who toured around the world. They were performing in San Francisco when Lee was born in 1940. He returned to the United States after turning 18 to retain his U.S. citizenship. They left their sons to good friends, the late Ruby and Ping Chow, who owned the Ruby Chow restaurant. There, Lee worked as a waiter and waiter. He also lives in the attic of the restaurant.
Ruby’s son, Brien Chow, was one of Lee’s 11-year-old judo students. Zhou, 71, said he had never seen Lee yell at his students. Zhou remembers Lee showing him the trick.
“His fingers can go through the Batman mask so fast that you can’t see him doing it. He’s just so good.” So when he hits you, you don’t know where and how.
Zhou also said he practiced so hard, punching the gravel with his fists that he developed calluses.
“The most memorable moment with Bruce was when I was able to flip Bruce over my shoulder and witness Bruce soar high in the air!” said former student Wendee Ong. “I had that ‘aha moment’ and felt more confident in my skills. However, deep down in my heart, I knew that Bruce was flying high on purpose, giving me a sense of confidence and success!”
Not many Seattleites knew he was an avid dancer. Wang said Li was “a prankster”. Lee taught a group of girls from the Seattle Chinese Women’s Training Team how to dance cha cha at a birthday party at Ruby Chow’s Restaurant.
“He kicks his nimble legs high in the air and rotates 360 degrees in two seconds…while snapping back into place to get his hips moving back and forth to the beat of cha cha cha! Bruce looks great ,” Ong said. According to Wikipedia, Lee won the Hong Kong School Boxing Championship and the Hong Kong Cha Cha Championship in 1958.
Bruce Lee merchandise is one of Wing’s best-selling merchandise. (Photo by Assunta Ng)
Most masters know martial arts, but can’t do ballroom dancing. They require contradictory techniques: Kung Fu requires power punches and kicks, showing masculinity, but precisely soft and graceful sexy moves. To achieve both, reflects Li’s talent and both yin and yang.
Wang said that as long as he was present, Li would always be remembered for his mischievous smile and laughter.
“Bruce is good at a lot of things,” said Vi Mar, 92, whom Lee calls his aunt in Seattle. “He was a poet, an intellectual. He loved to write poetry. He learned and taught others to protect themselves. He stood up for Chinese Americans to be treated as second-class citizens.”
During Lee’s Hollywood tour, he was given less important roles or was not selected because of his accent and fears that he would not be popular. After arriving in Hong Kong, Lee proved everyone wrong. His movies are big box office hits.
“Make Water, My Friend: Lessons from Bruce Lee”
Wednesday to Sunday 10am to 5pm
The Wing’s interactive exhibit will be a permanent exhibit. You can also join the Bruce Lee tour, which is also part of the Wing program.
Assunta can reach assunta@nwasianweekly.com.
