Lee Jun-fan (Chinese: æ ŽæŒ¯è—©; November 27, 1940 â€" July 20, 1973),
commonly known as Bruce Lee (Chinese: æ Žå° é¾ ), was a Chinese, Hong
Kong American actor, director, martial artist, martial arts instructor
and philosopher. He was the founder of Jeet Kune Do, a hybrid martial
arts philosophy drawing from different combat disciplines that is
often credited with paving the way for modern mixed martial arts
(MMA). Lee is considered by commentators, critics, media, and other
martial artists to be the most influential martial artist of all time
and a pop culture icon of the 20th century, who bridged the gap
between East and West. He is credited with helping to change the way
Asians were presented in American films.The son of Cantonese opera
star Lee Hoi-chuen, Lee was born in the Chinatown area of San
Francisco, California, on November 27, 1940, to parents from Hong
Kong, and was raised with his family in Kowloon, Hong Kong. He was
introduced to the film industry by his father and appeared in several
films as a child actor. Lee moved to the United States at the age of
18 to receive his higher education at the University of Washington in
Seattle, and it was during this time that he began teaching martial
arts. His Hong Kong and Hollywood-produced films elevated the
traditional martial arts film to a new level of popularity and
acclaim, sparking a surge of interest in the Chinese nation and
Chinese martial arts in the West in the 1970s. The direction and tone
of his films dramatically changed and influenced martial arts and
martial arts films in the world.He is noted for his roles in five
feature-length martial arts films in the early 1970s: Lo Wei's The Big
Boss (1971) and Fist of Fury (1972); Golden Harvest's Way of the
Dragon (1972), directed and written by Lee; Golden Harvest and Warner
Brothers' Enter the Dragon (1973) and The Game of Death (1978), both
directed by Robert Clouse. Lee became an iconic figure known
throughout the world, particularly among the Chinese, based upon his
portrayal of Chinese nationalism in his films and among Asian
Americans for defying stereotypes associated with the emasculated
Asian male. He trained in the art of Wing Chun and later combined his
other influences from various sources into the spirit of his personal
martial arts philosophy, which he dubbed Jeet Kune Do (The Way of the
Intercepting Fist). Lee had residences in Hong Kong and Seattle.
commonly known as Bruce Lee (Chinese: æ Žå° é¾ ), was a Chinese, Hong
Kong American actor, director, martial artist, martial arts instructor
and philosopher. He was the founder of Jeet Kune Do, a hybrid martial
arts philosophy drawing from different combat disciplines that is
often credited with paving the way for modern mixed martial arts
(MMA). Lee is considered by commentators, critics, media, and other
martial artists to be the most influential martial artist of all time
and a pop culture icon of the 20th century, who bridged the gap
between East and West. He is credited with helping to change the way
Asians were presented in American films.The son of Cantonese opera
star Lee Hoi-chuen, Lee was born in the Chinatown area of San
Francisco, California, on November 27, 1940, to parents from Hong
Kong, and was raised with his family in Kowloon, Hong Kong. He was
introduced to the film industry by his father and appeared in several
films as a child actor. Lee moved to the United States at the age of
18 to receive his higher education at the University of Washington in
Seattle, and it was during this time that he began teaching martial
arts. His Hong Kong and Hollywood-produced films elevated the
traditional martial arts film to a new level of popularity and
acclaim, sparking a surge of interest in the Chinese nation and
Chinese martial arts in the West in the 1970s. The direction and tone
of his films dramatically changed and influenced martial arts and
martial arts films in the world.He is noted for his roles in five
feature-length martial arts films in the early 1970s: Lo Wei's The Big
Boss (1971) and Fist of Fury (1972); Golden Harvest's Way of the
Dragon (1972), directed and written by Lee; Golden Harvest and Warner
Brothers' Enter the Dragon (1973) and The Game of Death (1978), both
directed by Robert Clouse. Lee became an iconic figure known
throughout the world, particularly among the Chinese, based upon his
portrayal of Chinese nationalism in his films and among Asian
Americans for defying stereotypes associated with the emasculated
Asian male. He trained in the art of Wing Chun and later combined his
other influences from various sources into the spirit of his personal
martial arts philosophy, which he dubbed Jeet Kune Do (The Way of the
Intercepting Fist). Lee had residences in Hong Kong and Seattle.
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