This legendary man is one of, if not the most recognizable icon in martial arts cinema of the 20th century and beyond. Millions of people today would acknowledge and agree without a doubt that Bruce Lee is the greatest martial artist who has ever lived in all of history. However, Bruce's unique fighting style and realistic approach in his films is not to be looked at as the only factors of his significance. In his short life but long legacy, Bruce has changed the world by openly teaching ancient, Chinese martial arts to people who were non-Chinese, literally kicking down racial barriers within the filming industries(between Eastern-Asia and Western countries), and by being one of the 20th Century's earliest self-help gurus.
Simply put, Bruce Lee believed martial arts ultimately means honestly expressing yourself in the physical form. In other words, he shows meditation in body movements. Thus, Bruce had a sincere urge to share this art form from his own native culture and have it open to people of all nationalities even if the techniques had been hidden away from outsiders back in Chinese, ancient times. His peers and teachers back in his home country shunned upon his actions of taking in non-Chinese students(Caucasians, Africans and Japanese). In the '60s, Bruce had opened his first school teaching kung fu linked to his own system, Jeet Kune Do ('The Way of The Intercepting Fist'). Students of his who were famous, western actors that included Steve McQueen, Bob Wall, and James Coburn. In 1964, Bruce is challenged into a martial arts duel versus a Chinese martial artist, Wong Jack Man. This may have been a fight to the death as there were no rules or regulations attached. If Bruce were to lose this match, he must agree to stop ...
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... remains in many people's hearts, souls and minds. Famous celebrities like Kobe Bryant(NBA star player),Taboo(Black Eyed Peas Artist) and more, have even looked into Bruce Lee's own teachings in order to better themselves as human beings both physically and mentally. It makes one wonder if their huge success has something to do with their beliefs in Bruce Lee's mental and physical disciplines. This widespread of fans shows the high level of significance of the footprint(teachings, systems) that Bruce had left on Earth that also include how he shared the beauty of his culture to the non-Chinese, breaking down racial barriers, and representing people's self-help guru. In a short amount of time, Bruce has left a legacy that still remains many decades after his passing. Although he lived a short life and is no longer with us in the present, his spirit still lives on.
Using martial arts is a unique way of trying to connect back to his ancestors and be prideful about his culture. Many aboriginals are taught in residential schools that being First Nations is something to be ashamed of, but Wayne does not want to be ashamed: “Lillian spent long hours teaching the boy the intricacies of the Anishnawbe, so know he spoke it better than most seventy–year-olds” (150). Wayne is trying to live a more traditional life than his sister, but the world has become less and less traditional in its own way. By living on an island by himself, Wayne is trying to live off the land. He couldn’t do it on the reserve, but he can easily do it on the island. He is also spiritual like an aboriginal, and demonstrates this spirituality a couple times. One example of him doing this is “I know that she was contributing to what we call the circle of life. She passed on so that somewhere out there, a baby could be born in her place.” (187) She was clearly in tune with nature and spiritually, and I think that some of that passed on to Wayne. Wayne seems to understand that his mother was okay with dying, just so that a child could be born. In his eyes, it could not be stopped and a family with a young child would be made. His martial arts use a variety of animal tactics to be more tactful. “It took me a while, but I have based a style of fighting on each of the
In conclusion, although some people might think that he was just a general; the best years of his life were after the war for two main reasons. First, he changed education. But most importantly, he changed the minds of the south. Without Lee’s character during his last five years, the south might have been in chaos. Lee shows evidence to the power of healing, and the difference education can make. This man truly represents what a true christian was, and should be studied for ages to come, but as the man he was, as opposed to the general. The last years of this mans life are by far the most amazing, and should get just as much attention as his years in the war.
Through all this, Bruce struggled with his self identity. From a young age, Bruce knew that he was different from the other boys. When his mother and sister were gone, Bruce loved to dress up in their clothing. Bruce remembers envying all the other boys and girls who were comfortable in their own skin since he felt like he was “stuck in the middle”. Throughout his entire life, Bruce struggled with himself and was in fear of what his family and the world may think of him. But, this year Bruce decided that he was going to introduce Caitlyn to the world. Due to his
During that time, the people of Connersville were not worried about other races. Bruce, like most others, grew up with black people and were friends with them. His parents at that time worked long hours through the night, which made Bruce on his own for a large amount of time and made his very self-sufficient. In his high school days, Bruce’s teachers that were male gained their knowledge from going to college with their GI bill. The stories he heard from his veteran teachers influenced him to consider a future somewhere in the service. But one thing affected Bruce more than anything from that time,
Everyday was the same for me, having to deal with racial slurs that would otherwise imprison someone for a hate crime if we were adults. All through out freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior year, people gave me nicknames like Bruce Lee or Jackie Chan. It’s a shame that those names never really held up it’s title, due to the fact that I didn’t know anything about Kung Fu or any fancy martial arts.
Like most heroes, Bruce’s thirst for justice was brought upon by a horrible act that that quickly brought upon his coming of age. Following a theatre performance with his parents Bruce, Thomas and his mother Martha found themselves walking down ‘Crime Alley’. There they were approached and mugged; in a valiant attempt to subdue their assailant Bruce witnessed both of his parents be brutally murdered at this hands of crime. As seen in some of the original comics it was at this time “Bruce Wayne learned the power of fear…” (Origins), this realization plays a vital role in the development of his alter ego Batman. With such a traumatic event unfolding before his eyes Bruce “swore an oath to rid the city of evil” (Origins), likely to prevent anyone from suffering the same kind of loss he did as a
“Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don't resist them - that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like” (Lau Tzu). Born into a life of noodles and relaxation Po, a chubby panda, always wanted to be a Kung Fu master. Out of nowhere an opportunity arises to have his dream become reality. Po, like any normal panda snatches up this once in a lifetime opportunity and runs with it. But when the going gets tough, he doesn’t know if this is the life he was meant to live. While the film was meant for enjoyment, DreamWorks has incorporated clear examples of the three major Chinese Schools of Thought: Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism.
The author travels to China as an English teacher for the Hunan Medical School. There he stayed for two years picking up many anecdotes along the way. The author already had spent a large amount of his life studying Chinese language and the martial arts. However, when he arrives in China he meets teachers who have dedicated their entire lives to perfecting a particular art or skill, whether it be martial arts or calligraphy.
Jean-Claude Van Damme’s Kickboxer portrays the story of a kickboxer who learns Muay Thai because of a vendetta. The movie starts with Jean’s character- Kurt watching over his older brother as he wins the heavyweight title in kickboxing. After having won the title, his brother yearns for more recognition which leads him to join a competition in Thailand. Upon arrival, the brothers are quickly faced with the fact that they aren’t facing their routine kickboxing partners but rather the Martial art of the area that is Muay Thai. Kurt’s older brother steps into the ring against a contender by the name Tong Po, who is named the champion of Thailand. The fight ends abruptly, after the brother
Though Bruce was an accomplished actor, he had many other talents that made his even more memorable. He was a skilled dancer, who had won a cha-cha competition in Hong Kong and studied ballet. Upon first moving to America, he taught dance and martial arts to help bring a steady cash flow. Dance did not simply provide a paycheck for Bruce but it also helped to make his fighting style more original. With that, he was able to create his own fighting style known as Jeet Kune Do, this was a modified version of Wing Chun that included other techniques like fencing and Kung Fu. Bruce Lee said, Jeet Kune Do was mainly focused on ways to avoid a hit. This was revolutionary in the fighting world and on screen. Bruce Lee paved a way for martial artists and Asian actors, he was a hit in Hollywood. It did not stop there though, he also owned 3 different martial arts schools, two in California and one in in Seattle, Washington. Bruce was a dancer, instructor, skilled fighter and actor but most importantly was a devoted husband to Linda Emery and a father to a young boy named Brandon and a girl named Shannon. His daughter, Shannon now speaks publicly about her father. She says he was a hero to many people, especially her. She is an actress, martial artist and was lucky enough to learn her father’s style Jeet Kune Do under one of Bruce’s students. Unfortunately, Brandon Lee is not here with us anymore. He thought so highly of his father; he followed in Bruce’s footsteps spending eight years in Hong Kong, becoming an actor, specializing in martial arts and had died young and tragically. Brandon had a hard time coping with the loss of his father and being the son of Bruce Lee and living up to the expectations. Brandon had a hard time in school continuously dropping in and out of school. Brandon wanted to honor his father
ethic. He overcame his legal matters, and survived through the persecution of his religion, he still managed to accomplish more than any boxer, and a majority of any athletes. Though it was just self-proclaimed confidence, he turned out to be just what he told the world, “The Greatest”
If you search Amazon Movies & TV for kung fu, it returns over 5000 hits. Every kid in America knows that kung fu is a Chinese martial art. Even though kung fu is almost always associated with China, it’s historical significance in ancient and modern Chinese life is underappreciated and not given the analysis it deserves. If you ask someone to name the great inventions and accomplishments of ancient China, he or she will probably mention the Great Wall, the compass, fireworks, and paper. And yet kung fu is one the original great inventions of China, one that embodies fundamental elements of Chinese culture. In fact, it has probably, more than any other Chinese creation, influenced and even helped sustain the Chinese cultural identity.
Muhammad Ali is one of the most decorated athletes in American history. For decades he dominated the boxing world going against any and every opposition that came before him. His stamina and charisma has yet to be matched by any athlete since him. The Vietnam War drove many Americans into the vicious battle. Many served faithfully but Muhammad Ali refused to serve his country in that way. His career was threatened and he was on the verge of being named one of the great villains of American history simply because he refused to fight in a war that his religion did not believe in and that most Americans would find in bad taste just years later.
He was talking about dominantly expressing ones self through martial arts by letting go of rigid styles or patterns you’ve learned, and freely adapt in combat so as to fluidly move with your opponent, as in a dance, then to “crash” into your opponent in victory. What Bruce Lee described was a state of total awareness of one’s environment so as to continuously be able to entrain one’s self to it.
His profound wisdom of morality and human relationships that he imparted on his disciples has been passed down and this displays how he came to be the most significant Chinese philosopher that there has been.