Bruce Lee: Letters of the Dragon. Bruce Lee
self-defense, and a way of life. Gung fu is the best of all martial art; yet the Chinese derivatives of judo and karate, which are only basics of gung fu, are flourishing all over the U.S. This so happens because no one has heard of this supreme art; also there are no competent instructors... I believe my long years of practice back up my title to become the first instructor of this movement. There are yet long years ahead of me to polish my techniques and character. My aim, therefore, is to establish a first Gung Fu Institute that will later spread out all over the U.S. (I have set a time limit of 10 to 15 years to complete the whole project). My reason in doing this is not the sole objective of making money. The motives are many and among them are: I like to let the world know about the greatness of this Chinese art; I enjoy teaching and helping people; I like to have a well-to-do home for my family; I like to originate something; and the last but yet one of the most important is because gung fu is part of myself.
I know my idea is right, and, therefore, the results would be satisfactory. I don’t really worry about the reward, but to set in motion the machinery to achieve it. My contribution will be the measure of my reward and success.
Before he passed away, some asked the late Dr. Charles E Steinmetz, the electrical genius, in his opinion “What branch of science would make the most progress in the next twenty-five years?” He paused and thought for several minutes then like a flash replied, “spiritual realization?” When man comes to a conscious vital realization of those great spiritual forces within himself and begins to use those forces in science, in business, and in life, his progress in the future will be unparalleled.
I feel I have this great creative and spiritual force within me that is greater than faith, greater than ambition, greater than confidence, greater than determination, greater than vision. It is all these combined. My brain becomes magnetized with this dominating force which I hold in my hand.
When you drop a pebble into a pool of water, the pebble starts a series of ripples that expand until they encompass the whole pool. This is exactly what will happen when I give my ideas a definite plan of action. Right now, I can project my thoughts into the future, I can see ahead of me. I dream (remember that practical dreamers never quit). I may now own nothing but a little place down in a basement, but once my imagination has got up a full head of steam, I can see painted on a canvas of my mind a picture of a fine, big five or six story Gung Fu Institute with branches all over the States. I am not easily discouraged, readily visualize myself as overcoming obstacles, winning out over setbacks, achieving “impossible” objectives.
Lee seemed always to have a pen in his hand—even during the filming of Enter the Dragon.
Whether it is the God-head or not, I feel this great force, this untapped power, this dynamic something within me. This feeling defies description, and [there is] no experience with which this feeling may be compared. It is something like a strong emotion mixed with faith, but a lot stronger.
All in all, the goal of my planning and doing is to find the true meaning in life—peace of mind. I know that the sum of all possessions I mentioned does not necessarily add up to peace of mind; however, it can be if I devote [my energy] to real accomplishment of self rather than neurotic combat. In order to achieve this peace of mind, the teaching of detachment of Taoism and Zen proved to be valuable ....
Probably, people will say I’m too conscious of success. Well, I am not. You see, my will to do springs from the knowledge that I CAN DO. I’m only being natural, for there is no fear or doubt inside my mind.
Pearl, success comes to those who become success-conscious. If you don’t aim at an object, how the heck on earth do you think you can get it?
Warm regards,
Bruce
1963
To Linda19
Oct. 20, 1963
To the sweetest girl, from the man who appreciates her.
Linda,
To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion, to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not rich; to study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly; to bear all cheerfully, do all bravely, await occasions, hurry never.
In other words, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common.
Bruce
Notes
1. It is uncertain to whom Bruce Lee addressed this letter as all that remains is his first draft. However; given that he was in Saint Francis Xavier High School when it was written, and upon checking his daytime diary for November 30, 1958, we find the following entry—“Now I try to find out my career—whether as a doctor or another? If as a doctor I must study hard”—it is safe to assume that this letter was penned during this period of his life.
2. Lee Shiu Loong (or Lee Shiu Lung) literally translates as “Lee Little Dragon” (the surname always comes first in Chinese).This was the “stage name” given to Bruce when he first appeared in Hong Kong films. Bruce’s birth name was Lee Jun Fan, and in his early school years he was called Lee Yuen Kam. At home with his family, Bruce’s nickname was Sai Fon, literally “Little Phoenix.” The English name Bruce was given to him by a nurse when he was born, but he did not use this name until after the age of twelve, when he attended a school where English was spoken.
3. Bruce Lee attended Saint Francis Xavier High School in Hong Kong during 1958, one year before he set out on his return to America.
4. Bruce Lee began to write this letter to a friend in Hong Kong to tell him of his experiences on the boat that was taking him to America for the first time since he was born there on November 27, 1940, some eighteen years earlier. This letter is fascinating in that it serves as a diary of sorts, written on the first day of his voyage, wherein he records his feelings and experiences on what would eventually prove to be a highly significant journey.
5. Choy li fut gung fu is considered one of the most popular gung fu systems in Asia. It is practiced by approximately one-third of the martial artists in Hong Kong and is famous for combining hard and soft techniques, speed, balance, power, and extension. In her book The Complete Guide to Kung Fu Fighting Styles (Burbank, Calif: Unique Publications, 1985), authority Jane Hallander writes, “Not only does the style contain a vast variety of hand and weapons forms, but many of the top full-contact tournament fighters in Southeast Asia are choy-li-fut practitioners, a fact that supports the art’s reputation as one of the most powerful kung fu styles in existence.”
6. Wing Chun gung fu is considered highly aggressive. It focuses on centerline attacks, wasting no effort and using blocks to redirect the opponent’s strikes, so that the Wing Chun practitioner can counterattack with either his blocking hand or the other hand in a very close-in position. Since the shortest distance between two points is a straight line, there are no “curved” movements in the Wing Chun style that was taught to Bruce Lee. Sixty percent of attacking techniques are hand techniques and the other forty percent consists of short low kicks, hand and foot techniques being delivered simultaneously. Wing Chun was the only martial art that Bruce Lee studied formally. which he did under renowned Wing Chun grandmaster Yip Man from 1954 until Bruce departed from Hong Kong on April 29, 1959.
7. A famous Chinese saying denoting a person who gives direct and frank opinions.
8. Bruce’s older brother.
9. Melvin Dong was a friend during Bruce Lee’s teenage years in Hong Kong.
10. Bruce’s parents had contacts among overseas Chinese in the performing arts.
11. Shatin is an area in Hong Kong’s New Territories.
12. “National Art” is another name for “gung fu.”
13. Hawkins Cheung was one of Yip Man’s senior Wing Chun students, who trained at Yip Man’s kwoon in Hong Kong while Bruce Lee was training there in the 1950s.
14. The name of the recipient