The Bruce Lee Connection



What does Bruce Lee have to do with Wing Chun? It's not just Martial Arts
name-dropping. In fact, long before he became famous as a Hollywood actor, he
helped make Wing Chun famous in Hong Kong.

1940 Nov 27 - Born in San Francisco, CA at the Jackson Street Hospital. Son of
Lee Hoi-Chuen and Grace Lee. Named Lee Jun-Fan, meaning "Return again
Lee" [Sidai's note: "Lee" is pronounced "lay" in Cantonese]. 
1941 - Returned with family to Kowloon, Hong Kong. 
1952 - Entered La Salle College, a Catholic boy's school. 
Between 1952 and 1959 - Attended St. Francis Xavier College [Sidai's note:
this is not a college as the term is used in the USA, but rather a high school]. 
Between 1954 and 1957 - Studied Wing Chun under the instruction of Yip
Man. Learned as far as the second hand form and part of the wooden dummy
form. With Wong Sheun-Leung, William Cheung, and others made Wing
Chun famous in Hong Kong by winning numerous challenge matches. 
Between 1957 and 1958 - Continued Wing Chun under the instruction of
Wong Shun-Leung. 
Between 1957 and 1959 - Continued Wing Chun under the instruction of
William Cheung. 
1958 - Appeared in Movie "The Orphan." Won Crown Colony Cha-Cha
Championship. 
1959 Apr - Returned to San Francisco, California, USA. 
Between 1959 and 1963 - Moved to Seattle, Washington. Finished High
School, then majored in Philosophy at University of Washington. Began to
create and teach his own personal style of martial arts. 
1963 - Wrote "Chinese Gung Fu: the philosophical art of self defense"
(Burbank: Ohara, 1963). [Sidai's note: this book is not about Wing Chun.] 
1963 - Trip to Hong Kong. 
Between 1963 and 1964 - Returned to Seattle. Moved to Oakland, California. 
1964 Aug - Gave first major demonstration at Ed Parker's Long Beach Karate
Internationals. 
1964 - Married Linda C. Emery in Seattle. Lived with James Yimm Lee family
in Oakland. 
1965 Feb 1 - Son Brandon born. 
1965 - Visited Hong Kong. 
1965 Sep - Returned from Hong Kong to Seattle. 
1966 Mar - Moved to Los Angeles. 
1966 Sep 9 to 1967 Jul 14 - Appeared as Kato in the television series "The
Green Hornet" [Sidai's note: what you see in his TV and movie roles is not
Wing Chun - instead this is his "movie" style]. 
1969 - Appeared in "Marlowe" with James Garner. 
1969 Apr 19 - Daughter Shannon born. 
1971 Oct - Moved to Hong Kong. 
1971 - Starred in "The Big Boss" and "Fist of Fury." 
1972 - Starred in "Way of the Dragon" and "Game of Death" (unfinished). 
1972 - Assisted in the publication of "Wing Chun Kung Fu" with J. Yimm Lee
(Burbank: Ohara, 1972). 
1972 Dec 1 - Death of Bruce's Wing Chun Sifu Yip Man in Hong Kong. Bruce
did not attend the funeral. 
1973 - Starred in "Enter the Dragon." 
1973 Jul 20 - Died at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Hong Kong. 
1973 - Buried at Lakeview Cemetery, Seattle.
Lake View Cemetery is at 1554 15th Avenue East, just north of Volunteer
Park, in the Capitol Hill area east of downtown Seattle. After entering the
cemetery, go straight ahead towards the top of the hill. Walk north along the
road from here and you should very shortly find the gravesite just to the right
(east) of the road. Gates are open from 9am to 6pm. 

For more information, contact: 
Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do Nucleus
967 E. Parkcenter Blvd., Box 177
Boise, ID 83706 


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