Bruce Lee (1940 - 1973) Part I

KAI SCHOOL OF ARTS MARCIALESKOBRA KARATEMASTER KENPO CN5-DAN MAURICIO MENDOZA BIOGRAPHIES: Bruce Lee was born in the year of Dragon, Chinese Hospital in San Francisco, on November 27, 1940. His father, Li Hoi Chuen was representing a work of China Cantonese Opera in the Americas and hence Bruce was born in San Francisco. Grace Li, Bruce's mother, put his boy named Li Jun Fan, which means Protector of San Francisco, but during the first months he was called the Little Phoenix, which in Chinese is a feminine name, intended to confuse this evil spirits who steal from the boys after dark. Dr. Glover was who gave his American name, Bruce Lee, he did not know of its existence until thirteen years later to enter the English school of Hong Kong. In 1946, when Bruce had only 6 years was hired to work in a movie. It was his first film as six months old and had participated in Tears of San Francisco (San Francisco Tears) from which there is no trace. Bruce was introduced to the Hong Kong film industry thanks to friends of the family.

After a little trial the boy was accepted. The film is titled Birth of Mankind (The Birth of Mankind) It was a melodramatic film that was fashionable then in Hong Kong. Bruce later shot thirteen other films of the same court. They all figured his stage name Li Shiu Loong, which means Little Dragon. During his childhood, adolescence or rather Bruce was a gang member, was engaged in fighting with other gangs, carrying guns, chains, but one day he asked what would happen if he had the support of the band and got into a fight Andara, then decided to learn Kung Fu.

His first contact with martial arts was the hand of his own father Hoi Chuen Li who taught Tai Chi Chuan, for the sole purpose of departing from the path of violence., Bruce knew a boy his age, or slightly higher , which always was involved in fights and never lost. One day Bruce asked for it and this guy, William Cheung told it was because of his art. William proposed to him to learn Wing Chun and Bruce agreed. Bruce's behavior when he first entered the Academy of Yip Man was not as it should have been respectful, especially when dealing with an Oriental boy, so Yip Man decided that Bruce was not able to learn an art as Wing Chun, and so I communicated by William Cheung. Bruce decided to return the next day with humility and respect, Yip Man gave him a chance. Bruce was three to four years learning Wing Chun under the tutelage of Yip Man but it was the hand of Wong Shun Leung with whom he learned directly. Bruce was enrolled in the English school of San Francisco Javier, in those days had inter-school tournaments, including and since it was English schools had boxing tournaments, Bruce decided to take part in one of them held in the College of St .

George, and won using known techniques, Wing Chun. Shortly after winning another championship again, this time for Cha-Cha-Cha. At the age of eighteen he left Hong Kong to move to their country of birth and claim their nationality, the United States. Some versions say that Bruce's father was forced to make this decision because he feared that his son eventually joined the Chinese mafia, the Triad. Thus Bruce embarked on December 3, 1958 on the freighter Daisy May, a 3rd class ticket and $ 100. Bruce Lee there was installed a sack and a Wooden Dummy training to if time permitted, although the neighbors were complaining about the noise he made while training and had to quit. Since I had no friends, he began attending meetings of a Chinese society, where there were people who also practiced Kung Fu, there could learn techniques from other styles such as the praying mantis and other styles of northern China, where the predominant the use of the legs, use Bruce unknown since the Wing Chun works the legs of a very low level.

The company decided to give a demonstration and so Bruce could know that would be one of his best friends here in Seattle, a colored boy named Jesse Glover. Jesse had always been interested in martial arts, Judo had done, but when he saw Bruce felt he had to train with him. Bruce accepted the proposal to teach. The first place where they trained was the dining room of the apartment of Jesse Glover. In his first meeting Bruce asked Jesse to show him everything you knew about Kung Fu. Jesse had never trained with a Kung Fu master, all the knowledge they had brought them out of a book by James Yimm Lee. Bruce asked him to show him this book and after spending some time paging through him that the style shown Hung belonged to the family and that he had ever practiced in Hong Kong, it was a style known there.