Bruce Lee’s 80th birthday commemorated globally
As the late Chinese martial arts superstar Bruce Lee would have turned 80 on Friday, his fans around the world celebrated his birthday through online and offline activities.
To many, he was more than a Kung Fu star, his profound legacy -broke the West’s stereotype of Chinese people and culture and his powerful philosophy in arts and life lives on in the hearts of many more than 47 years after his passing.
In Lee’s hometown Foshan, South China’s Guangdong Province, a series of commemorative activities have been organized since early November. Heman Leung, Secretary-General of Foshan Chin Woo Athletic Association, told the Global Times on Friday that a Bruce Lee look-alike contest, art exhibition of Lee, online and offline seminars of fans recalling Lee’s past and overseas promotion of Lee’s movies were held in Foshan.
Although Kung Fu is a traditional Chinese sport that likely started long before history was recorded, Leung said that masters and grandmasters of it now try to combine the techniques and philosophies of traditional martial arts with modern competitions to convey its modern significance.
Several players of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), including China’s first UFC champion Zhang Weili, turned to him to learn the skills and wisdom of Wing Chun Kung Fu, a type of Chinese Kung Fu, Leung said.
Bruce Lee did not just inspire the present with his body of art and philosophy, but also helped connect people from around the world and helped people from other countries understand China.
William Cheung, founder of The Global Traditional Wing Chun Kung Fu Associated based in Melbourne, said that he and his Kung Fu students had an outdoor dinner Friday night to commemorate Lee, as beef rice was his favorite food.
Cheung is also a Kung Fu master who started his training in Wing Chun Kung Fu under the guidance of grandmaster Yip Man in 1951. He introduced the young Bruce Lee to Yip Man in 1953.
In Melbourne, 90 percent of his students are local Australians. He said that his students developed a strong interest in Chinese history, culture and Chinese philosophy through practicing Kung Fu.