Did Bruce Lee read wuxia fiction?

[Ken Cheng]

Bruce Lee is probably the most famous martial artist of modern times, and he was known to be very dedicated to his training. Between his martial arts training, his movie career, and his family, Bruce likely didn't have much free time for other kinds of recreation.

Did Bruce ever mention, however, whether or not he enjoyed reading wuxia novels? It'd be a trip if it were to be revealed that Jeet Kune Do was inspired by something such as Dook Goo 9 Swords, whose philosophical underpinnings seemed similar to Jeet Kune Do's.

[Banh Mi]

To be off topic, he had plenty of time for other things, like a mistress and drugs, and endless trash talking.

[Trien Chieu]

To be off topic, he had plenty of time for other things, like a mistress and drugs, and endless trash talking.

Can you prove it??
I can never imagine Bruce Lee did such things. I always thought he is chinese legend, hero, and role model.

There are rumors out there that Bruce and his son were assassinated.

[Banh Mi]

Read up on it, he died from taking a drug, which atleast 1 medical professional who examined his corpse believes includes cannabis. And he died in the apartment of a female coworker which is speculated to be a mistress of his.
He is also behaves very differently to what he preaches.

[Ken Cheng]

I don't know how reliable biographies of Bruce Lee are, given that few of them are primary sources. I can totally believe that Bruce used performance-enhancing drugs (perhaps even steroids) to facilitate his training, but cannabis? I'm a bit dubious about that. On the one hand, it was almost casually accepted by the younger generation during the 1960s and 1970s as a recreational drug that many celebrities (including Bruce's own student, basketball star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) used at the time. On the other hand, Bruce must have been aware of its deleterious effects on his training and likely would have eschewed cannabis for that reason.

[Dirt]

Not sure what any of that has to do with the topic.

[BlackRaven]

I don't know how reliable biographies of Bruce Lee are, given that few of them are primary sources. I can totally believe that Bruce used performance-enhancing drugs (perhaps even steroids) to facilitate his training, but cannabis? I'm a bit dubious about that. On the one hand, it was almost casually accepted by the younger generation during the 1960s and 1970s as a recreational drug that many celebrities (including Bruce's own student, basketball star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) used at the time. On the other hand, Bruce must have been aware of its deleterious effects on his training and likely would have eschewed cannabis for that reason.

no....just no. i can accept that bruce lee drank alcohol or smoked pot to socialized on occasion, but I still believe him to be an honorable martial arts master. so big no to performance enhancing drugs. he wouldn't have come up with all that electrical stimulating device if he was using simple steroids

[Dirt]

I don't know much about steroids, however, I think if Bruce Lee did use 'roids, he'd look more like a body builder instead of the lean muscular look that he had.

[Ken Cheng]

no....just no. i can accept that bruce lee drank alcohol or smoked pot to socialized on occasion, but I still believe him to be an honorable martial arts master.

And so he was. During the late 1960s/early 1970s, steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs hadn't yet acquired the social stigma that they have today. At the time, athletes probably viewed such drugs as just another advantage provided by modern science and technology.

A little later, when some athletes began dying (perhaps Bruce was one of the first?) or severely impairing their health through the use of such drugs, that's when the controversy emerged.

All of which gets quite a universe away from whether or not Bruce Lee read wuxia fiction. I wouldn't go so far as to say that something such as Dook Goo 9 Swords inspired Jeet Kune Do, but I imagine Bruce might have smiled (heh) had he read SPW and saw how Dook Goo 9 Swords had a similar underlying theory to his own martial arts.

[tape]

I don't know much about steroids, however, I think if Bruce Lee did use 'roids, he'd look more like a body builder instead of the lean muscular look that he had.

Generally speaking, much of the use of steroids is in allowing your muscles to recover faster both in short term removing of lactic acids (why you get tired) and in rebuilding torn muscles.

So basically it lets you work out longer and recover faster. Someone who uses steroids can still have the lean muscular look depending on his workout. Bruce Lee seemed to have focused on various body weight exercises and lots of cardio related training, and that would lead to his body shape. If instead he were to lift really heavy weights (squats, benching, deadlifts etc) he would look more like a bodybuilder and lose much of his agility due to increased body mass.

[tape]

And so he was. During the late 1960s/early 1970s, steroid and other performance-enhancing drugs hadn't yet acquired the social stigma that they have today. At the time, athletes probably viewed such drugs as just another advantage provided by modern science and technology.

A little later, when some athletes began dying (perhaps Bruce was one of the first?) or severely impairing their health through the use of such drugs did controversy emerge.

I think this is a pretty true statement. If the public didn't have knowledge or a negative stigma on steroids, there would be no reason not to use it. If it were given to him as a supplement (like vitamins and protein) then there's no reason he would think its dishonorable. It's only after all these documentaries and negative portrayals of steroids that we instantly think anyone who 'roids has some evil in them.

It's kind of like an example given in Freakonomics. Prostitutes charged like 3-4x the price of regular sex for fellatio because back then there was a negative social stigma. Now that it's gone, the price has dropped 10x. Social stigma is a huge deterrent on our actions.

[Banh Mi]

This is all assuming Bruce Lee really is a great martial arts master. But we don't know that for sure. We haven't seen him in a real fight. As far as we know, he has about 3 years of Wing Chun training, mixed with studying, 1 year of Mantis Western Boxing, fencing and what have you.
There's alot of controversy surrounding him, such as the Wong Jack Man incident. I've heard from many old school Wing Chun teachers that Bruce Lee got expelled by Yip Man. And so on, don't really care for deriding a dead guy, but we ought not to jump to conclusions.

[tape]

I tend to think that with regards to Bruce Lee people either greatly exaggerate his prowess or greatly downplay his abilities. He was a pioneer in getting asians and martial arts into the spotlight, and that was pretty much his greatest legacy and accomplishment.

On a side note, I often wonder how legends in other sports would do against the modern superstars. It just seems to me that the modern champions would thrash the older generations, just like it would make sense for modern UFC fighters to thrash Bruce Lee simply due to advancements in training and technique.

[Dirt]

Bruce Lee freely admitted that he would get his *** whomped by Muhammed Ali.

[Trien Chieu]

It just seems to me that the modern champions would thrash the older generations

I don't think so. Ancient fighters trained much hard than modern fighters and their martial arts were much better back then. I think the opposite is true. Ancient martial artists would kick those UFC fighters anyday. In addition, modern fighters seem to go down hill before they reach the age of 40 whereas ancient fighters getting better everyday.

just like it would make sense for modern UFC fighters to thrash Bruce Lee simply due to advancements in training and technique.

Again, I rather believe the opposite that Bruce Lee would beat up UFC champions such as Anderson Silva and GSP. However, it wouldn't be a easy win though.

[Bangs]

In his weight class, I believe Bruce is unbeatable. But against a top tier heavyweight, he has a very slim chance. Weight is a very big factor in determining who wins a fight.

[tape]

I don't think so. Ancient fighters trained much hard than modern fighters and their martial arts were much better back then. I think the opposite is true. Ancient martial artists would kick those UFC fighters anyday. In addition, modern fighters seem to go down hill before they reach the age of 40 whereas ancient fighters getting better everyday.



Again, I rather believe the opposite that Bruce Lee would beat up UFC champions such as Anderson Silva and GSP. However, it wouldn't be a easy win though.

I have no idea if you're talking about fictional fighters or real life fighters. I have a hard time believing "ancient fighters getting better everyday". No 70 year old man is going to be able to beat a young champion.

[bliss]

I don't think so. Ancient fighters trained much hard than modern fighters and their martial arts were much better back then. I think the opposite is true. Ancient martial artists would kick those UFC fighters anyday. In addition, modern fighters seem to go down hill before they reach the age of 40 whereas ancient fighters getting better everyday.



Again, I rather believe the opposite that Bruce Lee would beat up UFC champions such as Anderson Silva and GSP. However, it wouldn't be a easy win though.

I agree. The ancient fighters were capable of LDA which slowly disappeared towards the Qing era and nowhere today is found in modern MMA fighting. The ancient fighters would simply blast LDA at Brock Lesnar and GSP to make them submit.

[shortsight]

... I wouldn't go so far as to say that something such as Dook Goo 9 Swords inspired Jeet Kune Do, but I imagine Bruce might have smiled (heh) had he read SPW and saw how Dook Goo 9 Swords had a similar underlying theory to his own martial arts.

XAJH was first published on Ming Pao in 1967 and JKD was originated in ... guess what ... 1967!

Exactly which inspired which is a toast. However it took up to a few chapters or so before DG9J first appearance in XAJH, which JKD had established by that time??

[Banh Mi]

I agree. The ancient fighters were capable of LDA which slowly disappeared towards the Qing era and nowhere today is found in modern MMA fighting. The ancient fighters would simply blast LDA at Brock Lesnar and GSP to make them submit.

I have evidence to the contrary. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8UKDzVmzt8
Here, we have an ancient fighter who was transported through time to the present to do combat with today's fighters. From the looks of him, I believe that is Yideng.
As we can see, the person he fought has an auto reflect shield.