The Mysticism of Bruce Lee: Why He Continues to Live On

A few days ago, I finally ordered a copy of Bruce Lee's Tao of Jeet Kune Do for my personal library. When I was ordering it, and I saw just how much Bruce Lee related stuff there was out there it occurred to be just how far-reaching Bruce's legacy has become. Since I was a kid, Bruce's face has been regularly gracing the covers of martial arts magazines, and his likeness has been a regular in fighting video games since their onset. He has gone far beyond being a household name in Asia or even the west, as a Japanese friend lamented to me, when he said that no matter how far into undeveloped areas of Africa he went, little kids would still say "Bruce Lee!!" as soon as they saw him.

Even despite all of the martial arts masters and action stars that have come (and then gone) just in my lifetime, Bruce still remains as unforgotten and as salient now as he was back then. His book is still considered by many to be the bible of fighting, and the proliferation of MMA, events like the UFC, and the development of RSBD (Reality-based self defense) programs do more to vindicate many of its principles than wash them away.

Beyond the brilliance of Bruce however, it wasn't until a young friend of mine passed away in a motorcycle accident a week after we graduated from stunt school together that I realized why it is that Bruce continues to live on in the hearts of so many. Unlike all of the other martial artists who have come since he pioneered the genre of martial arts cinema, Bruce never fully actualized. While it's safe to say that we have seen the best that Stephen Seagal, Jean Claude Van Damme or Jackie Chan have to offer, with Bruce we will never quite know just what he could have achieved in his lifetime. We will never know the kinds of films he might have been able to produce, what revolutions he may have pioneered, or what boundaries he may have broken.

Furthermore, while most martial arts masters and action stars stay in great shape well into their old age, a certain degree of physical degradation and loss of skill is inevitable. With time, chiseled lines will be replaced with soft wrinkles, unmatchable speed will be replaced with camera speed-ups, and a desire to push the envelope will be replaced with a need to explore other things life has to offer, such as reality TV shows, religion, or music CDs (Jackie Chan). For fighters, the other heroes of the martial arts world, this may include opening up their own gyms or martial arts schools, or product endorsements.

In the minds of everyone around the world, Bruce however will always stay pure. When he comes to mind, people will always remember him as he was in Enter the Dragon: one of most physically sculpted people that has ever lived. He will always be young, strong, fast and invincible. He will always be uncompromisingly focused on perfecting his craft, his artform, and himself. While my generation had to witness the eventual defeat of Royce Gracie (the quintessential example of a soft-spoken martial artist who could defeat men twice his size), Bruce will simply never be defeated. Rumors will always circulate that Bruce could have beaten this person or that, simply because there is no real way to prove it. Much like my young stuntman friend, he will live on forever in a never-ending state of potentiality.

Bruce will always be the person that the world will always know, but will never really know. He will be that spirit that drives us to complete the journey that he could not, and that makes us want to be something bigger because he didn't have the chance to.

Perhaps the greatest thing about Bruce however was the fact that despite all of his hardships, his limitations, his setbacks, and even his death, he still accomplished his ultimate goal. To break through racial stereotypes and glass ceilings and give the world its first Chinese superstar. If an act like that doesn't qualify someone for "invincible hero" status, then I have no idea what does.

photo credit: 13HOC