Monday Morning Quote – Bruce Lee on Being Like Water
In honor of his birthday this past Saturday (Nov. 27th), we thought it would be cool to share with you a Monday Morning Quote from the master of lightning fists himself, both actor, teacher, and philosopher—the indomitable Bruce Lee (李小龍). Contrary to popular belief (especially in China), Bruce Lee was actually a full-blooded American, having been born in China Town, San Francisco, only to move to Hong Kong with his family at three months of age.
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Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend. |  |
Interestingly enough (for someone who grew to become an international icon for martial machismo), Bruce Lee’s nickname growing up was Sai Fon (细鳳), which according to Lee’s online biography is a girl’s name meaning “Little Peacock” in Cantonese. This is because, after losing their first son within a few month’s after his birth, Lee’s parents felt that males born into their family were cursed with bad luck. So the female nickname given to Bruce was an attempt to trick any malignant ghosts that may have otherwise brought disaster on their newborn baby boy.
In spite of his cutesy beginnings, a little peacock Bruce Lee was not. For one, in his role as a celebrated martial arts instructor, Bruce Lee helped Chuck Norris become the human killing machine later known as Walker, Texas Ranger. In addition to having trained some of the world’s best known martial artists, Bruce Lee’s many skills also included performing one-hand pushups with only his thumb and forefinger, sending people flying across the room with his one-inch punches, and being an award-winning Cha-Cha dancer (betcha’ didn’t know that one!).
For those of you who grew up throwing air punches and kicks, who dreamt about learning the legendary dim mak touch of death on a secluded, arboreous mountain in China, be sure to dedicate a boisterous WAAAATAAAAAAAAH!! today to our friend and kung fu master, Mr. Bruce Lee.
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Bruce Lee had like the perfect body, technique. talent, brain & face. He is a great philosopher, namely his famous quote ‘Be water’. Not only his martial arts, he had also a good-looking, which according to me seems to be rare cause of his mixed race. His father was Chinese and his mother was Catholic; German & Chinese ancestry. I think Brandon Lee & Shannon Lee should still be way proud of their father.Bruce Lee, the kING of Martial Arts.