Bruce Lee's daughter: my father was a game changer

BEIJING -- Bruce Lee's major contribution to the Chinese community is that he built a positive image of China around the world, especially in the West, his daughter Shannon Lee said in an interview with Sanlian Life Weekly magazine.

"In Hollywood during Bruce Lee's time, Chinese people were often played by Westerners. Chinese people found it very difficult to get seen, and if they did, it was often in a negative light."

Yet Bruce Lee's rise to stardom changed this completely. "He resented the stereotypes of Chinese people and felt quite proud of his own culture," Shannon Lee said, "he hoped to demonstrate the power and beauty of Chinese culture in his films."

Bruce Lee was indeed able to achieve his goal. He succeeded in bringing eastern culture to the West, and that was the reason behind his popularity among the Chinese.

"However, for his western fans, Bruce Lee was inspiring and innovative. He was a game-changer rather than a cultural ambassador, because the culture he represented was not theirs," Shannon Lee said.

"When he was teaching Kung Fu, he was not simply teaching the actions, but also the things behind each move. People call these things philosophies."

"It is like Jeet Kune Do (The Way of the Intercepting Fist.) Jeet means stop. During a fight, when one bout comes after another, people need to use one move to stop another. It is not simply 'attack' or 'defense', but a combination of both at the same time."

Losing her father when she was four, Lee said she understands him not only through the time she spent with him but also through the memories of his fans around the world.

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