Martial Arts Of The World - Webs

In 1996, Lee’s widow, Linda Lee Cadwell, his daughter, Shannon Lee
Keasler, and Lee’s students and second-generation practitioners created the
nonprofit Bruce Lee Educational Foundation to preserve and perpetuate his
teachings. The organization was formed to maintain the integrity of Jeet
Kune Do by giving a clear and accurate picture of Lee’s evolution in the
martial arts. In this way, the foundation would be able to distinguish the
technical and philosophical knowledge studied and taught by Lee and act
as a living repository for those seeking information on his body of work.
A greater challenge for the foundation is maintaining the accuracy in
Bruce Lee’s teachings while at the same time inspiring its followers to further
their own personal growth. Indeed, Bruce Lee did not discourage
those who found truths in combat contrary to his Jeet Kune Do, since he
urged them to find their own paths. However, the problem arises when one
is personally expressing himself, yet still calling it Jeet Kune Do, a term
that is obviously linked to Bruce Lee. Linda Lee Cadwell responded to this
issue: “The most fundamental principle of Bruce’s art is that an individual
should not be bound by a prescribed set of rules or techniques, and should
be free to explore and expand—including expanding away from the core
or root of Bruce’s teachings. However, confusion arises when a martial
artist deviates from the complete circle provided by Bruce’s teachings and
develops a personal way of martial art, but continues to call it ‘Jeet Kune
Do.’ It is understandable that the definition of Jeet Kune Do can be taken
to mean the concept of one’s own freedom of expression, but once that
step is taken, it needs to be labeled in a personal way, much as Bruce did
when he created the name Jeet Kune Do to describe his way” (Cadwell and
Kimura 1998, 2).
As a result, the foundation decided to establish the name Jun Fan Jeet
Kune Do ® to refer to Bruce Lee’s body of work (art, philosophy, history,
and so on). Lee Jun Fan was Bruce Lee’s name in Chinese, and, in fact, he
originally called his art Jun Fan Gung Fu before coming up with the term
Jeet Kune Do. Hence, Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do identifies Bruce Lee’s personal
expression of Jeet Kune Do. This would distinguish the historical art Lee
practiced during his life in addition to his inspirational message. Jun Fan
Jeet Kune Do is the “launching pad” from which the individuals initiate
their own exciting journey of self-discovery and self-expression.
Tommy Gong
See also Yongchun (Wing Chun)
References
Bruce Lee Educational Foundation. 1997. First Annual Jun Fan Jeet Kune
Do Seminar Program Booklet.
Cadwell, Linda Lee, and Taky Kimura. 1998. “X Is Jeet Kune Do.”
Knowing Is Not Enough: The Official Newsletter of the Bruce Lee
Educational Foundation 1, no. 4: 1–4.
Jeet Kune Do 209