Tao of Jeet Kune Do

[GeneChing]

That's a classic example. The finger and moon anecdote is taken directly from Buddhism. It's actually really easy to trace the roots of JKD. Some of it is even referenced. It's even easier now that we have web searches. Just take a look at the sidebar of the last JKD article we published Jeet Kune Do Counter Attack Strategies By David Cheng (2007 May/June) and you'll see we did a little back research on Bruce's terminology. Research is not that hard.

Now this is where it gets interesting. I'm not convinced that the compilers of TofJKD were familiar with Lee's sources. They just reorganized his notes. Those notes were not necessarily complete. In the above example, Lee extracted a lot of his combat theory from western fencing. This is even cited in the book. However, western fencing is very specific in its terminology and theory - the product of centuries of evolution - and Lee's notes only touched on the theory, because they were, after all, just notes. A lot of JKD people have taken those 'notes' as gospel. But if they don't understand the underlying theory, then there's a major flaw in their thinking. You can take a look at that article and the sidebar and see if it was an example of just such a situation.

[PangQuan]

But still worth respecting in many ways. Strive to emulate his good qualities and learn from his failings! This is what gives his life meaning in today's world!

Fully.

IMO having such extreme degrees of variation in BL's life, its actually a nice example of DO's and DO NOT's in regards to some aspects of MA. Especially substance abuse.

Not to mention the stresses and expectations that fame can put on ones shoulders.

[rogue]

Yeah Gene, the internet is real reliable. Look at all the people who actually see the truth about things and have been discredited by the internet.
I'm sorry Gene, but I think you're trying to protect the status quo of traditional martial arts from the clear light of truth that Bruce's writings brought to the martial artist. There is fear that if people really follow what he said that there would be the anarchy of people thinking for themselves.

I have no problem with the fact that someone had to compile Bruce's writings after he was killed by the Tongs, after all someone had to put together the Bible too.

[PangQuan]

That's a classic example. The finger and moon anecdote is taken directly from Buddhism. It's actually really easy to trace the roots of JKD. Some of it is even referenced. It's even easier now that we have web searches. Just take a look at the sidebar of the last JKD article we published Jeet Kune Do Counter Attack Strategies By David Cheng (2007 May/June) and you'll see we did a little back research on Bruce's terminology. Research is not that hard.

Now this is where it gets interesting. I'm not convinced that the compilers of TofJKD were familiar with Lee's sources. They just reorganized his notes. Those notes were not necessarily complete. In the above example, Lee extracted a lot of his combat theory from western fencing. This is even cited in the book. However, western fencing is very specific in its terminology and theory - the product of centuries of evolution - and Lee's notes only touched on the theory, because they were, after all, just notes. A lot of JKD people have taken those 'notes' as gospel. But if they don't understand the underlying theory, then there's a major flaw in their thinking. You can take a look at that article and the sidebar and see if it was an example of just such a situation.

now i gotta find where i left that issue lying around


I think its kind of silly that people would put so much emphasis on the Tao. Sure there are a lot of great concepts, theories, facts, etc. Yet as you say, with the right research you could find where some of this stuff comes from, and also as you say, notes: incomplete gathered, compiled and publshed by people who didnt actually take the notes, nor knew exactly what was going on in Bruce's mind as he gathered his material.

So doing extra research, finding some more in depth information on what is often lightly touched in the Tao, could give you a furthere idea of what Bruce may have been looking at when taking notes. Also to see what he decided to take and what he decided to leave behind from original sources can also be a great insight as to what Bruce was thinking.

[David Jamieson]

"Presently (2003?) in its twentieth printing and offered in nine languages, The Tao of Jeet Kune Do, for well over a decade a bestseller, has lined the pockets of a few at the expens of misleading countless martial artists of all ages and levels of proficiency. Hopefully the day will come when the great masters whos writings are contained in the Tao of Jeet Kune Do will be honored, both in print and monetarily, for their work that has for too many years been wrongly and purposely credited to Bruce Lee. Perhaps the worst example of plagiarism occured in 2000 when the estate's author John Little wrongly attributed to Bruce Lee the writing ("The Passionate State of Mind") of renowned philosopher (and the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom) Eric Hoffer!"
~Tom Bleecker
Unsettled Matters
The life and death of Bruce Lee


I was going to put this in the "Other Related Arts" section, but I thought it would get better responses here.

Not sure how many of you actually read that entire biography that KF posted, written by Tom Bleecker, but this is near the end, and I feel is quite a valid concern in regards to the works that are in Tao of Jeet Kune Do that are plagiarised and NOT the original works of Bruce Lee.

Not to discredit any thing Bruce Lee had done in life, but as we all know, Tao of Jeet Kune Do, was not something Bruce Lee had done in life. Would BL have gone to the lengths of making much of this information and MA material appear as his original thoughts and concepts? Doubtful. Though its of no doubt that Bruce had developed his own thoughts, processes, concepts, ideals, etc. about martial arts, I for some reason would like to doubt that Bruce Lee would try to take another, past martial artists, credit for himself.

So, what can actually be done about this today. Can anything be done?

What are some of you're thoughts on this? Or do any of you even care? Possibly not.

What he did was remove the cryptic tones of what cma was tothe best of his understanding and put it into terms an english language speaker and person of western cultural traditions could grasp.

It would be like converting fencing manuals from french and spanish to chinese and introducing prosaic and poetic memory techniques into the instructional materials.

BL removed the prosaic/poetic aspects and called a straight punch a straight punch.

He also contributed to the introduction or pathgate to a wider audience to chinese philosophical concepts. In some respects he was the seed of marrying the chinese religious and spiritual thought with the practice of chinese martial art while at the same time offering it in terms that were attractive to north american culture.

plagiarism though? Well, he didn't give face (credit) to the original stuff all too often.

Anyway, nice to see BL can still shake it up more than 30 years after he's been dead. Now THAT's a Legacy!

[PangQuan]

What he did was remove the cryptic tones of what cma was tothe best of his understanding and put it into terms an english language speaker and person of western cultural traditions could grasp.

It would be like converting fencing manuals from french and spanish to chinese and introducing prosaic and poetic memory techniques into the instructional materials.

BL removed the prosaic/poetic aspects and called a straight punch a straight punch.

He also contributed to the introduction or pathgate to a wider audience to chinese philosophical concepts. In some respects he was the seed of marrying the chinese religious and spiritual thought with the practice of chinese martial art while at the same time offering it in terms that were attractive to north american culture.

plagiarism though? Well, he didn't give face (credit) to the original stuff all too often.

Anyway, nice to see BL can still shake it up more than 30 years after he's been dead. Now THAT's a Legacy!

Nice post and great points.

I've always personally been a fan of BL, as many MAists are. In light of reading that book KF posted, this is an aspect of the biography that i wanted to discuss, because like you, I feel its not so much of plagiarism as is led to be believed in Tom Bleeckers book. Sure there may be some examples that are, but over all, I think its pretty obvious that much of the material is gathered research. Especially today. Martial Artists now IMO are in the best state of freedom we have ever been in. In regards to the accessing of information and realism, exposing falshoods and myths.

Yes, many of the concepts, principles, and methods in the Tao of Jeet Kune Do are not new, but in the compiled format, and as you state with the emphasis put on conversion of thought processes from one society to another, its a type of work compilation that you dont generally get to see elsewhere.

[GeneChing]

rogue, you're killing me. I did the background reading for the Bible too - the Apocrypha, the Gnostic Gospels, the Kebra Nagast - but I'm like that with research. I suppose I shouldn't fault you for your shoddy research.

[rogue]

How dare you sir, insult a follower of the Dragon, Great Sigung Lee! If this was Hong Kong in the early 1960's, well I shudder to even think about it.



The Real Original Lucky Louie!

[mickey]

Greetings,

I thought the Tao of Jeet Kune do was written especially for Brandon Lee. It was never intended for publication. Does anyone remember this?

When it comes to the Tuttle series, I was really optimistic about the Tao of Kung fu because I thought it would really show that Bruce Lee was a traditionalist. Unfortunately, John Little totally fugged that book up major. That was the first and last book that I purchased from that series.


mickey