\YiIiYl'lj JITl The Final Word from Martial Arts' First Lady! With the birth of the Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do Nucleus, it is hoped order finally will come to the art Bruee Lee made famous. By Linda Lee Cadwell "\(/hat is jeet kune do?" ut*ff**' Vith these words, Bruce began his profound article enti* -,&,,iS- tled, "Liberate Yourself From Classical Karate" in the Sep- tember, 1971 issue of Blach Beh magazine. Twenty-six years ffi after his death it seems appropriate to ask this question once again. For a number of years, I had heard murmurings that there was controversy and confusion in the world of jeet kune do. Bruce's senior instructor in Seattle, \flash., Trly Kimura, had talked to me numerous times about needing to do something to ensure that Bruce's art of jeet kune do would not be lost after all of his first-generation students had departed the scene. Distressing Signals On Bruce's gravestone, it reads "Founder of Jeet Kune f)o." I had earnestly hoped that someday his grandchildren would read that and know what a remarkable creative genius their grandfather was. I was distressed to read and hear about the Linda Lee Cadwell was the wlfe of the late Bruce Lee 4O April 1997 . Inside Kung-Fu o'Bruee 13 of Bruce's original students, including the and Brandon made enriching assistant instructors of his schools, Taky Kimura and Dan Inosanto, three second-gen- eration students, our daughtet Shannon, and contributions to the cosmic process which myself met. During the meetings a number of momentous decisions were made which were significant to the perpetuation o[ Bruce Leet produced them and to which they have martial art. Original vs. Concepts returned. We hope to honor their work Our discussion first turned to popular opinion expressed in the press. At that time debate raged widely about two seemingly hv the efforts we make.oo divergent points ofview that labeled jeet kune do either "original" or "conceptual"'. One polariry in points of view regarding what the been wiped out long ago, but now, name jeet kune do means. 23 years after Bruce's death, the Bruce said, "If people say jeet kune do is name is too widely associated with different from ihis' or from 'that,' then let the Bruce Lee's way of martial arts to name of jeet kune do he wiped out for that is simply vanish like a star on a cloudy what it is, just a name. Please dont fuss over night. It is time once again to point it." a finger at the moon and see ifit can I have given this expression great consider- let the light of the jeet kune do star ation and sometimes thought, yes, let it be shine through. Keep in mind, how- wiped out-Bruce would be happier about ever, as Bruce said, "The usefulness that than having the name applied to: a of the finger is in pointing away restricted set of skills merely imitative of his from itself to the light which illu- combative moves; simply a theoretical mines finger and all." approach to the study of martial arts; an To examine the heavenly beaury eclectic jumble of any fighting techniques and it seemed right and proper that the philosophical dogma that is convenient; or people who were Brucet personal some combination oF these three. Obviously friends and students should gather then, jeet kune do could mean anything or to explore the meaning and direc- nothing. tion ofjeet kune do. On Jan. 10-1 I, Perhaps the name jeet kune do should have 1996 in Seattle, W'ash., a group of group accused the other of being stuck in time, merely imitating Bruce's moves and ignoring his dictate to grow and adapt to changing times and circumstances. The other side asserted that the conceptual school consisted of simply a theoretical approach relying on research development and change for the sake of change that would lead to the eventual disappearance of the funda- mental roots of jeet kune do. It did not take us long to realize that, like the yin and the yang, there were elements of each within the other; for example, Bruce's original teachings contain within them the concept of indepen- dent inquiry: Father and son lay side by slde at a Seattle, Wash,, cemetery. "Learning is defnitely not mere imitation, nor is it the ability to accumulate and regurgitate fxed knowledge. Learning is a constant process of 42 Aoril 1997 c Inside KunE-Fu Photos courtesv of John Little different people. We endeavored to find some clarification. The group discussed the fact that Jun Fan Reborn there are many schools around the world that The reason the name Jun Fan Jeet Kune purport to teach something called jeet kune Do was chosen is significant and bears expla- do whose instructors have little or no qualifi- nation. Jun Fan was Brucek Chinese first or cations in the art. Using the name jeet kune given name. The meaning of Jun Fan in literal do or some version of it has become so translation is "to arouse and shake the Foreign common that it has led to great confusion countries. " This Bruce accomplished by among the public, especially those seeking shining the bright light of his beautiful Chi- legitimate instruction. nese culture on the peoples ofall nations. Sec- Therefore, it was decided that from this ondly, when Bruce opened his first formal day forward, to distinguish the body oF tech- school in Seattle he called it the Jun Fan Gung nical and philosophical knowledge studied Fu Institute, thus it is of historical impor- and taught by Bruce Lee from any other ver- tance. Thky Kimura has always taught under sion of "jeet kune do," the name JUN FAN the name Jun Fan Gung Fu because that was JEET KUNE DO should be adopted as the the name Bruce used when he lived in Seattle. name of Bruce's true art. Dan Inosanto has also tausht elements of discouerl, a process without end. In JKD we begin not by accumulation but by discouering the cause of our ignorance, a discouery that inuolues a sheddingprocess." Clearly there exists a "non-fixed" body o[ technical and philosophical knowledge which was studied and taught by Bruce Lee, and clearly the essential element of jeet kune do that it is not a thing, rather it is an individual process of evolving to the greatest height of self-actualization. There[ore, it was concluded that there is no real difference between the two schools of thought and that the labels original and concepts were non-descriptive and should be eliminated. The problem remained, however, that the name ieet kune do implied different things to The Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do Nucleus was formed to continue Bruce Lee's vision of evolving to the greatest height of self- actualization. Bruce's curriculum incorporating Jun Fan, therefore for all these reasons the Jun Fan name was retained. Shannon suggested the name JUN FAN JEET KUNE DO and it was approved by everyone present. It is important to note that there is no slash between Jun Fan and jeet kune do because the development of Brucet art was a continuous and indivisible Process. After lengthy discussion the group which met in Seattle decided that Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do should apply For status as a nonprofit cor- poration and thereby the name could be pro- tected and recognized For the benefit of future generations. In our deliberations, we recalled Brucet own words from the 1971 article: fnside Kung-Fu . April 7997 43 ooDan Code of Bthics Inosanto is Recognizing that, as members of the family of Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do, we are held in high esteem united in the common goals of perpetuating the teachings of the founder, Bruce Lee, and promoting unity among instructors, practitioners and general members, by his former all members agree to abide by the following code of ethics: 4 students for his I. To always respect and protect the name and image of the founder of Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do, Bruce Lee, and the art he developed. tremendous sliills Z. To have mutual respect for each member and to refrain from making any neg- ative comments about a fellow member. lf members have grievances with each as a martial artist other, these should be addressed in private or at a public meeting of the Nucleus and not debated in a public forum. and his knowledge J. fo share philosophical insights and technical knowledge freely with each of Jun Fan Jeet other in order to further enhance each person's efficiency in the art. A I(une Do...Dan is an aF. To be fully responsible for the actions of your subordinates*assistants, associates, instructors and employees; to enforce a code of ethics that includes the guidelines set forth in this document. lf a member has a problem with a stu- integral part of the dent of another member, he is to bring it up with that member for redress. jeet kune do family C. fo have respect for any other discipline a member may be involved in outside of Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do. In other words, if a member studies another martial art, of Bruce Lee-the his ability should be highly regarded; however, another art should not be referred l. to as Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do. 0ool' t'enlatlls opell r. "It is conceiuab/e that a long tine ogo a cer- ared a "style," but rather that his goal was to )) tain martial artist discouered sonte partial truth.