A statue of Bruce Lee is located in Chinatown, Los Angeles, commemorating the martial artist of the same name.

History

The 7-foot bronze sculpture of Bruce Lee was created by an unknown artist in Guangzhou,

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

and depicts Lee in a martial arts stance and holding

nunchucks is a traditional Okinawan martial arts weapon consisting of two sticks (traditionally made of wood), connected to each other at their ends by a short metal chain or a rope. It is approximately 30 cm (sticks) and 1 inch (rope). A person wh ...

. It was transported to Los Angeles, California after a five-year effort by Lee's daughter Shannon, and is the only statue of her late father in the United States. Its unveiling occurred on June 15, 2013 to a crowd of hundreds, including ground-breaking

Asian American Asian Americans are Americans of Asian ancestry (including naturalized Americans who are immigrants from specific regions in Asia and descendants of such immigrants). Although this term had historically been used for all the indigenous people ...

actor

James Hong James Hong (; born February 22, 1929) is an American actor, producer and director. He has worked in numerous productions in American media since the 1950s, portraying a variety of roles. With more than 650 film and television credits as of 20 ...

. It was permanently installed on a commemorative pedestal and unveiled on September 28, 2018 at a ceremony attended by Shannon Lee and California State Senator Kevin de Leon. Its permanent installation will not occur until the erection of spectator seating and a concrete plinth. Although born in San Francisco’s

Chinatown A Chinatown () is an ethnic enclave of Chinese people located outside Greater China, most often in an urban setting. Areas known as "Chinatown" exist throughout the world, including Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Africa and Austra ...

, Lee opened a

martial arts Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practiced for a number of reasons such as self-defense; military and law enforcement applications; combat sport, competition; physical, mental, and spiritual development; entertainment; a ...

school in Los Angeles'

and was a fixture there during the filming of the 1960s television series

The Green Hornet The Green Hornet is a superhero created in 1936 by George W. Trendle and Fran Striker, with input from radio director James Jewell. Since his 1930s radio debut, the character has appeared in numerous serialized dramas in a wide variety of media ...

. The statue is located near the pedestrian intersection of Sun Mun Way and Jung Jing Road in Chinatown's Central Plaza, not far from the life-size 1961 bronze

statue A statue is a free-standing sculpture in which the realistic, full-length figures of persons or animals are carved or cast in a durable material such as wood, metal or stone. Typical statues are life-sized or close to life-size; a sculpture t ...

Sun Yat-Sen Sun Yat-sen (; also known by several other names; 12 November 1866 – 12 March 1925)Singtao daily. Saturday edition. 23 October 2010. section A18. Sun Yat-sen Xinhai revolution 100th anniversary edition . was a Chinese politician who serve ...

. Weighing in at about 1,595 pounds (723.47 kg), the Bruce Lee statue has become a cultural mecca for Lee's fans, who are regularly seen taking selfies while poised in martial arts stances.

References

{{Bruce Lee 2013 establishments in California 2013 sculptures Bronze sculptures in California Chinatown, Los Angeles Memorials to Bruce Lee Monuments and memorials in California Portraits of actors Sculptures of men in California Statues in Los Angeles

History

See also

References