An upcoming Chinese-language drama will soon feature Bruce Lee, portrayed by South Korean actor Kim Bum. (Photo : Wikimedia)
After 42 years since Bruce Lee's death, his legacy as a martial arts pop culture icon lives on, with many confusing the man for the legend.
Lee died on July 20, 1973 at the young age of 32. He died while napping, after taking medicine for a headache.
To this day, there is still controversy surrounding Lee's death.
There is no doubt, however, that Lee's Legacy has lasted longer than his life. Many confuse what Lee has actually done with what he has been rumored to do.
Lee is still credited with several world records, such as delivering six kicks in one second, sending a 200-pound man flying 20 meters with a kick and delivering a hit with 1,600 pounds of force using nunchucks. None of these records have been proven, though, since none of them had any existing visual record.
Lee's actual training videos often disappoint those who know him by his legend status. These show Lee hitting swaying bags and wearing protection.
A video of Lee recently circulated playing table tennis with a pair of nunchucks. While the video was later declared fake as part of a Nokia ad, the number of people who believed Lee could have accomplished such as feat is a testament to his legacy.
Several kung fu enthusiasts praise Lee's fighting ability. However, Lee has rejected styles of kung fu that relied on traditions and routines, favoring his own unrestricted, no-rules fighting style that advocated using practical and effective fighting methods.
Lee's style, known as Jeet Kune Do, mixed different moves from several other martial arts, paving the way for mixed martial arts, which uses both striking and grappling techniques.
