?They Have No Teeth?: Bruce Lee?s Actions Once Angered American Crowd

Martial arts legend Bruce Lee possessed great knowledge of several combat styles. Therefore, he could understand if people were learning the right techniques in their schools. Living in the US for so many years, Lee knew that the techniques taught were subpar. Hence, he once dared to express his thoughts on a stage in front of several traditional kung fu students and old masters.

Bruce Lee?s biography reveals that in the 1960s the master appeared at the Sun Sing Theatre in New York?s Chinatown. With great guts, Lee criticized the way martial arts was being taught there. In return, he received a lot of backlash from his audience.

Bruce Lee demonstrated Wing Chun to prove his point

When Bruce returned to New York in the 1960s, he wished to open his martial arts school. Soon he got an opportunity to appear at the Sun Sing Theatre. Lee knew that he would meet a lot of kung fu enthusiasts and this would be the perfect opportunity for him to attract more students to his school.

More so, Lee knew he would receive great criticism for his speech on ?What was wrong with the martial art that was taught in New York.? The Sensei began his speech by demonstrating Wing Chun with his student Dan Inosanto.

He emphasized the practicality and efficiency of his style, indicating how his system of moves was crisper than other traditional kung fu styles. Lee performed some of Northern Shaolin?s side kicks. He stated that kicking high had no use, instead, one could just kick low and punch high.

After imitating the moves, Lee made a gutsy remark, ?In China, 80 percent of what they teach is nonsense. Here, in America, it is 90 percent.? Furthermore, referring to San Francisco?s traditional masters, Lee said, ?they have no teeth.?

This heavily angered traditional kung fu students and old masters, who expressed their anger by throwing lit cigarettes at the legend. Although a majority of the people were against Lee?s statements, a few joined Lee?s classes after that seminar.

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Lee had many Chinese students learning under him in the US, however, there was a time when he was forced to stop his classes.

Bruce Lee?s fight with Wong Jack Man was for a reason

After Lee became popular for his martial arts knowledge in the US, many celebrities joined him. People like James Coburn, Steve McQueen, and Roman Polanski took private kung fu classes from him.

However, this was not much appreciated by the Chinese community. They did not like the idea of teaching kung fu to non-Chinese people. But Lee refused to agree to the notion. As a result, he found himself in a bitter condition with legend Wong Jack Man, the outcome of which depended on a fight. If Lee lost to him, he would have to close his school.

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Although the results were never made public, it turned out that Lee won the fight because his school continued to run.