There are a many arguments about the term Jeet Kune Do (JKD). Some take the position that it is the exact techniques that Bruce Lee practiced before his death. Others say that it is any combination of martial arts that a student uses. People are passionate about the topic but I think some of the controversy is because Bruce Lee used different language about JKD at different times of his life. Here are my thoughts about the subject based on his writings.
Early on he called JKD a “style” and highlighted its connection to Wing Chun. In a February 1965 letter he wrote that he wanted to start his own system of martial arts that is based on simplicity. He said the “root” of martial arts is rhythm, timing, and distance. Wing Chun was the “starting point” but he added the Five Ways of Attack. He concentrated on “irregular rhythm” and to intercept an opponent in the most efficient way (Letters, page. 44). In another letter of the same year he said that rhythm and distance is the foundation of martial arts but simplicity is also a necessary component (Letters, page 43). His style was based on timing and distance and Wing Chun was the “nucleus” (Letters, page 57).
As he continued to develop JKD he incorporated other styles such as boxing and fencing. He stressed the importance of economy of motion and said that JKD was more efficient than Wing Chun (Letters, pages 98, 111). He incorporated boxing but said it had too big a range of motion around the “center line” (Letters p. 75). Although boxing was important to JKD, practicality was even more important (Letters, page 124).
Later in his life he got away from the idea JKD being a style. He said he did not invent a new martial art and wanted people to improve JKD. He was not creating another branch of martial arts because that is when learning stops (Commentaries, Page 327). He did not believe in system or method (Commentaries, Page 329). JKD “uses all ways and is bound by none” and uses any technique to “serve its ends” (Commentaries, Page 55). He even decided to close his martial art schools because he did not want the students to take his curriculum as truth (Commentaries, Page 59).
JKD centered around individualization and self-expression. He didn’t want students to do a technique, but to express themselves through their technique and be like an echo with no “deliberation” (Commentaries, page 87) and is self-expression (Commentaries, page 349). He is after the “root” and not the “branches” where real knowledge equals personal expression while surface knowledge equals “mechanical conditioning” (Commentaries, page 385). He said learning under the Jun Fan System starts with “sticking to the nucleus,” then “liberation from the nucleus,” and finally “returning to the original freedom” (Commentaries, page 299).
In June of 1972, Bruce Lee gave an interview to a Taiwan newspaper called Me and Jeet Kune Do. He says, “I want to emphasize that there is no clear line of distinction between ‘Jeet Kune Do’ and any other kind of Gung Fu. What is Jeet Kune Do? Chinese martial art, definitely! It is a kind of Chinese martial art that does away with distinction of branches, an art that rejects formality, and an art that is liberated from tradition…It is ridiculous to pin down so-and-so’s type of Gang Fu as ‘Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kune Do.’ I call it Jeet Kune Do just because I want to emphasize the notion of deciding at the right moment in order to stop the enemy at the gate. Really there is no rigid form in Jeet Kune Do. All that there is is this understanding: If the enemy is cool, stay cooler than him. If the enemy moves, move faster than him; be concerned with the ends, not the means; master your own manipulation of force, don’t be restricted by your form.” (Words, 126-128).
So where does that leave JKD? I think he first saw JKD as a new style and an extension of Wing Chun. Then it developed beyond Wing Chun incorporating techniques from many other styles including boxing, Wing Chun, Tae Kwon Do, Hapkido, and fencing. He was trying to get to the totality of martial arts and not just any one part or style. The particular style wasn’t important because he wanted the student to focus on practicality, efficiency, and timing. JKD became so centered around individualized self-expression that he shut down his schools to avoid teaching a specific curriculum.
With all that being said, I still think students should learn, explore, and practice the specific martial arts techniques used by Bruce Lee. In my opinion these techniques are practical, effective, efficient, and based on science. Students should then “Absorb what is useful, discard what is not, add what is uniquely your own” (Bruce Lee).
Resources:
Letters of the Dragon: The Original 1958-1973 Correspondence, John Little, Editor, Tuttle Publishing, 1998, 2016. Volume 5 of the Bruce Lee Library, commissioned by the Bruce Lee Estate. Letters to friends, family, and business associates. Put together by John Little, Bruce Lee historian.
Jeet Kune Do: A Comprehensive Guide to Bruce Lee’s Martial Way, John Little, Editor, Tuttle Publishing, 1997, 2020. Volume 3 of the Bruce Lee Library. Excellent and detailed description of Bruce Lee’s martial art before he passed. Put together by John Little, Bruce Lee historian.
Words of the Dragon: Interviews, 1958-1973, John Little, Editor, Tuttle Publishing, 1997, 2017. Volume 1 of the Bruce Lee Library, commissioned by the Bruce Lee Estate. Interview transcripts of Bruce Lee on a variety of topics including philosophy, martial arts, and his personal life. Put together by John Little, Bruce Lee historian.
AI Narration provided by elevenlabs.io. Bruce Lee quotes read by AI voice over.
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