Bruce lee's legacy packs powerful punch

Key landmark

On July 20, the 50th anniversary of Lee's death, Wong placed flowers in front of the actor's statue on the Avenue of Stars, tears streaming down his cheeks. He stood for a long time and watched fans from around the world pay respects to their idol.

The statue has become one of Hong Kong's most significant landmarks. "It is a testament to the enduring love that countless people hold for Bruce", Wong said.

That day, Anders Nelsson was among the fans who laid flowers at the statue.

Born in California, Nelsson moved to Hong Kong at the age of 4. When he was 26, he met Lee by chance in a restaurant, which led to Nelsson playing a thug in Lee's 1972 film The Way of the Dragon. During two days of filming, Nelsson worked closely with the star.

"Even in a crowded room, Bruce stood out," he said, adding that Lee was fearless and not afraid to speak his mind.

Being the film's writer and director, Lee possessed exceptional artistic talent and was in total control of the project. He had a close eye for detail, and everyone on the set followed his direction, Nelsson said.

Lee dedicated himself wholeheartedly to martial arts. He even found ways to challenge himself during breaks in filming by asking workers on the set to hold a soda can up high. He then tried to fly-kick it, practicing the move repeatedly until he was successful.

Nelsson was the only person on the set playing a guitar, which caught Lee's attention.

He approached Nelsson and told him to always stay true to himself. These words inspired Nelsson to pursue his passion enthusiastically, and he became a renowned Hong Kong musician and film score writer, winning for Best Score at the Hong Kong Film Awards in 1986 for the movie Mr Vampire.

Nelsson wept when he read about Lee's death in a newspaper, describing it as a devastating loss for Hong Kong. In the following years, countless journalists and fans approached him, asking him to recall his memories of Lee, even though he only worked with him for two days.

Now in his 70s, Nelsson has told the same story many times. "It's no trouble, but such an honor for me," he said.

Nelsson, who has amassed a collection of materials related to Lee, has also created a Facebook page called Bruce Lee & Anders Nelsson to document his interactions with the performer. He often strolls along the Avenue of Stars to visit Lee's statue.

On the anniversary of Lee's death, some fans presented handmade artwork in his honor, including paintings. A display of more than 20 portraits themed on Lee adorns the white walls of an art gallery at an exhibition venue in Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong.

Ranging from Lee clad in his classic skintight yellow jumpsuit, to wielding nunchucks — two sticks joined by a length of cord, chain, or hide — or posing bare-chested to show off his physique, each work meticulously captures the kung fu master's presence.

The authenticity of the works is due to 50 years' observation of Lee by their creator, Ma Fu-keung, who is now in his 60s and an acclaimed advertising illustrator with three decades of experience in the industry.

Ma has been a Lee fan since his teenage years. At that time, Ma was skinny and was often bullied, but Lee's films taught him that if a person is strong enough, he or she can protect themself.

Most of Ma's spare time is devoted to creations themed on Lee. In 1998, he made a short animated film about the star, which won an international award. From 2013 to 2021, Ma was invited three times to create short films depicting Lee for exhibitions at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum.

To mark the 50th anniversary of Lee's death, Ma decided to paint by hand. "I wanted to do something special to mark the occasion," he said.

He spent 10 hours each day in his studio, rarely going out. To authentically capture Lee, Ma painstakingly replicated old photographs stroke by stroke, and used different painting techniques for each portrait. This arduous process spanned weeks to several months for each portrait, with the full series taking three years to complete.

Ma's exhibition opened on July 15. The two-week display drew thousands of visitors from around the world, who asked Ma to autograph magazines about Lee.

Commemorations were also held globally to mark the anniversary of Lee's death.

In Los Angeles, more than 200 people gathered to remember the star, while in Sydney, a wreath-laying ceremony was held at a bronze statue of the icon. In Taiwan, many TV stations produced special programs about Lee.