AMERICA
(1958-1963)
1958
To an Unknown Advisor1*
November 1958
I think it is very rude to write to you [so] abruptly, [particularly] while I am a stranger to you. So, by this letter, I’m obliged to introduce myself to you. To begin with, my name is Lee Shiu Loong (Bruce).2 My father, Lee Hoi Chuen, is a friend of your father and I am very grateful that your mother advised me to write this letter to you to ask you some advice. Because you are so much experienced in your subject which you are now studying, and I, too, intend to study medicine or pharmacy in the future, I would like very much that you can solve my problems and I hope that you don’t find it troublesome. At present, I am a student of S.F.X. (F.4).3 I planned to come to the States next year and finish High School, I intend to take medicine. As I am ignorant on that subject, can you please explain to me the qualifications of being a doctor or pharmacist step-by-step?
Bruce Lee’s registration card from St. Francis Xavier College, in Hong Kong.
Now I don’t even have the slightest idea of that subject. Do you think I can succeed when, at present, I don’t know anything about it? Lastly, with all my heart, I do pray you to keep a close intimacy with me, in future.
Thank you very much.
I am truly yours,
Bruce Lee
1959
A Letter to an Unknown Friend4
April 29, 1959
The first friend I met after boarding the ship, turned out to be an Indian person. We had a nice time chatting. He asked me to teach him Cha-cha. After speaking for a while, he bumped into one of his friends, so I ended up alone by myself. So I returned to a room.
In this room I met with an elderly gentleman, Mr. Lok. Mr. Lok is a frequent traveler on these boats and he offered some pointers which I appreciated. I also met my school friend’s older brother, Mr. Chang. We basically did everything together (we went in and out, activities, and so on, together). This person studies choy lay fut boxing5 and has a definite interest and admiration for Wing Chun.6 We even came to agree to sight-see together in Japan.
Bruce Lee poses for a picture with his father; Lee Hoi Chuen (left), in Hong Kong.
When you go to the bar for drinks, even Coca-Cola costs money. To me, I’d rather drink faucet water. The funniest of all, is when I went to shower; I didn’t know that I could adjust the cold and hot water, so I only turned on the hot and it got hotter and hotter as I was showering until I couldn’t take it any more. Then I turned it all the way to the cold water until I got frozen. Later on, when I went to the room, someone instructed me—then I understood that there was a “middle” setting! After I got in bed, I felt my whole bed swaying—very uncomfortable. I hope it won’t make me sea-sick.
Right now it is 11:30 PM. I think I’d better sleep early, because tomorrow’s breakfast is at 8:30 AM.
Monday, May 4, 1959
“Open the door and you see the mountain”7
The problem with the above statement is that if you try to be too direct, things don’t turn out properly and it always backfires. The mouth says “yes,” but the heart says “no.”
Today is Monday the 4th. As the boat arrived to the shore, Peter8 came to receive me. Thanks to him, he took me on the train from Osaka directly to Tokyo for sightseeing.
Tokyo is really an extremely beautiful city. It’s as pretty as any Western country. I’ve never seen so much automobile traffic, it’s non-stop, pedestrians pushing and shoving, and the city is full of excitement.
The very colorful neon lights are constantly flickering and changing, showing plenty of images. Compared to Hong Kong, Hong Kong falls way behind!
After meeting with Peter’s friends, they invited me to eat Japanese style chicken and rice—the taste is fabulous. Later on, I exchanged my Hong Kong dollars and bought a pair of shoes (very low price), three thick terry-cloth shirts and some scenic photos. Later on, they took me to listen to a music lounge. After listening to the music, we took the train back to the boat at approximately 10:30 PM.
Today is Tuesday, May 5th. I believe Peter has already gone back to Hong Kong. Now I’m left alone, all by myself with nothing to do. In the afternoon, I will leave the boat with some friends I’ve met on the boat for a little while to buy some souvenirs. At around 3:00 PM, we went ashore. There were two Americans who live in our cabin room; one is around 30 years old, the other around 25. Both are studying law. We chit-chatted a little while and then I decided to pen you this letter.
Now the boat has pulled out, so I will put away my pen. The reason is because when the boat is sailing, the ocean has become rough with big waves and the ship is very rocky—to the point in the evening there was a dance, but nobody could dance as liquor bottles were falling all over the place. I would think that after getting to bed tonight I’ll have a hard time getting up tomorrow. Luckily I brought some sea-sickness pills. Tomorrow, on the 6th, I will only feel a little dizziness.
Most of my dining companions couldn’t make it up to the upper deck dining area. Today the band on board asked me to teach cha-cha. After I taught for 15 minutes, there came a life saving demonstration. Everybody has to go below on deck and put on their life-jackets. This is very bothersome!
To Melvin Dong
[upon Bruce Lee’s arrival in San Francisco]9
May 17, 1959
Melvin,
The boat arrived in Honolulu. I’m very disappointed to find out that you guys have not dared to write to me.
Later, in the midst of not knowing what to do, suddenly a fellow passenger carrying a picture came looking for me, saying “Someone is waiting for you down below the deck.” By the time I got to the gate I noticed a lady and a gentleman waiting for me, one of them was called “Older Sister” and the other was called “Little Older Brother.”10 Both were sent by the Chinese Club troupe to come and meet with me.
They took me around to many places sightseeing, later on we ran into two people, Chang Ki-ming and Chil Lai Cheung. According to the two people, Chil Lai Cheung has a weird temper, but after I met them, he loved talking with me very much. I know nothing about him other than that he told me he has collected thousands upon thousands of L.P records. I resorted to saying that in Hong Kong, I also listened to a lot of albums. He also complained of his own shortcoming of being hard to get along with, and how his mistress had sold his Shatin11 vacation house, etc. Then he proceeded to ask about the well being of Papa. He said that in the future he would return to Hong Kong, given the opportunity. But this individual does not trust anybody at all. He handles all his business personally. Why would he ever leave the whole business behind for someone else to manage?
That evening, they also introduced me to a Mr. Tang. This Mr. Tang person is very wealthy. He and I hit it off right away, like we’d known each other forever. He studies Hung style boxing and loves the National Art.12 He envies my skill and knowledge of Wing Chun and hopes that I can stay longer in Hawaii to teach him boxing, and to find a school for me to teach at.
Later on he invited me to the World’s largest Chinese restaurant and nightclub for dinner. One bowl of shark fin soup is already US $25! I think after eating it this time I, myself, will never have an opportunity to eat another US $25 gourmet dish again.
Tell