Bruce Lee's father was an opera singer, usually wearing costumes of China's distant past on stage. He later became an actor in Hong Kong's fledging black and white movies. His height wasn't known but he was a thin man, dark in complexion, wore a mustache, had bushy eyebrows, liked to smile a lot and has a gap between his two front teeth. He also acted in a lot of comedian movies wearing the "TONG CHONG SARM FU" that his son Bruce made famous in his Kung Fu movies. The material is of coarse cloth, Black or dark brown, very light and airy, allows the wearer to move fast without Hindrance. Bruce Lee himself was similar but without the mustache and gap between his teeth. When he was a teenager, he never appeared topless so we never knew he had all these bulging muscles. He was also not tall.

His brother Robert had a very light complexion, looked almost Caucasian, dark brown hair, slim and hung around with us all the time. He was an intellectual. He seldom mentioned his parents, but always spoke about Bruce. Obviously he was proud of him. Strange that it may seem, Robert always wanted to know more about Bruce, much like what you are asking. I later found out that Robert went to a private school, apart from Bruce, perhaps because of the fact that they had different mothers. When I inquired about his better accent, he admitted this fact. It is not known why his father kept them apart, perhaps to insulate them from the shock from this different mothers' situation. Bruce Lee's brother Robert and I were school mates for a few years. But he was not a Kung-Fu Martial Artist. I presume he knows my brother who was also studying in the same school. I also presume he's younger than myself. His younger brother Robert, after graduation, married a famous Chinese TV sitcom star with which he had a daughter. It is not known how long the marriage lasted, but they did part company thereafter. He is believed to be in US now.

Bruce also had an older brother, who always remained in the background. He reminded me of a "swarthy Mexicano Bandito". Taller than Bruce, dark, broad shoulders, barrel chested, black wavy hair, he worked at the weather station, called The Royal Observatory. At the time, I believed he was of the Portuguese descent from Macau, former Portuguese colony located 40 miles off the Southeast coast of China.

In Hong Kong, it is frowned upon to take a second wife, even if the first wife had passed away.  Only the rich can afford it. Bruce also had a different haircut from the one he had in school. After he emigrated to the US, he could have pumped iron to acquire all those muscles. Both Bruce and Robert had their father's piercing eyes. It is not known whether there are more siblings. I wasn't nosy enough to ask. It was rumored there were a few sisters.

Bruce Lee's Chinese name is: Lee Siu Lung. The last two names meaning "Little Dragon". His specialty skill, apart from the obvious Kung Fu, was the "Nun-chuk-ku sticks". It was "Highly" illegal in Hong Kong, mainly because it can be folded and hidden on ones person.  In the hands of an expert, it is a deadly weapon. Even practicing with one, in a pair of inexperienced hands, one can hurt themselves without trying. I can only presume helmets had to be worn to protect one's back of the head, or foam-covered wooden rods were used instead in training under a Kung Fu Master. Those sticks originated in Japan, for use by the assassins/Ninjas in ancient times. But Bruce mastered it and in the movies, it looked so easy. After the movies, plenty of people went to the hospitals with mild to severe head concussions. Those sticks were easy to make. Therefore the Hong Kong government outlawed them. Anyone caught with them faced severe jail terms. It was like carrying a gun without a permit.

In Japanese and Chinese Kung Fu, the artist had to shout every time he makes a move. First reason is to scare the opponent. The second and more important reason is to take the strain off your own body meeting your opponent's body. The moves are so fast that the shout must be spontaneous to happen at the same time. Of course Bruce always makes it so entertaining.

When I was young, I idolized the John Wayne movies where everybody knew "Fast Draw" just like you idolized Bruce Lee. Apart from him, there were other older famous Kung Fu artists, for example: Kwan Tak Hing and Sek Kin from whom Bruce could have been Learning his skills without our knowledge.

Bruce Lee was older than I. He would be in his early sixties if he were to live after that incident. We all studied at La Salle College, run by the Roman Catholic La Salle Brothers, appointed by the Vatican, Rome. It was located on Perth Street, near the Army barracks for the senior officers of the British garrison. The army soldiers stayed there with their families. In the rainy season, we had to wear waterproof rain-boots because the classroom floor would be underwater. Those without such boots were sent home and missed the lessons. He was an acquaintance, as at were, for a very short time. He was in transition, to kill some time, from the time he graduated to the time he left for the US. His father didn't want him to have idle time on his hands. (His father was an old Chinese opera singer.) Although he was a quiet person, he sometimes delighted us all with his impromptu Kung Fu sessions. Soon a crowd will gather. Then a teacher would appear thinking a fight was happening. Then it would be over when the opening bell rings.

Bruce Lee was a slim person, and he never drew attention to himself. To demonstrate his concrete-like stance, 2 people can pick him up and around the room and set him down someplace else, and he'd not change his stance in any way, shape or form. Talk about rock-solid, who else can do the same thing? At recess or rest period times, he'd show off some of his moves. Every year, there would be a class yearbook with pictures taken. But those books are long lost. I don't recall taking individual photos with him before he left Hong Kong for U.S.

We can only presume he was a student of some master before he left. It was also reported he invented and perfected some techniques prior to being famous. Bruce Lee likes to show us how to stand that nobody can push him over. We call this his "MA BO". He also taught us how to do it and practice it. Believe me, it's very tiring.

The Bruce Lee's Kung Fu Stance goes like this: Stand with your feet comfortably apart, around 18 to 24 inches, and PARALLEL TO EACH OTHER.  Keeping your back perfectly straight and vertical, lower your body until you feel the strain of being uncomfortable. Keep holding and then stand up again. Do it a few times when you are free. Soon your calves feel like they are on fire. Doing this exercise often is supposed to strength your leg muscles. He would defy us to topple him. Two guys were able to pick him up and set him down elsewhere in exactly the same position. The main point is the parallel feet. It maintains the "TORQUE" of the situation.

In Kung Fu jargon, "Jarb Ma Bo" means a fighting stance prior to actual combat. I wasn't a student of his, just a school mate for a very short time. Rather like "Brace yourself to carry a heavy load on your shoulders" another meaning of "jarb ma bo".

St. Francis Xavier College was the twin School of La Salle College. The Catholic Brothers frequently teach over there on temporary assignments, and vice versa. We played most of the sports events with them as friendly rivals. During World War II, the original La Salle College, an imposing iron-gated structure, with majestic twin semi-circular stone steps up, was taken over by the British Military for use as a Military Hospital. It was located on Boundary Street, Kowloon Tong, and a Wealthy suburb, north of the Kowloon Peninsular, just below the Border of Communist China in those days. Henceforth, La Salle College & staff were re-located to Perth Street to carry on the teaching. The rest, as they say, was history.

In 1956 there was a riot, during which the Perth Street temporary college was damaged. It was a wood structure, ground floor only. It was very hot in summer with only ceiling fans for cooling. After much lobbying by both the Politicians and even the Vatican, the original College was given back to us after an extensive clean up.

My father was extra happy when it finally happened. He went to this original location when he was young. My brother and I studied here until we graduated. I believe this is the location where Bruce Lee’s son Brandon studied in 1973.

I have seen Bruce Lee’s Kung Fu demonstration on TV. It was an eye opener. It was so effortless and effective. It also seemed he used the “MO CHING LIK” Direct translation: NO COMPASSION STRENGTH. Picture this; a pop-can is empty, feather light. Reach for it gently and it may fall away before you can get a grip. Grab it harder to prevent this happening, and you may crush it. So Bruce was in a dilemma. Do it gently and it may not work. Do it realistically and someone complained. Sometimes the volunteer, (rumored to be a Kung Fu artist or Stuntman traveling incognito) held a board against their chest to take up some of the brunt of the force. Nobody ever bothered to check if this rumor was true or false.

In Hong Kong, there was no medical insurance, as we know it. So everybody relied on private doctors, or out-patient facilities low-cost clinics, or hospitals, both private and Government. So when any celebrities and movie stars get sick, they always go to their private doctors who can be discreet. So when Bruce Lee was sick, his actress called for the private Doctor first. Above all nobody wants a scandal, because they were ALONE at the time. If the other two guys were present, he would have gone straight to a hospital and he might still be alive today. [