Jun Fan Gung Fu

Jun Fan Gung Fu is the martial art developed by Bruce Lee whilst Jeet Kune Do is a vehicle of discovery which utilizes Jun Fan Gung Fu to experience the concepts and philosophies of the Martial Arts. The reality is that SiGung Bruce Lee was constantly developing, changing and personally evolving and therefore so was his art and philosophy undergoing the same rate of change over the years. Bruce Lee said "Jeet Kune Do is a name - don't fuss over it" and, like his student Dan Inosanto, believed that the man is far more important than any established system or style.

Jun Fan Gung Fu takes the name of its founder - Lee "Bruce" Jun Fan. It is based on the core principles of Wing Chun learnt in Hong Kong under the tutelage of Sifu Yip Man in the 1950's. There is also some discussion that Bruce Lee also learnt much from class seniors Wong Shun Leung and William Cheung - in all probability in the same manner that any student would have learnt from their class seniors. Although the basis of Jun Fan Gung Fu is certainly Wing Chun - it is well known that Bruce Lee also practiced and competed in boxing as a schoolboy and experienced Tai Chi through his father and his father's friends. Also Guro Dan Inosanto has commented on occasion that Bruce Lee went to learn what he could from other systems. Guro Dan described Bruce Lee as knowing that he would not be taught by the senior of another system - so he would offer to exchange knowledge with the second or third ranking student of that system.

Bruce Lee's first exposure to the martial arts scene of Los Angeles was as a result of being introduced to Kenpo Karate instructor Edmund Parker. Parker invited Lee to demonstrate his art at the Long Beach Competition organized by Parker. And it was here that Bruce Lee met Dan Inosanto as he asked Dan Inosanto to be the host for Bruce Lee during this visit. Later Taky Kimura - who had been assisting Bruce Lee until this point - had to return to Seattle and Dan Inosanto became the assistant in a deal struck for the exchange of martial arts lessons.

Later when Bruce Lee moved to Los Angeles Dan Inosanto trained with him and eventually encouraged Bruce Lee to open a school. Many of Dan Inosanto's classmates at Ed Parker's school came over to train at the new College Street school - although Dan Inosanto juggled a gruelling schedule of teaching for both men for a few years longer.

Eventually Bruce Lee handed over the bulk of his College Street teaching responsibilities to Dan Inosanto. He then also invited several students to train privately at the Lee home - these included Dan Inosanto, Larry Hartsell, Ted Wong, Herb Jackson, Richard Bustillo, Jerry Poteet etc.

The name Jeet Kune Do arose as the result of a conversation between Dan Inosanto and Bruce Lee during a car journey. Bruce Lee was discussing the use of interception and stop hits in fencing. Dan asked Bruce what that would be in Cantonese - The Way of the Intercepting Fist- Jeet Kune Do - was born and the rest as they say is history. Continue Reading »»»

Source : martial-art-concepts.