Like Water

Bruce Lee embodies the intermixture of cultures that results from transnational flows of people, ideas, and capital. Born in San Francisco and raised in Hong Kong, his life was one of constant shuttling across the Pacific. Rather than being a product ofCalifornia or China, he was produced by transpacific currents impelled by colonialism, capitalism, and militarism. In his life, career, and films he faced and addressed racism and colonialism. He shattered national, racial, and cultural boundaries in hismartial arts practice, personal life, and films. His philosophy of intermixture can be tracked by studying how his fighting style evolved, driven by his ethos of absorbing influences from around the globe. He defied US discrimination against interracial marriage by marrying a white woman and embraced cultural hybridity in raising their children. In Hollywood, he broke ground as an Asian American on television and when racism stymied his career, he revolutionized filmmaking by combining aesthetics and influences drawn from both Hong Kong and Hollywood. Nearly half a century after his tragic death at the age of 32, Bruce Lee continues to inspire people around the globe as a symbol of innovation, determination, and pursuit of justice--