Jeet Kune Do
Over the years, there have been many people who have made claims with regard to the correct definition of Bruce Lee's art. Some people have defined it as a ‘change’ process; while others have just labeled it as "modified Wing Chun;" and others, with the best intentions in mind, state that Jeet Kune Do is just simply an eclectic jumble of the various arts and styles that will, at some point in the future, gestalt into something that is meaningful for each and every individual practitioner.
However, with the formation of Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do, there is no longer any need for such confusing and contradictory definitions. There is only one definition for Jun fan Jeet Kune Do that is now accepted and here it is:
Jun fan Jeet Kune Do is a complete body of the technical (both scientific and physical) and also the philosophical (social, mental, and spiritual) knowledge that Bruce Lee taught and studied during his lifetime.
Therefore, Jun fan Jeet Kune Do (with, the combative principles, its core, the physical techniques, philosophical ideas, and training methods, that were synthesized by Bruce Lee in his lifetime) is solely concerned and is exclusively associated with Bruce Lee's personal evolution and with the process of self-discovery obtained through martial art as had been indicated and totally supported by the written record (found in Bruce Lee's personal library and papers) and also the oral history (the recollections of those people and students who spent a lot of time with and/or studied the arts under Bruce Lee). Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do is the presentation of Bruce Lee's ideas and opinions with regard to:
The development and history of his art
The philosophy that extends and supports the art
The conditioning and training methods that is necessary in order to realize the physical, spiritual and mental aspects of the art
The scientific principles that emphasize the foundation of Bruce Lee’s techniques and were held to be significant
Bruce Lee’s life, career and art
There is a distinction to be made regarding this body of work (i.e., Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do) and the individual student's personal process of self-discovery obtained through martial art, and each student is totally free to utilize none, some or all of Bruce Lee's teachings to aid him in this his journey of self-discovery.
Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do is not about creating restrictions or setting up "Ways" of doing things. It does not try to mold or shape the student. It completely accepts the person you are. Very much like a bubbling spring that flows out of the mountain, it is simply available for the thirsty traveler, should the traveler wish to partake of the spring water. Another example a bird sings, it aim is not to sing for the advancement of music, however, if a person stops to listen and derives delight from the sound, that is fine they have gained joy from it.
Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do Aim is to seek or be a source of inspiration and perfect delight totally and solely for those who have an interest in Bruce Lee’s martial viewpoint he created. Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do should be the base which Bruce Lee had established and not the final and ultimate goal for those who studied it.
Individuals are expected and may at their own will, modify, add and/or delete until they have transcended any need for the "way" or the "system" - including the Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do. People should welcome change, but each person who effects change should also claim responsibility for their own innovations. Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do should not be called obsolete after the martial artist has evoked these changes into his personal interpretation. Holding true to the philosophy of Bruce Lee's personal liberation, it will work on the principle of the physician rather than the patent. A physician tried to send his patients away healthy enough so that they are able to stand on their own two feet. Bruce Lee's ultimate objective, as a teacher, was to get his students to stand on their own two feet so they would not need him or any other teacher.
Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do can be taken as a guide to reach for the highest peak of one’s personal liberation obtained through the study of martial arts. It follows that you, the individual, will become through the process of self-discovery, you will become your own best teacher.
What a person really needs to know about themselves and how they perform throughout their daily life should not be the end when they graduate from the arts school. Throughout ones Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do journey, martial arts tribulations and trials one should experience the result in a continuous gain in self-discovers, self-knowledge and personal growth.
Meanwhile it was true, Bruce Lee constantly searched for a better way ("To utilize all ways and be bound by none"), he suggested that one must, for philosophical and historical reasons, make use of the term Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do only for the art that he taught. Therefore it is true that he continued to grow and explore, we do not know with any certainty the direction this exploration was directed. the objective with Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do is to simply remove some misconceptions that have arisen over the many years that concerned what Bruce Lee and his art were aiming for, and he wanted to show the world a better idea or picture of what has been preserved in his legacy. For the future sake in regards to Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do, we need to emphasize that when the instructors teach Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do, they will teach only from knowledge attributed to Bruce Lee.
One must remember that Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do is Bruce Lee's personal body of work – exactly as he taught it – therefore it needs to be preserved.
