James Yimm Lee

James Yimm Lee

Instructor of chinese martial arts[1]
Born January 31, 1920
Oakland, California, USA
Died December 1972 (aged 52)
Hayward, California, USA
Style Wing Chun, Jun Fan Gung Fu, Iron Palm, Jop Sil, Boxing
Teacher(s) Bruce Lee, T.Y. Wong
Rank 3

James Yimm Lee (traditional Chinese: 嚴鏡海; simplified Chinese: 严镜海; pinyin: Yán Jìnghǎi, published as James Y. Lee) (1920-1972) was an American martial arts pioneer, teacher, author, and publisher. James Lee is known for being a mentor, teacher and friend of the late Bruce Lee.

Early life

Lee was born on January 31, 1920 in Oakland, California. He was welder by profession and a U.S. Army veteran.

Career

He was one of Bruce Lee's (no relation) three personally certified 3rd rank instructors and co-founded the Jun Fan Gung Fu Institute in Oakland where he taught Jun Fan Gung Fu in Bruce's absence. James was responsible for introducing Bruce Lee to Ed Parker, the organizer of the Long Beach International Karate Championships where Bruce was first introduced to the martial arts community.

James Lee became well known for his Iron Palm specialty, and would routinely break bricks at demonstrations. He was the first to publish an Iron Palm book in America in 1957.

He and Linda Lee Cadwell were eyewitnesses of the fight between Bruce Lee and Wong Jack Man.

Books

Lee was a well-established author and was one of the first to publish martial arts books in English in America. He also helped Bruce Lee publish his first book, "Chinese Gung-Fu: The Philosophical Art of Self Defense." James Lee's published books include: Modern Kung-Fu Karate: Iron Poison Hand Training, Book 1 (Break Brick in 100 Days),[2] Wing Chun Kung-Fu ,[3] and Secret Fighting Arts of the Orient.

Personal life

His wife, Katherine, died in 1964.[4]

Jesse Glover was introduced to chinese Kung Fu by James Lee during a trip before meeting Bruce Lee in 1959.[5]

Death

James Lee died aged 52 in December 1972 - from lung cancer caused by welding fumes.[6]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Kung Fu Tea Blog from Gregglon Lee in the Book Striking Distance : Bruce Lee and the dawn of martial arts
  2. ↑ Lee, James (1962). Modern Kung-Fu Karate: Iron Poison Hand Training, Book 1 (Break Brick in 100 Days) (4th edition (April 1990) ed.). ABRAMS Publishing. ISBN 978-0-317-02839-3.
  3. ↑ Lee, James (1972). Wing Chun Kung-Fu (First ed.). Ohara Publications. ASIN B0006C4USK.
  4. ↑ USA Dojo biography, James Yimm Lee
  5. ↑ Bruce Lee : between Wing Chun and Jeet Kune Do, Jesse Glover
  6. ↑ Black Belt Magazine, Meet...the Man who Helped Make Bruce Lee a Success

External links


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