Lee moved to the United States from Hong Kong when he was 18, and this was when he began turning to poetry to express himself.

The Seattle Times reported that when Lee was attending college, he carried notebooks with him. He wrote — not school notes, because he famously had trouble at school and eventually dropped out — but to jot down his ideas on martial arts, Eastern philosophy, kung fu principles, and even drew fighting style diagrams. These notebooks were integral to creating his own martial art style, Jeet Kune Do, and helped him cope with the many thoughts in his head. It was in these notebooks where Lee sometimes wrote his poems.

Lee wanted people to think about his different philosophies and apply these to their lives, his official website said. He believed people, in life and in fighting, should be like water –formless and adaptable. He also said you have to be a practical dreamer but also take action, research your own experience, and understand that having no limits is a limitation. Lee had many philosophies that he wove into his teachings.

His passion for philosophy was evident early on. While still a student in Seattle, he started writing a book on kung fu. He even added photos of him demonstrating stances that he first figured out on his notebooks. Later, this guided him when he was teaching his celebrity students.

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