Dear Bruce Lee: A Photo Essay

Dear Bruce, our Seattle research pilgrimage to you began with a golden sunset in the sky. We wondered how often you made this flight from OAK>SEA

The next morning, we met Mimi, our Chinatown tour guide. We walked your streets and traced your footsteps

Mimi brought us inside the Lucky Ngi Music Center—a still-functioning amateur Chinese Opera community center

This is the kind of place you grew up around in Hong Kong, with your parents always touring and performing in their Cantonese Opera Troupe

We met Connie Chen, who owns this beautiful vintage gift shop. She was incredibly kind to us… and sold Kim a sparkly dress/Melissa a bright red qipao. She mentioned how the articles we bought reminded her of her late Mom and brother, Donnie (whom we learned was the local protector for the entire International District community)

In addition to seeing your special exhibit at the Wing Luke Museum, we spent at least 8 hours reading in the museum library archives. We were struck by your books, impeccable penmanship, and especially all the letters you wrote to your friends and your wife Linda

We went to your favorite restaurant and sat at your favorite table. We ate your favorite dishes: cabbage daikon soup, chicken wings, broccoli, beef with oyster sauce, black bean prawns, sweet and sour chicken

The next day, a very special new friend of ours, Kerry, drove us up to see your grave (Don’t tell him I took this photo)

Our ritual to your and Brandon’s graves consisted of some breathing, a couple words, your signature salute, and a tiny lock of our hair (…long story)

Bruce. It was a really dense, short trip to the place you felt most in community with friends. Everyone we met told us we should return soon. We felt so cared for. Thank you. Signing off with a photo booth dedication to you from our favorite Seattle bar. —Nina, Kim, Melissa