Hong Kong’s efforts to commemorate Bruce Lee should pack bigger punch
While the latest move to honour the late kung fu star is welcome, more must be done to acknowledge his standing as a pillar of Hong Kong heritage
Entertainment company hmvod and arts curator Heiman Ng organised the statue’s unveiling and an exhibition at the Prudential Centre on Nathan Road in Jordan. The building stands where there was once a residential block that was home to Lee and his family after they returned to Hong Kong in 1941, months after he was born.
The display, which showcases previously unseen photographs and rare posters, will run until the end of May. Its opening in time for mainland China’s May 1-5 Labour Day “golden week” offers the sort of experience officials hope will draw visitors to the city.
Lee was born in the United States, but Hong Kong was where he lived, worked and died. He starred in kung fu films in the early 1970s before his unexpected death at the age of 32. He died before he saw the global success of his blockbuster film Enter the Dragon.
In November last year, an exhibition was launched at Hong Kong station and the Hong Kong Dance Company staged a commemorative drama. For years, a permanent statue featuring Lee has stood on the Avenue of Stars along the harbour. The statue that was inaugurated last month was added to a memorial trail which opened in 2013.
However, there is still no dedicated permanent museum about him in the city. Efforts to turn his Kowloon Tong mansion into such a venue failed before it was demolished in 2019. A local Bruce Lee Club venue which had displayed some memorabilia closed amid financial difficulties last year.