A seven-foot tall Bruce Lee statue was recently unveiled in Los Angeles’ Chinatown over the weekend.
Hundreds of people gathered to see the debut of the bronze statue on Saturday afternoon. The piece was donated by the Bruce Lee Foundation and is considered to be the first of its kind to honor the martial arts expert in the United States.
According to The Hollywood Reporter , the Bruce Lee statue was created by an artist in Guangzhou, China. Not only does the statue commemorate the 40th anniversary of Lee’s death, it also serves as part of the 75th anniversary of Chinatown in Los Angeles.
Although the statue currently resides in the historic Central Plaza, it hasn’t been permanently installed. Local business leaders are looking to raise around $15,000 in order to create a cement base for the piece.
The Huffington Post reports Bruce Lee’s daughter Shannon Lee was on hand for the unveiling of the statue over the weekend. The president of the Bruce Lee Foundation said she was overwhelmed by the statue.
“Seeing it there in its permanent spot with the night sky of Chinatown … it really struck me,” Lee explained.
The statue depicts Bruce Lee holding a set of nunchucks in his right hand while his left arm is extended. It’s a pose than fans may recognize from the martial artist’s movies, Way of the Dragon in particular.
Bruce Lee moved to Los Angeles in the 60s and scored the role as Kato in the iconic television series The Green Hornet . During his time in the city, he opened a martial arts training center in Chinatown and frequently worked out at the Alpine Recreation Center.
You can find a picture of the new statue below.
Today is the first day this Bruce Lee statue is officially unveiled in Los Angeles. pic.twitter.com/q7TQs4tT9s
— The Slanted (@theslantednews) June 18, 2013
A statue of Bruce Lee has been unveiled in Los Angeles – what do you think? http://t.co/j3CKZqdAON pic.twitter.com/8qeUVlhhbk
— WOW247 (@wow247) June 18, 2013
What do you think about the Bruce Lee statue in L.A.’s Chinatown?
