China

Giant Bruce Lee statue welcomes kungfu fans

By Zhang Zhao (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-10-27 08:09

The statue in Bruce Lee Paradise is a new landmark of Jun'an, hometown of the kungfu master. Photos by Wang Jing / China Daily

At 18.8 meters tall, the world's biggest Bruce Lee statue is ready to greet global kungfu lovers in the master's hometown in Jun'an town, Foshan in Guangdong province.

Created at a cost of nearly 2 million yuan and requiring about two years of effort, the bronze is the latest masterpiece of Cao Chongen, one of the nation's top sculptors.

It is likely to become a superstar itself at Bruce Lee Paradise after it is inaugurated on Nov 28, the day after the 70th anniversary of Lee's birth.

The title King of Kungfu is carved in the towering statue's foundation along with a summary of Lee's life and the list of donors and sponsors.

While Lee is renowned around the world as a martial arts star in action movies and the one who brought the word kungfu into English dictionaries, his legacy remained low key back in his hometown in China until the local government recently invested millions to build his namesake park.

The government hopes it will become a major tourist draw and further promote kungfu culture.

The area now home to Bruce Lee Paradise, which began operation in 2005, was first developed as an ecological park in 1998.

It has about 2 square kilometers of scenic beauty with lakes, mountains and rare birds.

The park is also home to a museum filled with Lee's weapons and books, posters and other memorabilia related to him.

Bruce Lee Ancestor's House less than a 1 km from the park is another stopover for Lee's fans despite its humbleness and sparse furnishings.

Built by his grandfather, Lee lived in the house for only a short time.

The residence is typical of the local style with gray bricks and black roofing tiles. A bedroom, hall, kitchen and yard together cover only 51 square meters.

More hotels and a convention center are also planned. "We are ready to welcome more friends from around the world to pay a visit here," said a tour guide at the Bruce Lee Paradise.