Walk along the Avenue of Stars in Tsim Sha Tsui East, Hong Kong and you’ll inevitably come across a statue of Bruce Lee. It’s a gorgeous spot, the bronze statue of the late martial arts star backlit by the iconic Hong Kong skyline across the water. Created by Cao Chong-en, the bronze statue immortalizes the movie star who continues to inspire people years after his untimely death at the age of 32. It also serves as a reminder of the ways that Lee’s legacy continues to inspire Hongkongers to cultivate their bodies and minds through the practice of martial arts.
Even today, martial arts are a routine way for many Hongkongers to practice a healthier lifestyle. Practicing martial arts has obvious physical benefits: strength, balance, flexibility. But it also helps with coordination and mindfulness, decreases stress and increases focus. Not all martial arts are intense, either.
Tai Chi is gentle on the body, and thus, famously popular with older folks. In the early mornings along Tsim Sha Tsui, not far from the statue, you’ll find people practicing Tai Chi on pockets of grass. Tai Chi is known for its slow, graceful movements capturing the balance between yin and yang. Join a morning class along Tsim Sha Tsui to experience the healthy routines of Tai Chi for yourself.
If you’re aiming to practice a martial art that’s a tad more martial, you’ll find Wing Chun classes readily available for visitors at the Yip Man Wing Chun Martial Arts Association north of the waterfront. Bruce Lee practiced Wing Chun under the tutelage of iconic grandmaster, Yip Man—you might recognize the name from the popular movie starring Donnie Yen. It’s also worth swinging by the Hong Kong Heritage Museum to see the Bruce Lee: Kung Fu, Art, Life exhibition to learn more about Lee’s life and legacy.
Of course, the cultivation of personal wellness doesn’t end with martial arts classes when visiting Hong Kong. A key part of martial arts philosophy is mental conditioning. As Bruce Lee wrote, “A concentrated mind is not an attentive mind, but a mind that is in the state of awareness can concentrate.”
If you’re seeking famous halls of meditation and Buddhist mindfulness, visit Tsing Shan Monastery at the base of Castle Peak (Hong Kong’s oldest temple and a key location in Bruce Lee’s Enter the Dragon) or Po Lin Monastery on Lantau Island, home to the Tian Tan Buddha. Po Lin Monastery offers intensive-multi day meditation retreats, but visitors can also opt for a few hours of reflection in the temple grounds. A guided lesson is the best way to learn mindfulness and take its core tenets to heart.
Looking out on the waters of Victoria Harbour, Lee’s famous words come to mind: “Empty your mind. Be formless. Shapeless. Like water.” Like the famous harbour, Lee’s legacy runs deep. Heed its call and discover the city’s living legacy for yourself.
You might say that Aren was destined to become a globetrotter after his family took him to Germany two times before he was four. If that wasn’t enough, a term spent in Sweden as a young teenager and a trek across Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand confirmed that destiny. An independent writer, director, and film critic, Aren has travelled across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and South America. His favourite travel experience was visiting the major cities of Japan’s largest island, Honshu, but his love for food, drink, and film will take him anywhere that boasts great art and culture.
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