Bruce Lee's death still intriguing 45 years later

Martial artist Bruce Lee. Captured from www.brucelee.com

By Dong Sun-hwa

The mystery surrounding the death of martial arts movie star Bruce Lee still lingers 45 years after his death.

The Hong Kong and American actor, whose birth name was Lee Jun-fan, was born in 1940 and died suddenly on July 20, 1973.

He reportedly was reviewing his work when he complained of a headache at the house of Taiwan actress Betty Ting Pei. He took painkillers and then died.

An autopsy revealed the cause of death was a brain edema, which caused excessive fluid on the actor's brain. Still, the cause of death is unclear, at least in the public's mind.

One rumor claims Lee was murdered by Hong Kong triads ― criminal gangs ― because he rejected their demands for money in exchange for “protection.”

Another theory suggests his sudden death was from brain injuries he suffered from martial arts.

Others believe that the “curse” of Lee's home in Hong Kong, with “bad” feng shui ― Chinese geomancy ― brought about the early death.

Lee rewrote the history of martial arts in the 1970s, making his debut in “Golden Gate Girl,” followed by hits including “The Big Boss” in 1971 and “The Way of the Dragon” in 1972.

In particular, his movie “Enter the Dragon” in 1973 gained worldwide popularity.