Bruce Lee’s Ranking Systems
There was no ranking in ‘classical gung-fu’, but a color ranking system based on the Yin/Yang symbol had been devised by Lee Jun Fan (Bruce Lee). There are eight ranks in the Jun Fan system and in Jeet Kune Do.
Bruce lee used the following ranking system from 1965 to about 1968. This was both for Jun Fan Gung-Fu, the ‘Tao of Chinese Gung-Fu’ and Jeet Kune Do. Taky Kimura was at the highest level, with fourth rank. Both James Lee and I were third rank.
Please note, the two curved arrows typically seen surrounding the Yin / Yang symbol have been omitted for simplicity in illustration.
JFJKD Ranking system used from 1965 to about 1968
The following ranking system began about March, 1968, and was disbanded somewhere in 1969. I reinstated this ranking in my backyard school in 1970 and dropped it in 1974:
Ranking structure used from 1968 – 1974
The Jun Fan Gung-Fu Clan in pursuit of Jeet Kune Do Concepts ranking system reinstated in 1988 by Taky Kimura and Dan Inosanto:
Ranking structure adapted by Sifu Dan Inosanto and Sifu Taky Kimura in 1988.
This article was written by Sifu Dan Inosanto. The article and the attached images were originally published in the July 1988 issue of IKF.
Filed in: Dan Inosanto
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Mike Clark