This article is excerpted from a Newsweek Special Edition, Bruce Lee—75 Years of the Dragon, by Issue Editor James Ellis. Bruce Lee cover

In honor of Bruce Lee's 75th birthday, Newsweek explores the martial arts icon's journey, and the Hong Kong of Bruce's youth that shaped him into a hero. This article, along with others dedicated to Bruce, is included in a Newsweek Special Edition, Bruce Lee—75 Years of the Dragon, by Assistant Editor Elicia Kort.