Bruce Lee’s grave: Seattle landmark, global attraction

Bruce Lee is buried in Lake View Cemetery next to his son Brandon, who died in 1993. (Photo by Chetanya Robinson)
Bruce Lee is buried in Lake View Cemetery next to his son Brandon, who died in 1993. (Photo by Chetanya Robinson)

Next to Volunteer Park in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood lies a spot that’s visited by 10,000 people every year. Through the gates of Lake View Cemetery and halfway up a hill with clear views of Lake Washington, the space is shielded by evergreen shrubs.

This is where Bruce Lee, legendary Chinese American martial artist and film star, was laid to rest in 1973. His grave is not only a Seattle tourist attraction but a national and global pilgrimage site.

Lee was 32 years old when he died from a brain swelling caused by an allergic reaction to painkillers. But in many ways he lives on still.

Since his death, visitors have come to his grave, alone and in tour groups. So many people visit, said cemetery manager George Nemeth Jr., that shrubs were planted around the grave to prevent visitors from trampling on the other graves in the cemetery.

Even on cloudy days, the grave is rarely without a visitor. People coming to pay their respects blanket the graves of Lee and his son, Brandon Bruce Lee, who is buried next to him, with offerings: figurines, crystals, candles, flowers, oranges, notes, money from around the world.

A 2014 exhibit at the Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience, titled Do You Know Bruce?, displays some of the items.

Dog tags, shirts, drawings, heartfelt letters and a first-place medal from the New Jersey Martial Arts Academy are displayed just inside the entrance to the exhibit. There’s even a pair of nunchaku, made famous by Lee, who deployed them with brutal precision in his movies.

Bruce Lee on the set of his 1972 film Way of the Dragon. (Photo courtesy Bruce Lee Enterprises, LLC. All Rights Reserved.)
Bruce Lee on the set of his 1972 film Way of the Dragon. (Photo courtesy Bruce Lee Enterprises, LLC. All Rights Reserved.)

Above the offerings, a screen plays footage of visitors to Lee’s grave from far afield – New York, Denver, Mexico, England and Kazakhstan.

The guestbook in the Lake View Cemetery office has messages as far back as 1999. One message, signed by Nurlan Adakhamov from Kazakhstan in 2006, reads:

“I worked hard to save money and to spend them for this trip from Kazakhstan to USA, WA, Seattle. The only purpose of my trip was visiting Bruce Lee’s grave and his son’s.

Visitors come for a variety of reasons. Some find a connection through martial arts.

“When you think of modern martial arts he’s the only name that comes to mind,” said Martin Serrano, a Taekwondo aficionado  who was visiting the grave from Tuscon. “I used to teach martial arts myself and he was a big inspiration for me even getting into it.”

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Jeffrey Phan and his son posing for a picture by the grave. (Photo by Chetanya Robinson.)

Others find a connection through his family history.

Heidi Martinez, who trained in Taekwondo up to red belt, first visited Lee’s grave when she was 18. Standing at the grave on her second visit, she talked about Lee being an inspiration for her when she was growing up. “Not just that, but he was an immigrant too,” she said.

Martinez’s family immigrated to the United States from Guatemala, and she sees a connection between Lee’s story and her family’s. “It was really hard for everybody who migrated back then.”

Others find him personally inspiring.

“He rose up against adversity, he had a spinal cord injury and he was able to recover from that – that’s amazing,” said Kevin Dang, another visitor to the grave. “And he still fought. He loved his family, he did what he could to bring martial arts to America. He’s inspired so many martial artists and actors.”

Bruce Lee, born in San Francisco to immigrant parents, spent his early life in Hong Kong. At age 18 he moved to Seattle, where he studied at the University of Washington and taught martial arts.

Feeling the traditional martial arts could be too restrictive, Lee eventually developed his own unique style, Jeet Kune Do, incorporating deep philosophy into the flexible movements.

“To me ultimately martial arts means honestly expressing yourself,” he said in a 1971 interview.

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A figurine left by a visitor to the grave. It’s estimated that 10,000 people visit Lee’s grave every year. (Photo by Chetanya Robinson.)

His father was an actor in Hong Kong, and Lee appeared in film roles from a young age. According The Wing’s exhibit, Lee’s U.S. film roles not only introduced Eastern martial arts to American audiences, but for the first time portrayed Asians onscreen in the U.S. in a way that wasn’t caricatured or grotesque.

In an interview, Lee explained the connections between his work as an actor and a martial artist.

“Martial arts has a very very deep meaning as far as my life is concerned because as an actor, as a martial artist, as a human being – all these I have learned from martial arts.”

At Lee’s grave recently, Ron Snow of Edmonds visited with his wife — in fact, this was the place they had met many years ago. As he spoke with a reporter, his wife washed the stones, rearranged the flowers on the graves and swept the area.

Snow met Lee twice, the first time when Snow was a child. Snow says he lived next door to Jesse Glover, Lee’s first student in the U.S. One day, Lee stopped to teach Snow and the neighborhood kids some Kung Fu moves.

Snow had never seen anything like it.

“Here I am, 12 years old, thinking, ‘What the heck is that guy doing?'” he said.

Snow later studied Jeet Kune Do with Taky Kimura, one of Lee’s close friends. Snow said Lee’s philosophy of no limitations continues to inspire him.

The example of Lee’s recovery from a back injury helped Snow through his own medical problems.

“He gave me inspiration to heal myself,” said Snow. “If it wasn’t for Bruce Lee I don’t know where I would be today, believe me. I’d probably be in a wheelchair.”

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Valley of Roses boutique in the University District is in the location of Lee’s first martial arts school in Seattle. (Photo by Chetanya Robinson.)

If you go

Lake View Cemetery is at 1554 15th Ave E., Seattle. It is open 9 a.m. every day, and closes at dusk.

Bruce Lee’s grave is about halfway up the hill. Follow the car path up the hill as it turns right, and a small stone-paved path leads down to the graves of Lee and his son (this map shows the location of the grave in the cemetery).

Lake View Cemetery asks that visitors stay on the roads, and respect the privacy of other visitors, especially if there is a service in progress. Bicycling, skateboarding and dogs are not allowed.

People leave messages and flowers at the grave sites of Bruce Lee and his son, Brandon Lee. (Photos by Chetanya Robinson)
People leave messages and flowers at the grave sites of Bruce Lee and his son, Brandon Lee. (Photos by Chetanya Robinson)

18 Comments

  1. Pressed flowers are for laminating, ideal, and certainly will subsequently be properly used in various crafts and presents.
    3a7603f8297e128630219b2c72ccc641

  2. What is it that makes this a global landmark Seattle ??? Is it because Brandon Bruce Lee and pappa Bruce Lee are dead and easy to visit on a grave site ??? I actually really need them to LIVE !!! YES its me Bianca Dordrecht Holland !!!

  3. Soorry if you think I am not respectful because I sure hope people will visit them if the really are dead without you people wanting them to be !!! If so I actually really want to be close to them when ever something actually would happen to me !!!

  4. Brandon Bruce Lee , Shannon Emery Lee , pappa Bruce Lee and mamma Linda Lee Cadwell actually are my hart ,mind , bodyand soul !!!

  5. I’ve taken taekwondo and also my children.I saw enter Dragon when I was young now I’m 51yrs.old with arthritis to my knee he give me straight when I thinks of all the struggle he and his wife went threw.Nov. will be my first visit to respect me.lee and his son Brandon when I think of Mr.Bruce Lee I work harder so my pain go away.I can’t wait to go to Seattle in November

  6. He was the one and only and there will never be another like him period he was a whole lot of magic.

  7. Would have been nice if Linda Lee Cadwell (married twice, why keep Lee in your name? monetary purposes?) would have made Bruce Lee and Brandon Lee’s graves a monument, like Jimi Hendricks’ grave (Google: Jimi Hendricks grave). Jimi was not as world know as Bruce Lee, but yet he has a monumental plot. Bruce and Brandon on the other hand, just another plot in the sea of plots at Lake View cemetery. I have gone to Lake View cemetery, Lees’ graves are not easy to find to say the least, as I drove around and did not find them. I will have to visit again when there are people ask and hope they know where the Lees’ graves are. Just a shame that a person, the Founder of Jeet Kune Do and world renown to have a plot that is nearly impossible to find. He and his son should have been buried in Hong Kong where, I am sure, their resting place would have been as big and visible as when they were alive (Google: Bruce Lee statue in Hong Kong). Nice going Linda Bleecker Caldwell!!! I neither bought Linda Bleecker Caldwell’s book or watched the movie the book was based on. Just a way to squeeze out the last juice out from the living legend.

    1. No true follower of Bruce Lee philosophy would speak of Linda as you do. Shame on you. Bruce was a legend and a truer heart has never lived.

    2. Have a little respect Bruce Fan!!! As a spouse Linda had every right to bury Bruce in his native birth site. Just because you didn’t have the navigating skills like everyone else to find a common grave site, should not make you a bitter person with them statements about Linda. What nurve…..so called Bruce Fan. Don’t bother going back pal!!!

      1. I grew up with Bruce Lee, he was every asian hero. I have both of his published books he wrote. Made he rest in peace.

    3. She wanted him buried where his children could visit, which makes perfect sense.
      They are beautiful graves, based on the photos, why would they need more?
      Furthermore, other people seem to find it, maybe prepare better and accept that you’ll have to get out of your car?
      All the best

  8. Bruce Lee’s philosophy of no limitations continues to inspire me.He was the one and only and there will never be another like him period he was a whole lot of magic.
    love you …lee

  9. there are people in this world who just live life for what it brings them for…there are people who live behind multiple faces to cover what they don’t have ….and there are people who waist all god given talent on business, and corruption of their minds and others surrounding them, and find no true meaning of life that is given to them. Here lays a simple man who defies the rules of many who bring excuses and play negative to a god given strength to change what is…and he goes miles after miles to proof his theory, yet with all his achievement we stay aside to follow what he really stands for. Bruce lee was not some one who just beat many, but brought a philosophy of destroying unbreakable walls in a society. I followed him many years and rarely seen an athlete as large as his scale. I am a fighter for people and not for any governments on earth, I come with many similarities in my battle with him, because once I was his student….and I carried all I could understand from him in last so many years..I used the honesty, open mind, bravery, never quitting challenge against darkness..and many more.. hope people see him that way and more….

  10. Bruce lee always will be my icon and legendary Hero! there will be no other come even close to him! He Was Simply The Best!

  11. His art set me on the path I’m currently on. When I’m in Seattle next, I’ll make time for a visit.

Comments are closed.

18 Comments

  1. Pressed flowers are for laminating, ideal, and certainly will subsequently be properly used in various crafts and presents.
    3a7603f8297e128630219b2c72ccc641

  2. What is it that makes this a global landmark Seattle ??? Is it because Brandon Bruce Lee and pappa Bruce Lee are dead and easy to visit on a grave site ??? I actually really need them to LIVE !!! YES its me Bianca Dordrecht Holland !!!

  3. Soorry if you think I am not respectful because I sure hope people will visit them if the really are dead without you people wanting them to be !!! If so I actually really want to be close to them when ever something actually would happen to me !!!

  4. Brandon Bruce Lee , Shannon Emery Lee , pappa Bruce Lee and mamma Linda Lee Cadwell actually are my hart ,mind , bodyand soul !!!

  5. I’ve taken taekwondo and also my children.I saw enter Dragon when I was young now I’m 51yrs.old with arthritis to my knee he give me straight when I thinks of all the struggle he and his wife went threw.Nov. will be my first visit to respect me.lee and his son Brandon when I think of Mr.Bruce Lee I work harder so my pain go away.I can’t wait to go to Seattle in November

  6. He was the one and only and there will never be another like him period he was a whole lot of magic.

  7. Would have been nice if Linda Lee Cadwell (married twice, why keep Lee in your name? monetary purposes?) would have made Bruce Lee and Brandon Lee’s graves a monument, like Jimi Hendricks’ grave (Google: Jimi Hendricks grave). Jimi was not as world know as Bruce Lee, but yet he has a monumental plot. Bruce and Brandon on the other hand, just another plot in the sea of plots at Lake View cemetery. I have gone to Lake View cemetery, Lees’ graves are not easy to find to say the least, as I drove around and did not find them. I will have to visit again when there are people ask and hope they know where the Lees’ graves are. Just a shame that a person, the Founder of Jeet Kune Do and world renown to have a plot that is nearly impossible to find. He and his son should have been buried in Hong Kong where, I am sure, their resting place would have been as big and visible as when they were alive (Google: Bruce Lee statue in Hong Kong). Nice going Linda Bleecker Caldwell!!! I neither bought Linda Bleecker Caldwell’s book or watched the movie the book was based on. Just a way to squeeze out the last juice out from the living legend.

    1. No true follower of Bruce Lee philosophy would speak of Linda as you do. Shame on you. Bruce was a legend and a truer heart has never lived.

    2. Have a little respect Bruce Fan!!! As a spouse Linda had every right to bury Bruce in his native birth site. Just because you didn’t have the navigating skills like everyone else to find a common grave site, should not make you a bitter person with them statements about Linda. What nurve…..so called Bruce Fan. Don’t bother going back pal!!!

      1. I grew up with Bruce Lee, he was every asian hero. I have both of his published books he wrote. Made he rest in peace.

    3. She wanted him buried where his children could visit, which makes perfect sense.
      They are beautiful graves, based on the photos, why would they need more?
      Furthermore, other people seem to find it, maybe prepare better and accept that you’ll have to get out of your car?
      All the best

  8. Bruce Lee’s philosophy of no limitations continues to inspire me.He was the one and only and there will never be another like him period he was a whole lot of magic.
    love you …lee

  9. there are people in this world who just live life for what it brings them for…there are people who live behind multiple faces to cover what they don’t have ….and there are people who waist all god given talent on business, and corruption of their minds and others surrounding them, and find no true meaning of life that is given to them. Here lays a simple man who defies the rules of many who bring excuses and play negative to a god given strength to change what is…and he goes miles after miles to proof his theory, yet with all his achievement we stay aside to follow what he really stands for. Bruce lee was not some one who just beat many, but brought a philosophy of destroying unbreakable walls in a society. I followed him many years and rarely seen an athlete as large as his scale. I am a fighter for people and not for any governments on earth, I come with many similarities in my battle with him, because once I was his student….and I carried all I could understand from him in last so many years..I used the honesty, open mind, bravery, never quitting challenge against darkness..and many more.. hope people see him that way and more….

  10. Bruce lee always will be my icon and legendary Hero! there will be no other come even close to him! He Was Simply The Best!

  11. His art set me on the path I’m currently on. When I’m in Seattle next, I’ll make time for a visit.

Comments are closed.