On July 21, 1973, kung fu legend Bruce Lee died. Since then, the man has remained an inspiration for kung fu lovers around the globe.

"He's worthy of all the respect because he's a genius," says Zhang Dawei, deputy secretary-general of the Beijing Martial Arts Association. "At such a young age, he managed to combine the best of East and West."

Zhang was speaking at a recent forum commemorating the 40th anniversary of Lee's death.