A rice-bowl chain with outlets in more than 57 Chinese cities is being sued over the man on its sign. California-based Bruce Lee Enterprises, headed by Shannon Lee, filed the case against Real Kungfu in a Shanghai court, according to Chinese outlet The Paper. The company wants roughly $30 million.
The complaint says the chain’s logo uses Bruce Lee’s image without permission. The logo shows a man in a yellow long-sleeved top whose looks and stance resemble the late kung fu star and his well-known “ready to strike” pose.
The suit asks for more than money. It wants the chain to stop using the image and to pay another 88,000 yuan in legal costs. It also asks the court to order Real Kungfu to publish clarifications for 90 days saying it has no connection to Bruce Lee.
Real Kungfu is based in Guangzhou and sells rice bowls with Chinese dishes. It was founded in 1990.
The filing arrives while China is promising stronger protection for intellectual property and tougher penalties, one of the main topics in Beijing’s trade dispute with the United States.
