by Katharine Schroeder

Jackie Chan is known to the world as an action star, a kung-fu comedy genius, and a happy-go-lucky guy. But there is so much more to him than that. He is a man with a mission: to help as many people as possible by raising money and-  just as importantly - awareness. His devotion to charity work has grown by leaps and bounds since 1988 when he first established his Jackie Chan Charitable Foundation. There was a time when all he wanted was to be a success in films. Having achieved that goal, he wasn't satisfied to sit back and enjoy his money and his fame; the suffering that surrounded him no matter where he went was heavy on his mind. And so he has devoted more and more of his time to charity work and now considers it his main occupation. He is passionate in his desire to help people. It is with this in mind that we set out on a trip to China for two charity concerts and several stops to visit some people who have been aided by the kindness and generosity of Jackie and those who work alongside him to alleviate poverty and suffering.

It's hard to imagine that Jackie would have the freedom to walk through a large airport without being swarmed by people but that is exactly what happened when we arrived at Hong Kong International Airport on the morning of June 23rd. Because no one was expecting to see him there and because most people don't look at those around them, Jackie was able to walk through the airport in relative anonymity. Several times people would do a double-take, then shake their heads as if to say "No, that couldn't have been..." And if he stopped for any reason, fans would begin to gather, but at a respectful distance. 

This experience was completely different from what we would encounter in China in the coming days. Wherever we went in Nanjing or Harbin, Jackie was immediately surrounded by hundreds of people and it was necessary to travel with bodyguards and security personnel. Everyone in China knew Jackie was in town and they were prepared to do anything to get a glimpse of him. Their enthusiasm bordered on the fanatic, and many people became quite forceful. But while we were still in Hong Kong, Dorothy, Fibe, and I were able to walk through the airport with Jackie without being disturbed.

Jackie's mood while we waited at the airport would set the tone for the entire trip. Those of you who are familiar with Jackie know that he is an incurable tease; he can’t help himself. He finds humor in most situations and never passes up the chance to poke fun. So as I stood in the long non-resident line, Jackie danced his way through the very short line for residents, waving his ticket at me and sticking out his tongue. Of course I pretended not to know the big kid who was teasing me from afar, at the same time marveling at his cheerful display. How could anyone be so happy this early in the day?

The flight to Nanjing was short; a little over two hours. We were met at the airport by JC Group’s Beijing crew and Jackie was whisked away to the hotel to avoid the gathering crowds. After the rest of us got through arrivals, we hopped into a van and were taken to the hotel. When we arrived at Jackie’s suite, lunch was waiting; we had to hurry because there was a press conference to attend in just a little while. Jackie beckoned me over to the table to have a seat and set a bowl of soup down in front of me.

“Be careful, it’s very hot,” he warned.
“Oh, okay,” I said, and settled into my seat.  As I opened my mouth to comment on some of the food at the table, Jackie interrupted me:
“Eat your soup or it will get cold,” he said.
“I thought you just said it was h…”
“But be careful,” he added with a twinkle in his eye. “It’s very hot.”

This is classic Jackie – always torn between his desire to eat food while it’s still hot and to avoid second-degree burns to his mouth.

After lunch Fibe and I dropped the luggage off in our room, then met Jackie and the others at his suite to prepare to leave for the press conference, which would be held in our hotel. As we walked along, employees lined the hallways, all smiling, waving, pointing cameras, and greeting Jackie. The whole place was buzzing with excitement and it was thrilling to see everyone – even grown men – jumping up and down trying to get a look at him.

At the press conference Jackie talked to reporters and thanked them for their coverage of the charity events. Jackie’s feeling is that the more coverage the press gives these charitable efforts, the more awareness is generated, and that in turn will produce more money. For Jackie, it is all about raising as much money as possible and he sees reporters as his allies in the war against poverty and suffering. There are those who might accuse Jackie of including the press in an attempt to seek personal attention; to show everyone what a great guy he is. But all you’d have to do is spend a few minutes talking to him to know that this really is not about him. It’s all about the people he’s trying to help.

After the press conference we piled into a very comfortable van for the ride over to the elderly center. We were joined by Russell Wasendorf, an American writer who would be interviewing Jackie for a financial magazine with the goal of encouraging philanthropic activities among its wealthy readership.

As we approached the Drum Tower Social Welfare Hospital, it became obvious that Jackie’s arrival was being taken very seriously by the center’s staff, the security personnel, and just about everyone else in the town. There were hundreds of people lining the streets leading up to the hospital and as we got closer they began surrounding the van despite the best efforts of the security guards. I began wondering how we would ever be able to get out. We pulled up in front of the entrance and waited until order was achieved. When the door opened the crowd began screaming and pushing in but thanks to the efficiency (and force) of the security guards, we got to the building's entrance in one piece. 

We were led to a small waiting room where we sat for quite some time. I’m not really sure what we were waiting for, but it didn’t matter. It was a good opportunity to make some notes and talk with Jackie. After signing the first of what seemed like hundreds of autographs over our five-day trip, Jackie sat back and relaxed. He talked about the purpose for this visit – he would be donating fans to the elderly center. Makes sense – in the winter it’s coats, in the summer, fans. We talked about the design of his jeans; he told me that the Chinese characters made up a famous Chinese poem. We talked about cameras and photography and many other things. Once the China trip was over, I would look back on these times – waiting in rooms, driving in cars, relaxing at the hotel - as some of the most valuable in terms of getting to know even more about Jackie. He is endlessly curious and loves to talk about so many different things.

After a while a representative from the hospital came to get us. I took a peek through the doorway and was alarmed at the number of people gathered outside. Although there were police and security, they were seriously outnumbered by the screaming, cheering fans. Jackie seemed completely unconcerned, so I figured there was no need to worry. We all followed the staff members outside where Jackie took part in a brief ceremony and the unveiling of a stone engraved with the goals and mission of the hospital. While Jackie talked I looked around and noticed that some of the residents and hospital workers were hanging out the windows above trying to get a look at Jackie. Everyone was smiling and cheering.

When the outdoor ceremony ended, we were led into a small reception room where we were greeted by a dozen or so elderly people who had planned a small presentation for Jackie. As Jackie greeted them, they circled around him and burst into song! They sang “The Real Hero” and “A Man Should Be of Self Help.” Jackie was so pleased that they had taken the time to prepare such a touching ceremony for him and he joined in the singing, much to their delight. Once the singing was over, we headed back toward the van.

On the way out I noticed three women sitting on a bench in the foyer and I told Fibe I was going to wait a second because I knew that Jackie would not be able to resist stopping to greet them and I wanted to get a photo. Sure enough, as Jackie walked past and noticed them, he immediately turned to give them a handshake and a smile. They were so excited - giggling like schoolgirls as Jackie walked away!

When we walked outside, we saw that a massive crowd was now gathered waiting for Jackie. The security team formed a ring around him as we made our way back to the van. Our staff members got into the van first and so I was able to watch Jackie’s attempt to get safely back to us. I have to confess, it was frightening to see how the people pushed in towards him and how he was jostled by the police who were by this time fighting off the crowd. Incredibly, Jackie was laughing as he entered the van and immediately went to the back window to wave at everyone. “If I go to the back and wave, everyone runs from the front to the back and the driver can leave,” he explained. Of course Jackie has a lot of experience with this kind of situation. As we drove away I couldn’t help but smile at all the grinning and waving people who were chasing after us shouting “Big Brother Jackie! Big Brother Jackie! We love you!!”  Teenagers, middle-aged men, elderly women, little kids - the diversity of Jackie's fan base is nothing short of amazing. There doesn't seem to be any race, gender, age, or nationality that doesn't include Jackie's fans. Yes, Jackie is a talented guy. Yes, he has a big heart. But there are a lot of people who are talented, who have big hearts. What is it about Jackie that makes him so universally appealing? I made a mental note to do my best to examine that question and come up with an answer over the next few days.

We settled into our seats for the ride to our next destination - a very special hospital. On the way over, Jackie reviewed his notes and eavesdropped on the conversation that Fibe and I were having. We were talking about the difficulties I've been having with the Chinese language. Solon has continued to encourage me to learn Mandarin, and I really wanted to learn it; in fact, I had already started studying it before I came over to Hong Kong. But once I got here, everyone was speaking Cantonese - I felt very confused. Learn Cantonese? Mandarin? Both? Neither?

"Never mind about Cantonese - you must learn Mandarin!" Jackie proclaimed.

I tried to explain my confusion to him and offered up a solution. I told him that my goal would be to learn enough Cantonese to understand what people are saying, but to forego learning to speak it and instead just respond in either Mandarin or English.

"Would you like me to assist you?" Jackie asked in his best British accent. (He loves to imitate a British accent, and he's actually quite good.)

"Gee, thanks," I replied. "But I don't know if I'll ever learn..."

"Bah!" he exclaimed, dismissing my doubts. "One year and you'll know Mandarin. But it might take you two years to understand my English."

"Your English is excellent," I replied. "It's your British accent that needs work."

He chuckled and then I asked him a few questions I've wanted to ask him for some time. What language was he was most comfortable speaking? Mandarin. What language does he think and dream in? Mandarin. Very interesting. I also asked him what the first language was that he learned to speak. After a little consideration, he said that it was Mandarin since his parents were from the Mainland. However, they had been living in Hong Kong for a number of years and spoke, as Jackie calls it, "broken Cantonese" as well. And since Jackie was living at the French Embassy in Hong Kong, he quickly became fluent in French and remained so until he left the Peak at the age of 7. He then moved into a world where he would speak Cantonese, Mandarin, and ultimately English, but French was eventually lost to him. As Jackie would say, "So many languages!" If you spend enough time with Jackie you will notice that he will spontaneously switch back and forth from Mandarin to Cantonese to English without a problem. It's really pretty amazing.

Next stop was the Operation Smile Medical Mission Nanjing Center. The center was opened in October 2001 with funds provided by the Jackie Chan Charitable Foundation and the Sheen Hok Charitable Foundation. It provides free services to children and young adults with facial deformities such as cleft lips and palates. The hospital is staffed in part by doctors and nurses from all over the world who pay their own way to come lend their skills for free. (In the 23 years since its inception, Operation Smile's volunteers have provided free reconstructive surgery to 98,000 children and young adults in 30 countries.) Jackie wants everyone to know how easy it is to help children who are born with cleft lips and palates. The surgery is relatively simple and inexpensive, but it can dramatically alter the child's life. Left untreated, a cleft lip or palate can prevent proper speech from developing, lead to increased infections, and cause problems with eating. There is also a very powerful psychological impact on children with facial deformities. Without the surgery, the child faces a lifetime of stares and cruel comments. It is inexcusable that children be denied this life-changing surgery to correct the deformities and give them the ability (and reason) to smile because of lack of money. That's why Operation Smile is so important.

We were led to a room that was packed full of people: doctors, nurses, reporters, children, babies, and staff members. Jackie was joined by hospital administrators and his old friend, Operation Smile China Medical Mission Chairman Sir David Akers Jones. Jackie spoke to the assembly, telling them that when he was young he was a “bad boy” who was more concerned with having fun than with doing charity work. Once he was introduced to people in need, he realized how important it was and how much it could change lives. He said that he would like to be the person who would lead others toward a life of charitable work. When Jackie was finished, he sat down and listened to a very touching speech from a girl whose life was changed by her reconstructive surgery. When she was done it was time for questions. Everyone in the room wanted to talk to Jackie and after the lengthy session was over it was time to leave.

Before we headed to the van, we went to a small room so that Jackie could meet two babies who were awaiting reconstructive surgery. Both were orphans and were there with their caregivers. After I took a photo of them, I saw Jackie reach over and caress the face of one of the babies. Jackie, with hands powerful enough to punch through wood, has a most gentle touch, especially when it comes to babies and children. This is the Jackie Chan I wish the world could know: a compassionate man, fiercely devoted to helping others; someone often moved to tears by the people he encounters in his charity work.

By the time we left the hospital it was evening and we headed back to the hotel for dinner. We ate at the hotel restaurant and although Jackie had his back to the room, it wasn't long before people began to notice him. By the time we were nearing the end of our meal, the entire kitchen staff had gathered and were waiting to greet Jackie. Despite the fact that he had traveled hundreds of miles and had spent the day running non-stop, he posed for photo after photo with the smiling staff. Once we were through with that it was back up to Jackie's suite to relax for a while before going over to the concert rehearsal at Nanjing Olympic Sports Center.

Outside the hotel, people had gathered once again in hopes of getting a glimpse of Jackie. So many people! Jackie waved and smiled as he headed to the van and again we were surrounded within seconds. I've never seen such enthusiasm from people - waiting for so long and despite only having gotten a quick look at Jackie, smiling from ear to ear.

We arrived at the Nanjing Olympic Sports Center - a brand new stadium with a capacity of 60,000 - after a twenty minute ride. Looking around at all the empty seats, I tried to imagine what it would be like once it was filled - it was enormous. After making a few quick phone calls, Jackie got to work on the rehearsal. The weather was hot and humid and there was an abundance of mosquitoes. Still, people began to gather in the audience area to watch Jackie and the other performers. Security did their best to keep people in once place, but it was challenging and everyone wanted to come up onto the stage to get near Jackie. At around 11:00 rehearsal ended and we started back to the hotel.

During the filming of The Tuxedo, singer James Brown called Jackie "the hardest working man in show biz" and after spending the day with Jackie, I agree - he is seemingly tireless and the enthusiasm he devotes to whatever he is doing is astounding. We were all exhausted just trying to keep up with him! Once we got back to the hotel suite, we relaxed and chatted until Jackie jumped up and announced that it was time for us all to go to sleep. Tomorrow would be another busy day. Fibe and I said goodbye and headed off to our room to rest up for the rehearsals and the big event yet to come: the concert!

Click here to see a short video about Operation Smile.

Part Two: Jackie Chan and His Friends Charity Concert 2006, Nanjing

Photos ©2006 The JC Group. All Rights Reserved.