by Katharine Schroeder
We are headed to Guizhou Province in China to continue the work of Jackie’s Dragon’s Heart Foundation. The main goal of this charity is to provide educational opportunities for children in poor and remote villages of China. So far the Foundation has sponsored the construction or renovation of over a dozen schools in China. Each time Jackie attends a groundbreaking, he promises to try to return to see the new buildings and part of this trip will serve to keep several of those promises.
After driving from Hong Kong to Shenzhen Airport, our group boarded the plane and headed for Guiyang City, the capital of Guizhou Province in the southwest China mainland. Guizhou is a relatively undeveloped and poor area with towering mountains, especially in the west. It has the lowest economy of all the provinces in China and the main sources of revenue are logging and mining.
At the airport in Guiyang City, Jackie was greeted by officials and fans and after a short meeting, we got into a van for the two hour ride to our hotel in Guiyang City. Since Jackie had slept on the plane he was full of energy for the ride to the city. Although he has traveled extensively through China, he still spent a good part of the ride admiring the spectacular scenery. There were so many things to look at! Every square inch of level land was utilized to grow corn and sunflowers. As we drove, I noticed small buildings on the mountainside; Fibe told me that they were temples to honor the ancestors of the local people. I was a little shocked to see satellite dishes atop many of the small shacks on the hillside. Satellite dishes in the middle of the mountains?
“They’re not satellite dishes,” said Jackie. “They’re big woks for cooking.”
Although I respect Jackie’s opinion, I still say that they were satellite dishes.
As we continued our journey, Jackie talked about some of the people who would be accompanying us on this trip. One woman was the daughter of a wealthy businessman who had met Jackie when he was on a charity mission to Urumqi last year. She was so moved by what she saw that she volunteered to help on this trip and paid her own expenses in order to accompany us.
“That’s a real hero,” said Jackie.
Several of Jackie’s business partners also came along so they could see for themselves where their donations were going. Jackie’s friends are generous beyond imagination; one business associate spent $100,000 RMB at the auction then turned around and promised to donate all the furnishings for the new school building and provide shoes for the children as well.
As we approached the city, it became quite obvious that Jackie’s visit was no small matter. There were billboards and welcome banners announcing his arrival and the police stopped traffic to allow us to pass through. The streets were lined with people hoping to get a glimpse of Big Brother Jackie. And if Jackie had anything to say about it, they wouldn’t be disappointed – he opened the window of the van and waved to everyone in sight. If you think Jackie is popular where you live, I must tell you that in China, he is absolutely beloved.
After checking in at the hotel and having a quick lunch, we got back into the vans and headed for the Qiannan Normal College for Nationalities, a teacher’s college located just a few miles from the hotel. Jackie was greeted by administrators and teachers, then we headed toward the outdoor stage. The path was lined with hundreds of people dressed in traditional costumes, many bearing a welcome drink for Jackie. He politely tasted the drink from several different people; I wish I’d been able to get a photo of his reaction to the flavors. Let’s just say that whatever it was he was tasting must have been pretty intense, but he put on a happy face nonetheless.
Guizhou Province has the most ethnic minority groups (tribes) of any of China’s provinces. Many were in attendance at the college that day and each group wore their unique and colorful costumes. Jackie took the stage and spoke to the audience for a few minutes, among other things encouraging them to continue to study hard so they could help their country. After he finished speaking, a young girl was led onstage and told Jackie of her appreciation for his help in allowing her to go to school. She valiantly tried to hold back her tears (she was unsuccessful) and Jackie comforted her with a hug and a big smile. After she finished, Jackie picked up a plastic water bottle and gave his now-familiar lesson in marking the bottle with your initials and then when you're finished drinking, squashing the bottle down to its smallest possible size before discarding it. During the entire trip, the crackling sound of water bottles being crushed could be heard wherever we went. Jackie’s staff and friends have been well instructed and it comes as second nature to crush bottles, among other things. Recently at the office I was at my computer typing when I glanced up to find Jackie staring in horror at my wastebasket. "What did I do?" I asked, alarmed. Wordlessly Jackie thrust his foot into the basket, crushing the tissue box I had carelessly thrown in. Jackie is devoted to reducing trash down to its smallest possible size.
After a ground-breaking ceremony and tree-planting, we got into the van for the drive back to the hotel. As we pulled away, some of the hundreds of people who were gathered outside the college ran at the car when they saw Jackie. They were laughing and waving, shouting “Big Brother Jackie! Big Brother Jackie!” When we pulled into the hotel entrance I was shocked to see the number of people who had gathered. Nearly every employee of the hotel plus hundreds of locals, all waiting to get a glimpse or a photo of Jackie.
After dinner we went to the charity auction, which was held at the hotel. Hundreds of people had paid for the privilege of just attending the auction and many of them left empty-handed but smiling. They had come to support Jackie and the Dragon’s Heart Foundation; it didn’t matter if they didn’t win the bidding. The auction opened with a screening of Jackie’s “Three Dreams” and “Dragon’s Heart” videos and then the business at hand began. Jackie came onstage to greet everyone and was then relieved by a professional auctioneer. At first I was confused; why wasn’t Jackie doing the entire auction by himself? The answer soon became clear to me as I watched the auctioneer push the bidding higher and higher by sheer force of will. This guy was incredible! As the bids grew to astronomical proportions, he refused to give in; he wanted bigger bids. His imposing face and quiet patience while he waited to get the bid he wanted were awe-inspiring. Although Jackie does a great job as auctioneer, the point of this event was to raise as much money as possible. If you’ve ever been to an auction led by Jackie, you know that he is just too kind-hearted to get the high bids. If he sees a child bidding, he’ll sell an item for very little money. So you see, it was for a very good reason that they brought in this professional. Jackie came back onstage for the final few items and was thrilled when a little boy ran up with $10 RMB to donate. Jackie really believes that there is no amount too small, and he welcomes any donation with the same enthusiasm and gratitude. When all was said and done, over $1 million RMB (about US$125,000) was generated in under two hours!
I must stop here and tell you the story of a young woman at the auction who won the bid for an autographed t-shirt. She was a journalist who had covered another Dragon’s Heart event and was so touched by what she witnessed that she did something extraordinary. She took all the money that she had saved for her own wedding, put it in her pocket, and traveled to the auction with the intention of giving it all to the charity. As it turned out, she won a bid, essentially exchanging her wedding party for a t-shirt. And she couldn’t have been happier.
After the auction we went back to Jackie’s room where he spent the next hour or so signing some of the items that people had won. You may think that it would be tiresome for him to do this, but he says that it’s a small thing compared to what others have done – spending huge amounts of money to help the Dragon’s Heart Foundation. He happily signed his name over and over again. After giving a quick interview, Jackie posed for countless photos with staff members and auction winners. Finally it was time to call it a day and we all headed off to get some much-needed sleep.
Day Two, July 26th
After a good night's sleep, we met in a makeshift dining room that had been set up on the floor where we were staying. The hotel had removed all the furnishings from the room and put in a table and chairs so that Jackie and the staff could eat undisturbed.
During meals we talked about many things. Jackie expressed his frustration over how unfair it was that some children had so little while others had so much. I told him about my own experiences teaching in two diverse school districts – one wealthy and the other relatively poor; about how the wealthy children thought little of throwing their snacks and lunches in the garbage if they didn’t like them, while the poor kids would often arrive at school with no snacks or lunch at all. I told him about some programs in the US where volunteers tried to take the extra food from restaurant kitchens and banquets and distribute it to the poor. About how the government got involved and made it so complicated that the volunteers were forced to abandon their efforts. We agreed that sometimes it’s difficult to help even if you want to. “Even so,” Jackie said, “we can’t stop trying.”
After breakfast we departed for a primary school located far up in the mountains nearby. After a death-defying ride on an unpaved road that curled around the mountain and boasted a sheer drop straight down if you happened to lose control of your car, we arrived for another groundbreaking ceremony. As we approached the school, the sound of children chanting became louder and louder. I was astonished to see hundreds of kids lining the road, waving banners and flags while chanting “Welcome Big Brother Jackie! We love you Big Brother Jackie!” They were tremendously excited and craned their necks to get a glimpse of their hero.
In the courtyard in front of a dilapidated school building, a stage had been set up for Jackie. There were hundreds of children waiting for him, all dressed up and decorated and eager to perform for him. Along the sides were local people, and while Jackie spoke to the crowd I took the opportunity to wander around through the crowds and take some photos. As you might imagine, many of the people in this remote area rarely encounter a foreigner and I found myself the object of fascination as I moved through the crowds. Some people were smiling at me, some gazing at me with curiosity, but a few seemed a bit disturbed by my presence. I used what little Mandarin I knew to greet them, but I found that a smile and a wave worked best. Most people responded by smiling back and after a few minutes they got used to me. At least I hope they did.
After having a look around the area, I went back over to the stage and saw that Jackie was seated and a young girl with a yellow ribbon in her hair was approaching the microphone. What happened next is difficult to write about, even several days after it happened. I will tell it to you this way:
Imagine that you are a little girl, just 12 years old. You have few material possessions, but at least you have your family - or so you think, until the day that your grandmother becomes ill. Your parents are forced to leave you to go find work to earn money to care for your grandmother. You are left alone with your younger brother, whom you must care for. In order to get to school, you must walk 2 ½ hours over two mountains. You want to continue going to school but there is no longer any money. There is, however, someone who is going to help you. And one day you are told that the man who is going to make your education possible will visit your village and you are the one who has been chosen to represent the students to thank him. You put on your best dress, comb your hair and put in a yellow ribbon, and on the big day you approach Big Brother Jackie, who until this time has only been someone you’ve dreamed of meeting. As you begin to talk to him, to tell him your story, you are overcome with grief and emotion – you miss your mother and father so much. It is so hard to care for your brother and make it to school. You break down in tears and when you can finally look up, you see that the man who is making your education possible – the man who has given so much to your village – is openly weeping.
As you sit and read this, you may find it hard to believe that such conditions exist in our modern world. Children left to fend for themselves? Walking 2 ½ hours over two mountains to attend school? Well, I hope that after reading this you will know that for every little girl with a yellow ribbon in her hair and no parents to care for her, there are thousands more. After watching the dance performances by the children, Jackie said a few more words; thanking the teachers for their devotion and the government officials for their cooperation in allowing him to help. He thanked the local people for the gift of a hand-embroidered jacket which symbolized good health and long life. He said that he hopes he lives to be 100 so that he can do more charity work. And he encouraged the children to study hard and give back to their country. After making a promise to return once the new school was built, it was time to say goodbye and we headed back to the vans. Suddenly the ride on the bumpy and unpaved road didn’t look so bad. It sure beats walking the mountain road for 2 ½ hours.
Our next stop was a drug-rehabilitation facility where Jackie was invited to give support and encouragement to the residents. In recent years the drug problem in China has escalated and many of the addicts are young people who are also at risk for HIV/AIDS. The government asked Jackie to make a stop while he was in the area and he immediately agreed. I was alarmed to see how young many of the addicts were; some looked no older than teenagers. After several of the residents spoke to Jackie about their problems, he told them that everyone makes mistakes and that it was important for them to look ahead and do the right thing in the future. It was a somber gathering compared to the mostly joyous one we had just attended and after being in the presence of so many police officers and such misery I was relieved when it was time for us to go.
By now it was well into the afternoon and we all went back to the hotel to have lunch before we headed to our next stop. Once we were finished, we drove to a state-run kindergarten where Jackie would distribute more coats and supplies and attend several very special events. As we approached the school, it was immediately evident that everyone involved had given his all to make Jackie’s visit an immense celebration. Thousands of people lined the streets leading up to the school and at the school itself there were hundreds and hundreds of little kids dressed in every imaginable type of costume. Upon our arrival they chanted “Welcome Big Brother Jackie!” while banging drums and jingling bells. The noise was deafening and it was thrilling to be in the midst of so much excitement. When we finally made it into the courtyard, Jackie was shown to his seat in front of a staging area and a group of children began singing and dancing for him. The children’s performances were astounding – these were really young kids, only 5 or 6 years old! Jackie was delighted to watch a Broadway caliber performance of The Myth, a Drunken Master dance, and presentation of artwork made by the children.
Once the performances ended a group of children from a nearby mountain village were led onto the staging area. The city of Guiyang has established a program roughly translated as "One Helps One." The idea is to join up the wealthier kids with the poor kids to increase sensitivity and to promote charitable behavīor. Sixty country kids have so far been paired up with 60 city kids; the wealthier children help sponsor the more needy ones. The Dragon's Heart Foundation will build a preschool here which will allow 400 young children to begin their educations in a clean and safe environment. Jackie presented warm coats to the poor children, and when he was finished we were escorted inside to the kindergarten room for a very special birthday party. It seems that some of the poor children had never had a birthday party; several of them didn't even know what a birthday cake was. So the teachers had decorated the room with balloons and prepared an enormous and beautiful birthday cake so that all the children could at last have a party. Before the party, Jackie was shown a video about one little 7 year-old girl whose father was rarely home because he was away trying to earn money to support his family. The mother tried her best, but the children were forced to do hours of work every day and there was no money for them to go to school. Apparently it costs approximately 9 US dollars a year for school supplies and the family just didn't have the money. While Jackie and the students watched the video, I watched them. The looks on the faces of the more privileged children spoke volumes; many of them appeared close to tears. And Jackie? Jackie WAS in tears. This was turning out to be a very emotional trip for all of us.
After the video ended, the teachers brought in the birthday cake. I would give anything for you to have been there to see the look on the face of the little girl whose story was just featured in the video. She had never seen a birthday cake before and she was completely mesmerized. As Jackie lit the candles, complete silence fell over the room and then it was time to make a wish. Everyone closed their eyes and made a silent wish, then some of them shared their wishes with the rest of us.
"I wish for a book that is my own. One I can take home with me."
"I wish for my mom to cook me an egg."
There are hardly words to express what it was like to be in that room.
We left the kindergarten and headed back to the hotel where Jackie would give a press conference and then have dinner with local officials. I attended the press conference and immediately saw that Jackie once again could not contain his emotions as he told reporters about the little girl who had never had a birthday party. I felt tears rise in my own eyes as I watched him struggle to maintain control and I was happy when the reporters began a question and answer session which would allow Jackie a few moments to think about something besides a little girl who doesn't know what a birthday cake is.
After the press conference, Fibe and I had a chance to take a quick look around the city. It was really quite attractive and very clean. The roads were smooth and paved and there were nice shops right near our hotel. Although the area is relatively poor, this was the city and there were some modern buildings and a picturesque canal. Fibe and I walked around for a while and even stopped in a few stores, much to the amusement and curiosity of the shopkeepers. I guess not many foreigners come into their shops on a regular basis. Soon it was back to the hotel for dinner and then preparation for the cultural concert at a nearby stadium.
Because of the nature of our jobs - Fibe does the diaries and I do the Scrapbooks - it was important for us to stay with Jackie for all of the traveling time. You see, right after these events is when Jackie's emotions and feelings are right at the surface and it is also when he is the most talkative. As we drove from place to place, Fibe and I scribbled notes furiously and asked Jackie a thousand questions. On the ride to the concert we talked about apathy. The dictionary defines apathy as "a lack of interest or concern; indifference." And it turns out that apathy is what infuriates Jackie the most. "How can they not care about the children?" he asks passionately. I wish I could answer him, but of course I can't. Jackie told me that when he brings the subject of the charities up to friends and business partners, most of them are quite interested and vow to make a donation. Nine times out of ten they say they'll "do it later." This is where the force of Jackie's personality comes into play; he won't let them off the hook. He won't wait until later. He manages to extract a donation on the spot or he'll hunt the person down until he gets something from them. Jackie doesn't care if he comes off as pushy or annoying, not when it comes to the charity. "It doesn't matter what they think of me," he says. "What matters is that they stay true to their word and make the donation." You can't help but admire this man. He will go to any and all lengths to help these kids.
As we approached the stadium, I began to get the now-familiar feeling in the pit of my stomach, a combination of excitement and fear. There were thousands and thousands of people in the streets, many heading toward the stadium for the concert. Although there were hundreds of police officers as well, I couldn't help feeling a little afraid because everyone wanted to get near Jackie. They push and shout and the police push and shout back. All of a sudden our van seemed tiny compared to the immensity of the crowd. I looked behind me at Jackie; he was smiling and waving out the window. His ease had a calming effect on me and I tried not to think about several thousand people descending on our little van as we entered the stadium.
The event that was taking place was a cultural exchange concert of sorts. Singers and dancers from many of the local tribes performed, as did Jackie. We were led to a large waiting room which had a closed circuit television so that we could watch the concert as it was going on. Soon it was Jackie's turn to take the stage and Fibe and I followed him out to the stadium; Jackie going backstage and Fibe and I going out front. Jackie was on the stage singing and having a rough time of it. He was obviously very tired and apologized to the crowd for missing notes and forgetting words. It didn't matter; the people watching were beside themselves with joy just to have him there. I took a few photos but after being pushed and shoved by police and photographers, I decided that I'd rather watch the proceedings from the waiting room backstage. Fibe and I returned to the room and several minutes later Jackie joined us. While the other performers took the stage, we had lots of time to sit and talk, swat flies (there were a lot of flies and Jackie loves to swat them), 
and take tons of photos. Two little girls from the kindergarten who were there to perform came back to the waiting room to see Jackie and I sat and watched as they giggled and smiled and charmed him to pieces. One of the girls demonstrated a cartwheel and I was amazed to see Jackie get up and, while wearing one of his beautiful Chinese suits, perform a perfect cartwheel in return. Then the other girl performed a one-handed cartwheel. "No," I thought. "Don't tell me he's gonna..." and as the thought crossed my mind, Jackie stood up, held his suit jacket to his body with one hand, and performed a picture perfect one-handed cartwheel for his appreciative audience. I was too stunned to raise my camera up, so I can't even share a photo of Jackie's seemingly effortless feat. But I assure you he did it. "Wow," I thought to myself. "I hope I can do that when I'm 52 years old." I doubt that this will happen, however, since I have never been capable of doing a one-handed cartwheel in my entire life.
During the time that we were in the waiting room, I had a chance to talk to X Lee, Jackie's personal videographer. You will see him in many of the photos from events that Jackie attends; he's been with Jackie for many years. He's supremely talented and seems capable of moving from one place to the other with incredible speed, always finding an interesting angle and always being in the right place at the right time. We sat and reviewed some of the photos that I'd taken and he gave me some constructive criticism on my technique. I'm not a professional photographer and was eager to learn from him. He suggested that we take some photos of the staff who were waiting with us and within minutes he had arranged a bunch of us in a bowling pin pattern on the 
floor for a group photo, even inserting Jackie into a few of the shots. Next he put everyone into a staggered line-up, then into a different configuration. His photos are very creative and I was honored to be able to take lessons from him. When we were finished, he headed over to the two little girls and spent time taping them and then showing them the playback on his camera. They giggled and blushed and X Lee was grinning from ear to ear. I wish all waiting rooms were as much fun.
Jackie went back out to the stage and we watched on the closed-circuit television as two teachers were introduced to the audience. One was a man who had walked from the mountains every day for 35 years despite being crippled. Someone finally donated money for him to receive prosthetic lower legs which enabled him to walk more easily with crutches. The other teacher was a young man who taught for 10 years and was paid not in money, but in corn. He used his own savings to buy supplies for the children so they could go to school. Later Jackie told me that these people are the real heroes. "Ordinary people doing extraordinary things" was how he put it.
Soon it was time for Jackie's last two songs, so the rest of us went to the vans to wait. It's important to always be on alert for departure because once Jackie gets into the car, it is necessary to leave immediately or there is the chance that there would be no leaving possible. While we waited, I looked outside the van window at the hundreds of people gathered at the exit waiting for Jackie. Again I felt a little nervous and hoped that he would be safely escorted to the car. Eventually we were ready to go and we successfully made it back to the hotel; Jackie leaning so far out the window that the bodyguard had to hold him around the waist to keep him from falling out. Once back at the hotel everyone ran to their rooms to pack their bags; we would be getting an early start in the morning. It was a five hour drive to Liupanshui and we needed to leave on time. I was so tired that I nearly fell asleep while brushing my teeth. It takes a lot of energy to keep up with Jackie.
Day Three, July 27
At breakfast Jackie talked about how emotional the day before had been. He said that he just couldn't help it; it made him so sad to hear these stories. Even as he spoke that morning, his eyes welled up with tears. I told him that none of his fans minded that he cried; that he was only human. He expressed his desire for everyone to see what he sees, to meet with the children and hear them tell their stories. Of course this is impossible, so I told him that I would do the best I could to tell everyone what it is like to actually be there. He seemed happy with this.
After checking out we got into a very small van for the five hour ride to Liupanshui, nicknamed "Cool City" because the average temperature is only 68 degrees Farenheit. Liupanshui translates as "six bowls of water" but the city's name is derived from the first syllables of the three largest towns: Liuzhi, Panxian, and Shuicheng. It is located high in the mountains, between five and eight thousand feet above sea level. Fibe and I were squashed in the back seat, Jackie and Irene were in the middle, and X Lee rode up front with the driver. For the first hour and a half, we talked about more stories that Jackie had heard. I can't write them all down here, but I told him that we should have a section of the website just for all his stories. Perhaps some of them will turn up in the diaries. While we drove, I asked Jackie questions for a magazine interview and apparently the 
subject matter was enough to cause him to become extremely sleepy because within minutes of finishing, he was fast asleep. I had brought a sweatshirt to use as a headrest, but Jackie had quickly confiscated it to use as a cover. Alas, I spent most of the five hours wide awake and looking out the window. I thought to myself, "I can sleep when I get home; it's not every day I get to see this kind of scenery." So as Jackie and the others quietly slept, I made notes on what had happened the day before and admired the towering mountains outside my window.
After checking into our hotel and having lunch, we were off to another Dragon's Heart Primary School. Jackie was again greeted by costume-clad locals urging him to taste whatever it was that they were offering him to drink. He gamely took several sips and then headed over to the stage for the ribbon cutting ceremony. The new school was beautiful, and as Jackie was on stage speaking I wandered around looking at the people and taking some photos of the old building to show you the contrast. Jackie handed out more coats and supplies, watched several dances, and soon it was time to go again. The time goes by so fast when I am wandering on my own, and I would find out later that it was not a good idea to lose track of time when you're attending scheduled events with Jackie. You just might get left behind.
Soon we were back in the van and heading for another school about an hour and a half away. We were greeted by hundreds and hundreds of people lining the path up to the school area, all of them wearing costumes and waving flags and banners. I noticed that as we got further up into the mountains, I was becoming more and more of a curiosity for the local people. If I was walking next to Jackie, all attention was on him of course. But the minute I strayed away from him, all the attention was focused on me. Again, most of the people were smiling and curious; few were looking at me with suspicion or fear. By this time in the trip, I was confident that a big smile and a hello was what was needed to make everyone comfortable. A few people tried out their English on me; most of them knew how to say hello and little else. I told them (in Mandarin) what my name was and that I was American. They seemed as fascinated with me as I was with them.
I immediately headed off to take a look around, thinking that you might like to see some photos of the school and its surroundings. As I walked toward the beautiful new building, I was thrilled to see the plaque that I had reported about on our website just a year ago. Jackie had written a message to students and it had been engraved into stone and set in front of the building. It reads "Study hard and give back to your country. Love, Jackie Chan." As I approached the building my attention was diverted by squealing and screaming; I turned around to see two young girls come running at me waving their hands in the air. They spoke a little English and told me that they were so excited to see me (because I am a foreigner) and how far they had come to see Jackie. We talked and later when we posed for photos, they each grabbed one of my hands. I was shocked at how rough their hands were! Certainly not the hands of two young girls. But of course they probably led very hard lives and did a lot of manual labor. You'd never know it from their beaming faces, though. They were just as excited as they could be.
Somehow Fibe and I lost track of Jackie and the others, so we were not aware that we were on alert for departure. We watched in horror as Jackie was whisked away by the security guys and we were pushed aside by the crowds. We were afraid that we would miss any of the transport back to the hotel - it looked as though Jackie was already gone! As a result, we ended up making a mad dash through the crowds of hundreds to try to get to a car. I think both of us were a little worried; I more than Fibe since she speaks some Mandarin and my Chinese is limited to ordering tea, asking you where Long Peace Street is, and telling you I'm an American. Eventually we got through the crowds, Fibe leading the way chanting "Please let us through! Excuse us! Coming through!" in Mandarin, while I desperately held onto her hand. What a sight we were! Luckily the other car had not left without us; of course they wouldn't. But while it was happening, I had this fear that I would be lost in the mountains of the Cool City for years, people spotting me running through the woods the way they spot Sasquatch the Bigfoot.
We arrived back at the hotel and after cleaning up, headed over for dinner; Jackie would be dining with government officials. At our table was one of the men who had helped arrange the activities in Liupanshui. He was very excited to introduce me to something called Maotai, a famous Guizhou-produced liquor which has a history that dates back to the Qing Dynasty. I was curious about why the wine glasses on the table looked like they belonged in a doll house; they were so tiny! But after one taste of Maotai, my questions were all answered. It is astonishingly strong and one sip was all I needed to know that I wanted no more, despite our host's urging to "Gan bei" (drink up). I smartly excused myself from the table and went to wander around the grounds of our hotel, which was situated up in the mountains amidst beautiful scenery. While I sat writing notes at a small table overlooking the lake, I was approached by a young man who knew a little English. He excitedly showed me a digital photo he had taken of Jackie earlier in the day and told me how much he loved Big Brother. He told me that all of China loved Jackie. After what I'd seen the past few days, I would be hard put to argue with him. Soon we were joined by his sister and a friend and our attempts to communicate became quite comical. Still, it was fun to talk to them and we ended up taking photos together before they said good-bye. In case you're wondering how they knew I was with Jackie, I should tell you that all staff and volunteers on this trip were required to wear the Dragon's Heart t-shirt at all times. This was mostly for security reasons; when there is a mad rush to enter a location, the police need only look at our shirts to know we belonged with Jackie. I said many silent thank yous for the t-shirt over the four days; the Chinese police mean business and I was in no position to argue with them about who I was.
After taking a few photos of the scenery, I went back to the hotel. When I walked into Jackie's room, he jumped up and said, "Ready for karaoke? We're going out for karaoke!"
"I love karaoke," I squealed. "Let's go!"
"Okay," said Jackie, counting the people in the room. "There are five of us; perfect!"
Of course we weren't going out for karaoke; we were in the middle of the mountains in China. Instead, we had our own private karaoke session right there in the hotel room. As all of us (including Jackie) stumbled through the lyrics to"Endless Love" and the Rob-B-Hood theme, our sides ached from laughing. It was a welcome release from the high emotion of the previous days. Soon it was time for sleep; tomorrow would be another busy day and our last on this trip.
Day Four, July 28
We rose early to prepare for our last visit to a Dragon's Heart School for this trip. After checking out, we drove further up into the mountains to a school in Langdai. It didn't seem possible that we would encounter people poorer than those we'd already met, but this place was the most disturbing. Although we were treated to a welcome by costume-clad locals and got to see a sparkling new school building, it was what I found behind the stage near the old school that was the most shocking. While Jackie took the stage to talk to the audience, I wandered around back behind the stage. My intention was to photograph the classrooms of the old building so you could see the conditions that students were forced to learn in. As I looked around the building and took some photos, I noticed that I was being followed by several very curious children. They weren't scared, but they kept their distance. One boy in particular stayed exactly six feet from me the entire time he followed. Finally I turned to him and said hello in English. And then in Mandarin. I received no response, but his face softened a bit as I babbled on nonsensically to him. I kneeled down on the ground and pointed to my camera, wordlessly asking him if I could take his photo. He said nothing, but sat still while I focused on him and released the shutter. As I examined the 
image on the screen of the camera, I turned it toward him so he could see himself in the photo. Wow! A big smile shot across his face and he came to life. All of a sudden I was surrounded by half a dozen little kids who wanted to see the picture. I took photos of some of them and they laughed and jumped up and down as they saw themselves on the tiny screen of my camera. Why, you may be asking yourself, is this so disturbing? It was the condition of the children that took my breath away. Their hair, bodies, and clothing were filthy. Many of them had sores and injuries; one boy had a terrible hunchback and another had only half of one arm. But despite this, they managed to smile and enjoy an odd looking foreigner and her magic camera. Honestly, I had to fight back the tears as I continued on my way to take photos of some of the more fortunate children who were attending the event. But it was the image of these dirty and sick children that would prove to be impossible to shake from my mind.
I went back to the stage area, keeping true to the promise I made to myself to stay close to Jackie so I didn't get left behind. He was still talking to the audience and as I watched, he came to the corner of the stage and sat at a little table to write a message to the children. Amazingly, I found myself in just the right place at just the right time and managed to get a photo of him from a pretty cool vantage point. For the entire trip I was torn between wanting to photograph the events that Jackie was conducting and wanting to go behind the scenes and find some other interesting things to share with you. It was difficult to balance the two.
We went from the stage for a tour of the new school; a dozen people surrounding Jackie in a mad rush to get his photo or to get in a photo with him. I was hovering on the edge taking some pictures of the room when Jackie told me to stay behind and take some photos of the rooms after he was done touring them. Visions of the mad dash that Fibe and I made through the crowds flashed through my mind and I tell you with all sincerity that I took the photos Jackie wanted in record time. I ran down the stairs and followed him out to the car, happy not to be left behind.
We went back to the cars and drove to a hotel near the airport where Jackie gave several more interviews to the press while I investigated the surrounding area a bit. I was alone, so I was hesitant to stray too far and decided that I'd better just stay at the hotel. I watched Jackie answer countless questions and waited as each reporter took just a little bit more time than they were alloted, resulting in Jackie having to eat his lunch in about 40 seconds (which he did, standing up). On the ride to the airport, everyone was visibly exhausted but happy that it had been a successful trip. There was the usual photos-in-the car session, with Jackie taking delight in photographing sleeping staff members with his camera phone. Incredibly, he talked some more to the video team that had accompanied us (a reporter and a videographer from Hong Kong). If I ever had any doubts that Jackie runs at high gear every waking moment, they are gone now. His energy is legendary.
Now that I have finished telling you the story, I can't help but feel that I've failed in some way. There are so many more things that I want you to know about; things I saw along the way. Houses made of crumbling stone, no running water, children playing barefoot on a rocky clearing, kids sitting by the side of the highway watching the occasional car go by. "They have nothing else to do," Jackie told me. "There's nothing for them to do." I want to tell you about all of the staff and volunteers on the trip and about how hard they worked; about the generosity of Jackie's friends and the people at the auction; about the excitement and love that Jackie generated everywhere he went. I want you to know about the lighter moments of the trip; Jackie's constant teasing and joke-cracking; his endless pranks. I want you to see the look on his face when he talks to the children or when he sees the sparkling new school building. I want you to feel his frustration about not being able to do enough. "I'm only one person," he laments. "I can't do enough!" You should know that he wants so much for these kids. He told me that as he looked through the classrooms, he thought that they should be equipped with computers, that the tables and benches weren't of the best quality. "If I was in charge of the money, there would be only one school," he said. "I would spend all the money on one building trying to get it perfect." I told him that was why he needed people to do these things for him; more could get done. But of course he knows that.
On the way to the airport I asked Jackie two more questions. First I asked him what he wants from his fans when it comes to the charities. Here is what he said:
"I want to tell them that I know that there are poor children all over the world, not just in China. I don't expect them to support the children in my country. But I do expect them to support the children in their own countries. And if they can't give money to the poor, find another way to help. At least take care of your town, your city. Support your country.
I want to tell them to be satisfied with what they have, not to always go buy the latest model of phone or MP3 player. To think about what is really important. It's not important to have sneakers that cost US$100.
Mostly I want to tell them that although I appreciate all the wonderful things that fans have given me, I want them to stop buying me presents. Years ago I finally got across to my Japanese fans that I don't want any more presents. Now they all send me money for my birthday, for Christmas. It's wonderful! Tell the fans just to send me a little money for the charities. It doesn't have to be much; even a dollar is a help. Tell them that if they love me, then they will support the things that mean the most to me - my charity work and my films."
The last question I asked Jackie was whether he could summarize his feelings about the last four days. His answer:
"There are no words to tell everyone how moving it's been," he said. He hesitated, thinking. "No. I just can't put it into words."
And that from a man who can talk a blue streak on just about any subject imaginable.
When we arrived at the airport for our flight back to Hong Kong, I thought that the high emotion of the previous days had come to an end. But as we approached the private entrance, an elderly man came running out of nowhere, screaming "Cheng Long! Cheng Long!" He was waving an ancient camera in the air with one hand, and in his other hand were two large books. Jackie's bodyguards immediately moved to keep the man away, but he was screaming and begging to say hello to Jackie. As the bodyguards fought him off, Jackie instructed them to let him through. The man shook Jackie's hand, gave him the books, and began weeping, telling Jackie how much he loved him. After they took a photo, we were able to proceed into the airport. When we got inside, I took the books from Jackie and had a quick look inside one of them. The man had written pages of verse to Jackie, and had carefully pasted the recent newspaper coverage of the charity events into the book. Even now as I sit and write this, I get the shivers when I remember the intense emotion in the old man's voice when he finally got to meet Jackie.
Finally it was time to board the plane back to Hong Kong. Luckily, the flight was relatively empty and many of us had a row of seats to ourselves. I got myself comfortable, determined to practice my JC Group sleeping-on-the road technique. I put my head back on the pillow, pulled the blanket up under my chin, and closed my eyes. As I sat there waiting for sleep to come, I suddenly found that tears were running down my face. Try as I might, I could not stop them. Images of the children and of all the people and events I'd seen in the past four days flashed through my mind. I thought about what Jackie had said, about how unfair it was that there are so many children suffering. I had promised Jackie to do my best to make my experience real for the readers. I hope this story has accomplished that, and if it hasn't, then I hope I can rely on the old thought that a picture is worth a thousand words and when you look at the photos you will be able to feel what it's like to be there. I hope.
If you would like to make a donation to the Dragon's Heart Foundation using your credit card, please click here and choose "Dragon's Heart Foundation" from the drop down box. Remember that no amount is too small.
To see five photo albums from this Dragon's Heart Charity trip, please click here.
Photos ©2006 The JC Group. All Rights Reserved.
As you sit and read this, you may find it hard to believe that such conditions exist in our modern world. Children left to fend for themselves? Walking 2 ½ hours over two mountains to attend school? Well, I hope that after reading this you will know that for every little girl with a yellow ribbon in her hair and no parents to care for her, there are thousands more.|
posted on Friday, Aug 13, 2010
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posted on Friday, May 08, 2009
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