by Katharine Schroeder

In the Fall of 2004, Jackie established the Dragon’s Heart Foundation with the goal of helping the very poorest people in China lead better lives. Although Jackie has been involved in charity work since he founded the Jackie Chan Charitable Foundation almost twenty years ago, the Dragon's Heart Foundation is specifically geared toward building schools in remote areas of China and providing school supplies and uniforms for the children. Additionally, the Foundation gives aid to the elderly in China. Since its establishment, Jackie has taken every opportunity to visit these areas to lend support to the people and raise funds. He attends groundbreakings and openings of the Dragon’s Heart Schools and conducts charity auctions. This year’s trip was the most extensive so far, lasting nine days. Here on Jackie’s official website, we share the experience with fans so they can get to know the important charity work that Jackie does.

Day 3
September 17, 2007

It was our third day on the Dragon’s Heart charity mission and it was to be our last in Changchun, China. On the schedule for the day was a trip to the dedication ceremony of the Dragon's Heart Hope Middle School in Changchun City and a visit to Jilin University after which we would begin our journey to our second destination, Wenshang.

The alarm rang at 6:30 AM – we had to get an early start. Sleep last night had been fitful; it was difficult to stop thinking about all the children I had met the day before. As I said in my first Scrapbook entry about this trip, the orphans were well cared for, but no matter how you look at it, it's terribly sad that all of these children are growing up without the love and care of their own families. I kept thinking about the kids and about what Jackie had said last night during dinner. He told us that although he knew that this orphan facility was supported by several different organizations including Dragon’s Heart, he felt a strong need to visit the children here to give them moral support and to show them his love and concern. Growing up without family is something that Jackie knows all about. When he was only seven years old, he was separated from his parents and sent away to a school which was in some ways identical to the place we had just visited.

After breakfast, we left the hotel and headed for the opening ceremony at the Dragon’s Heart Hope Middle School. In the car Jackie was quiet and thoughtful, choosing to sit and look out the window instead of talking or joking. He had been deeply moved by yesterday’s visit to the orphanage, although you won't know that from the photos unless you look very closely. He is working hard on controlling his feelings when he’s around the children because he’s afraid that they might be upset by seeing Big Brother Jackie crying.

At 9:00 we arrived at the Dragon’s Heart Hope Middle School, where over 900 students were waiting to greet Jackie. The children, dressed in brand new school uniforms and waving red flags, lined the streets and entryway to the campus. Jackie waved back from the van as we approached the school. There were so many happy faces and the atmosphere was very festive with all the kids chanting “Welcome Uncle Jackie! We love you!” and waving flowers and flags. These kids had been waiting a long time for their hero to pay a visit.

After greeting all the children, Jackie and the Australian International School students were escorted to a small building where they met with school officials. The room wasn’t big enough to hold all the Dragon’s Heart volunteers or even all of the school officials, so only Jackie and the students along with the administrators were allowed in. A few of us who were filming or photographing were also admitted.

AIS students Michelle, Janice, Chris, and Nelson along with their chaperone meet with Jackie and school officials.

After everyone had taken a seat around a large table, Jackie spoke to the school officials in Mandarin and then, since all of the students did not speak Chinese, he switched to English. Jackie asked the students to share their feelings about the trip so far. Although we had only been on the trip for two days, the students expressed their gratitude for being invited and said that they felt the trip was raising their personal awareness of the serious need that existed in China.

Jackie listens to comments from a student.

As I listened to Jackie and the students talk, I glanced out the window and was startled to see a very unhappy face staring up at me. A young schoolgirl was standing outside desperately trying to get a look at Jackie and was unsuccessfully trying to aim a video camera in his direction.

She looked like she was ready to burst into tears, so I impulsively put my hand out and gestured to her to give me her camera. She eagerly thrust it through the window and I took it and aimed it at Jackie for a few minutes. Occasionally out of the corner of my eye I would see the top of the girl’s head bobbing up and down as she jumped, trying to see over the high windowsill. When I was finished I handed the camera back to her and gave her a thumbs up. Her worried expression disappeared and a big smile spread across her face. I amused myself imagining how her friends and family would react when they popped in the video and hit “play.” Surely they’d wonder how this little girl got so close to Uncle Jackie – right in the room with him, as a matter of fact.

When the meeting ended we left the little building and walked toward an enormous courtyard where 900 students were seated and waiting for Jackie. The minute they saw him, they let out a collective roar and began waving their colorful Dragon’s Heart cards back and forth, chanting his name. It was a beautiful day and the deep blue sky made a striking background for the gently waving red balloons. You will see these large red balloons with greetings and messages written on colorful banners dangling beneath them at many celebrations in China. They are unlike anything I've ever seen anywhere else and in China they're a signal to those near and far that something important is taking place.

Jackie took his seat on the stage and listened as school officials and students welcomed him warmly to Changchun City. They thanked him for taking care of them and then they surprised him by presenting a certificate naming him an Honorary Principal of the school. Jackie was visibly delighted and yelled out “I’ve been promoted!” to which everyone responded by bursting out laughing.

Document declaring Jackie an Honorary Principal of the school.

The school officials and students had gone to a lot of trouble to make this occasion a memorable one, and the always gracious Jackie let them all know how much he appreciated their efforts. When the ceremony was over, Jackie stood at the podium and spoke to the children.

Although he had given a similar speech the day before at the orphanage, his words to this group of students were heartfelt and sincere.  He encouraged them to work hard for their own good and the good of their country. He gave these children the same message he’d given the orphans: Don’t thank me, but instead help someone else when you are able to. Everyone listened as Jackie’s voice rang out over the courtyard; these kids seemed to be taking each word to heart.

When Jackie was done speaking, he unveiled the dedication plaque and then accepted a check for $2 million RMB (~ US$ 270,000) on behalf of the school. Several of the students presented him with gifts and then a small group performed a beautiful song about home and love, complete with sign language.

"Dragon's Heart Hope Middle School, Changchun City"

Students performing for Jackie.

This young girl held onto Jackie's hand as long as she could.

Jackie watches the students perform.

While Jackie was up on stage, I took a walk around the compound and saw hundreds of people straining to get a glimpse of what was going on. People were lined up outside the gate, some were peeking down from the windows of nearby buildings, and a few were even up in the trees. Jackie’s presence in Changchun City was a very meaningful event for more than just the students. People of all ages had come to have a look at Big Brother.

When the performance was finished, the students invited Jackie to sing “A Sincere Hero” with them, which he was more than happy to do. This song plays in the background of Jackie’s Three Dreams video and has come to be associated with him. The song’s lyrics explore the meaning of a true hero and speak of hope, friendship, and love. It’s a song of encouragement, and so it perfectly complements the feelings that Jackie expresses to students when he visits them on the Dragon’s Heart tours. On this sparkling day in Changchun City, the air was filled with the sound of hundreds of young voices singing along with Jackie.

Once the ceremony ended, Jackie posed for a photo with just about everyone who could fit on or near the stage and then proceeded over for a tour of the dormitories. I followed along to take some photos for you to see. This enormous building housed hundreds of students; some orphans and some boarders. It was clean and provided the necessities for the students, but it was far from what you or I know as home. Each room slept 10 students and had 5 sets of bunk beds. Beneath each bed was a small plastic bowl for washing up and two pairs of slippers. Atop each thin mattress sat a neatly folded blanket. There were a few small posters on the walls, but the rooms were completely absent of any other decoration or extravagance.

While he was taking the tour, Jackie commented to the school official that the room was quite big, but it really wasn’t big by the standards most of us are used to. As I watched Jackie’s face, I could see the wheels spinning in his head. He was thinking about what he could do to make this a more comfortable place for the students to live. His comment on the room’s large size probably came from a comparison in his mind to rooms he’d seen before. He was very contemplative as he looked around, so we left him with his thoughts for a minute or two before we proceeded.

As we passed through the cafeteria, a group of female kitchen workers came charging at us, screaming out Jackie’s name. He stopped to greet them and they were completely overjoyed. I will never stop being impressed by the reaction Jackie draws from people of every make and model.

After leaving the building, Jackie posed for a photo with the kitchen staff and it was then that a representative for the students presented him with a very special gift – a pair of hand-embroidered slippers that had taken 50 hours to make. Jackie accepted them with great enthusiasm and thanked the woman over and over again.

When we exited the dormitory building, I was surprised to discover that the entire courtyard had been cleared of chairs and all the podiums, stands, and benches had disappeared. I couldn’t figure out how this could have happened so quickly, but Jackie’s assistant Dorothy knew exactly how. She had stayed behind while Jackie toured the building, and she watched as each student picked up his or her own chair and brought it back inside the school building. This is surely a most efficient and cost-effective way to clean up. It would have taken a crew of three men several hours to complete the same task. 

Dorothy took this photo of the students carrying their own chairs back into the building.

After Jackie bid farewell to the students and school officials, we boarded our van for the trip back to the hotel. Jackie waved goodbye through the window and then when he saw the crowd starting to surround the van, he moved to the very back to wave. He does this to try to keep people from pressing in on the sides. He figures if he's in the very back people will stay behind the van, thus reducing their risk of getting run over or hurt.

On the way home from events, Jackie will often talk about a particular thing that struck him and today he talked about the shoes. He was so impressed with the amount of time and work that had gone into making them, and he examined them closely, showing all of us the intricate embroidery and bright colors. Jackie gets many beautiful gifts from fans, and some of his most treasured are those that are handmade with love and care, just for him.

During lunch back at the hotel we received the news that our visit to Jilin University had been cancelled. Jackie was disappointed; he likes visiting the older students as well as the younger ones. He was concerned about the university students and how they would react to the cancellation. There was no information about why the trip was cut, nor was there any blame assigned. There was a problem, that’s all Jackie was told.

The change in the schedule turned out to be a bonanza for the Australian International students. Although they were also disappointed about the Jilin University trip, the opening in Jackie’s schedule gave them the once in a lifetime opportunity to spend some time with him away from reporters or crowds of people. Upon realizing that Jackie had a block of unscheduled time, X Lee got the idea for the students to join him for a casual talk. I agreed with him that this was a great opportunity for the kids and so we presented the idea to Jackie and he liked it too.

X Lee and I went to Jackie’s suite to set up the sitting area for the meeting. When we got there, I didn’t see Jackie right away, so I went to find him. He was standing in the middle of his bedroom holding the remote control for the lights and looking perplexed. When he saw me, he threw up his hands and said, “I just can’t figure this thing out!” 

“Oh my God!” I said. “Neither can I! Turning on lights that I don’t want on and turning off ones that I do want on! I thought it was just me.”

"And what if you can't find the remote in the dark?" he asked as I nodded in sympathy. "And what if the battery dies? Aye!!"

I felt better about my struggles with the remote when I found that even Jackie, who is very good at figuring out gadgets, was also mystified by it. It was then that I noticed that Jackie’s bed looked like something from a Las Vegas honeymoon suite – it was round and covered with frilly pillows! I chuckled as I thought of such a masculine guy sleeping on such a frou-frou bed. But of course Jackie didn’t care what the bed looked like; he can fall asleep anywhere.

Soon the students and their chaperone arrived at Jackie’s suite for their visit. X Lee was there not only to record the interview, but to keep the meeting running smoothly by encouraging the students to ask Jackie questions or to interact with him. X Lee has such a nice way of talking to the kids, and he immediately put them at ease.

The meeting took place in the small sitting area in Jackie’s suite. X Lee urged the students to ask Jackie questions, which they did. Jackie responded at length, telling them about his experiences with other Dragon’s Heart trips, particularly the one we took last year. The trip through Guizhou last year was heart wrenching and intense and it is still very fresh in Jackie’s mind. He told the students about the handicapped teacher who walked up the mountain every day for more than 30 years to get to his classroom despite the fact that he had only stumps for legs. He told them about the little girl who had to walk to a nearby village to sell wood to help support her grandmother. Jackie told these stories with tremendous passion and said that there are “a thousand thousand” more stories out there, one sadder than the next. He remembers each story that he hears because, he says, he can't forget. He told the students that people have to get involved; that once they get involved they will never, ever be able to stop helping. Jackie was generous in sharing his feelings with the students, and spoke from his heart as they listened somberly.

Jackie is the first one to admit that when he was younger, he thought only of himself. He couldn’t have cared less about what anyone else needed. He said that what mattered to him was getting the biggest diamond watch or the newest model car. Keep in mind that Jackie was very poor when he was growing up and had few material possessions. When he began to make some serious money, it went to his head and he would just spend spend spend. He’s come a long way and it’s to his credit that he changed his thinking long ago and began to consider what he could do for others rather than for himself.

The small gathering lasted over an hour during which Jackie shared as much as he could with the students to convince them that being involved in charitable giving is something that is everyone’s responsibility. One of the students asked him about his charity work as it relates to his fame. Jackie told her that when he first began doing charity work, he did it quietly and didn’t tell anyone what he was up to. He didn’t want anyone to think he was doing it for publicity or to make everyone think he was a nice guy. So he kept silent. Then one day a friend of his told him he was making a mistake. He said that Jackie had a golden opportunity to raise awareness because of his fame. It was only then that he began inviting the media to join him on his charity trips and now Jackie realizes that the media plays an important part in spreading the word. (I will tell you a secret here. Jackie has never abandoned his quiet involvement in many other charities. You just won’t read about them in the news. Shhh!)

Jackie said that he was aware that people will imitate celebrities; they will wear what celebrities wear, eat what they eat, drive the same cars. His hope is that people will also follow the positive behaviors of famous people and so he encourages media coverage of his charity work. After Jackie finished this thought he paused and then told the students that when they become involved in charity work, they will impress their parents and make them proud. He encouraged them to get the other students in their school involved.

Jackie talked about his distress over the lack of balance in society - some people are so rich and others are so poor. He won't stop working hard until there is harmony and balance with regard to the way people live. He said that most people don't understand that while they're leading the good life, there are so many people who have nothing; not even enough food to eat. He remembered a dinner he'd attended one evening where he sat listening to the men talk about buying private jets, the women talking about buying expensive handbags, and the kids talking about buying the new iPhone. He became very agitated and finally he called everyone over to sit with him and he told them about some of the people he'd encountered during his charity work. He said that some of the women had tears running down their faces by the time he was done. (Then he joked that they went right back to their tables and resumed their discussion about where they would next go shopping.)

Watching Jackie talk about his charity work is completely mesmerizing because he brings the stories to life and makes you feel like you were there with him. The students were completely captivated listening to Jackie talk about the little girl who hid her blindness from her mother because she knew her mom could not afford the price of a pair of glasses (the glasses cost a fraction of what a bottle of water costs). Jackie said that it was impossible for him not to react to this little girl as she told her story and thanked him. "I couldn't stop it," he said. "My tears just started coming down." Then Jackie reminded the students again that these were just a few of the thousands of stories of people struggling all over the world.

The meeting wasn’t entirely focused on sad stories. Jackie gave the students his trademark speech about labeling water bottles with one’s initials and crushing them before throwing them away. He also told several very funny stories and even gave the kids a preview of two or three of his future movie projects. During his storytelling, Jackie never stayed put in his seat very long; he regularly jumped up to physically illustrate something that he was saying. It’s always an adventure to watch Jackie tell a story and to watch X Lee tape him. Because X Lee has known Jackie for so long, he is able to anticipate his movements as he’s recording, and if you are standing nearby while X Lee’s taping and Jackie’s jumping, you’d be smart to stay alert because you might get hit in the head with a video camera or Jackie’s fist as he punches the air!

As I watched Jackie, I couldn’t help but wonder for the hundredth time what it would be like to make him sit on his hands while tied in a chair and have him try to tell a story. He uses his body to illustrate so many points and his physical additions to his tales are very much a part of his style. I don’t think he could do it.

When the meeting ended, the students left and Jackie joined some government officials for lunch. Then it was time to pack and get ready to leave Changchun. We would be catching a flight to Wenshang later in the day and had a lot to do before departure.

We drove to the airport and after checking in we joined Jackie in a private room to wait for our flight to board. Although the plane ride to Wenshang in the Shandong Province of China would be short, there would be a long car ride from the airport to our hotel. 

Jackie and X Lee raid the snack table in the waiting room.

During the ride, everyone fell asleep (execpt me and the driver, of course). I spent the time working on my laptop until its battery died, then I just sat back and looked out the window, something I find enjoyable during the long car rides we sometimes have to take. About halfway to the hotel we stopped at a rest area, then piled back into the vans for the remainder of our trip.

On a magazine cover at the rest stop newsstand we spotted a familiar face.

When we arrived at the hotel in Wenshang, we were amazed to see hundreds of people waiting outside in the rain. It was after midnight, yet the crowd was enormous! The fans waiting to see Jackie were quite agitated and began pushing, shoving, and shouting almost immediately when we pulled up. This is the kind of situation that can become very dangerous for Jackie, so the bodyguards were working quite hard to keep him surrounded and safe from the crowd that was pushing in from all directions. As Fibe and I tried to make our way into the hotel I realized that it was hopeless and that our best bet was just to move to the side and let everyone get by first, then try to get inside. I saw the surprised faces of the Australian School students and their chaperone and noticed that they had moved to the side already - a very smart move.

It's almost impossible to spot Jackie in this crowd. Thanks to his bodyguard team he made it safely into the hotel.

Once Jackie had gotten into the hotel, it was easier for us to make our way through, which we did. After scrambling into the elevator, we were shown to our room where we waited until almost 2:00 in the morning for the van with our luggage to arrive, then we gratefully fell into bed, completely exhausted. Tomorrow we would begin our work in Wenshang, the second city of this year's Dragon's Heart trip in China.

One o'clock in the morning and no luggage. Fibe checks her email while we wait.

Just for fun we put together a 360 degree panorama view of the ceremony at the Dragon's Heart Hope Middle School. Click here to have a look. (In order to view this file, you need Flash player 9 installed on your computer. You can download it .)

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