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 7
September 21, 2007

Today would be the seventh day of our Dragon’s Heart charity trip through China. As we prepared to leave the beautiful hotel we’d stayed at for just one short night, everyone regretted the lack of time we’d had to enjoy the elegant accommodations. This morning we faced a two hour drive to Hangjin Qi where we would attend the opening ceremony of the Hangjin Qi Dragon’s Heart Primary School, visit a farm where elderly people lived and worked, and then head off to an auction at the Erdos Prairie Resort. Although it was quite early in the morning, Jackie was very energetic and during breakfast he entertained everyone with stories and jokes, and kept getting up from his seat to run into the other room or look out the window.

  
Jackie, cheerful even at seven in the morning.

One last look out the window before heading off on a new Dragon's Heart adventure.

As we drove through the seemingly endless plateaus and prairies of Erdos, everyone fell asleep of course. But their naps would be quite short; we had our own personal entertainment onboard and everyone was soon awakened for a unique performance. Two young women from a local tribe, both dressed in beautiful native costumes, accompanied us on the trip and after giving a short history of Erdos, they sang Mongolian songs for Jackie. Their performance seemed to inspire him and some of the others, and soon the van was filled with the sound of voices singing. If you happened to drive past us on that long road in the middle of nowhere, you might have heard the laughing and singing and imagined that we were a group of school kids on a field trip.

Eventually we arrived at the small town where Jackie would cut the ribbon for Hangjin Qi Dragon’s Heart Primary School. It was getting hard to keep count of all the schools that he’d built; it was close to twenty now! A quick stop at the hotel to drop off our luggage was the first thing on the agenda. When we arrived, there were people everywhere waiting to welcome Jackie. As he exited the van, government officials, hotel staff, and dozens of other people greeted him and gave him a ceremonial taste of local liquor. It’s always fun to watch Jackie's expression as he tastes these drinks because they have a high alcohol content and although the taste is not unpleasant, it can only be described as shocking, especially at 9:30 in the morning. But Jackie is a gentleman; very respectful of the customs of others, and always gracious.

After dropping off our bags, we climbed back in the vans for a quick ride over to the school grounds. As we approached, we began to see people waiting along the roadside for Jackie to arrive. At first it was just a few people here and there, but the closer we got, the denser the crowds became. Soon it looked like a parade route; people everywhere craning their necks for a better view, some waving banners and flags. I watched Jackie looking out the window at all the smiling people and realized that no matter how many times he sees this kind of reception, he’s touched by it. The look on his face betrayed his delight in being welcomed so warmly.

Jackie was led through the wildly cheering crowd while the rest of us steered clear of the commotion his presence was causing. There were so many people! The crowds were pressing in on the path from the van to the stage and the bodyguards were doing their best to keep Jackie inside a circle of safety. Of course no one means to put Jackie in danger, but the sheer number of people trying to get close to Jackie can create a very dangerous situation. Not to worry, however; the bodyguards did their jobs and Jackie was led safely to the stage.

The weather was perfect; clear and cool with an impossibly blue sky. The sun was shining brightly, causing the area surrounding the stage to appear bursting with color. The atmosphere at the school was joyous; the air filled with excitement.

While Jackie climbed up to the stage and talked to the school officials for a while, I wandered around the crowds with videograher X Lee, saying hello to the students and taking some photos. We went over to where the children were waiting and the kids immediately began waving and smiling, shouting greetings, and reaching out to try to hug us. These kids were by far the friendliest I’ve met on any Dragon’s Heart trip and it was a joy to take their photos; they loved smiling and waving for the camera. A few of them talked to X Lee and two boys showed us the drawings they’d made for Jackie. The kids were so elated that they could barely stand still for even a second. Although they were a naturally happy bunch, their smiles almost doubled in size as soon as I said something in Mandarin. Immediately they all began trying out their English, saying “Hello!” and “How are you? I’m happy to meet you!”

I took as many photos as I could of these lovely children:

Soon we all heard the sound of the national anthem starting up; it was time for the flag raising. After the ceremony, Jackie took a seat on the stage and a little girl came up and gave a speech, thanking the Dragon's Heart Foundation and promising that they would all work hard to make Jackie proud of them.

While the student was speaking, Jackie kept looking over to the side where we were standing. Something was bothering him, but none of us could figure out what it was. Was it the volume of the microphone? We had the sound guy adjust it a little. Were the photographers getting in the way of the kids’ view? We made sure everyone was being respectful of the children and the audience. We checked everything we could think of, but still couldn’t figure out what it was that he was looking at. Anyway, soon it was time for Jackie to give the children their new clothing, and whatever it was that was bothering him was forgotten. We never did find out what it was. With Jackie it’s sometimes difficult to know exactly what he’s noticing because he notices everything. When he walks into a room, his eyes take in everything and everyone. He notices what you’re wearing, what you’re doing, what’s on your desk, whether you look tired. Everything.

Something's bothering Jackie, but what can it be?

The students present Jackie with the hong ling jin, the special red scarf signifying that Jackie is a respected member of the school community.

After the girl made her speech and Jackie gave the children their new clothes, he cut the ribbon and then spoke to the audience for a while. The microphone they gave him to use was enormous and he seemed to get lost behind it. Jackie’s face reflected the amusement he felt in trying to maneuver this gigantic device while speaking. However, he’s a professional and goes with the flow of things, so he just moved his face back and forth behind the mike so people could see him while he was talking. Jackie told the students that he wanted them to be proud of their new school and to love and cherish it. He said it was their responsibility to not only take care of their new school, but to take advantage of the opportunities that getting an education would give them.

Students present Jackie with special gifts.

At each opening ceremony, Jackie cuts off a small piece of ribbon to keep as a memento. See him putting it in his pocket?

As Jackie finished up his speech, the rest of our team headed back toward the van. Jackie was supposed to take a tour of the school, but the security force was very concerned with the size and exuberance of the crowd. A quick decision was made to skip the tour in the interest of Jackie’s safety. With a crowd of this size, there is danger and therefore Jackie would leave immediately when the ceremonies were over.

We watched from the van as Jackie began making his way toward us. The crowd began to push in from every angle and for a few seconds, I was afraid for Jackie. There have only been a few times when I’ve had this feeling: once was when we arrived late at night in Wenshang, once last year in Guizhou, and now. The bodyguards were quite aggressive in defending the safety zone around Jackie and within seconds he was safe and sound inside the van. Although he never appears to be concerned when moving through crowds of this size, he let out a big “Whew!” when he finally landed in his seat inside the car. Within seconds, however, he had recovered and was leaning out the window waving at everyone and shouting at them to be careful; not to get too close to the van. Jackie was disappointed that he didn’t have a chance to see the school, but he would get that opportunity later, so don’t worry.

As we pulled away from the school, we noticed that X Lee wasn’t in the van with us. This is not unusual; he will often wander off on his own to film. But today was not an average day. This crowd was enormous and very excited, and we were a little concerned that X Lee was in the middle of it all. After a few tense moments, we noticed him in the crowd and as the van moved away, X jumped aboard, safe and sound. He never gets flustered when this happens; he takes it in stride and doesn’t seem a bit concerned for his own safety. Often when Jackie gets back into the car after moving through a crowd, his arms are covered with scratches from fans’ sharp fingernails. I always find myself covered with bruises during and after these trips. Despite the care and effort of the security teams, these kinds of events are not completely without hazards.

A few minutes later we were back at our hotel. Jackie had a press conference scheduled for around 11:00 and we barely had a moment to breathe before it began. We went to our rooms for a few minutes, and as I sat at the desk uploading my photos into the computer, I kept hearing the sound of chanting outside. I couldn’t make out what the voices were saying, but it piqued my curiosity enough that I had to go find out what was going on. Down the hallway, in front of Jackie’s room, there were large windows overlooking the front courtyard of the hotel. Standing in the courtyard were a bunch of kids, all looking up at the window, all chanting Jackie’s name over and over again. Jackie went to the window to wave to them before heading off for the press conference and when they saw him they let out a huge cheer and waved their colorful flags.

Jackie, being the good Mandarin teacher that he is, wanted me to attend the press conference to listen to him speak and of course I was happy to do so. I sat down on the floor close by him so I could hear clearly and take some photos; sitting was a good choice because Jackie ended up talking for nearly 45 minutes! He was full of energy and was very lively and animated while answering the endless questions from the press. He talked about many of the same things that he usually talks about during these Dragon’s Heart press conferences, and I had to admire the fact that he can speak with such enthusiasm and passion when he’s said the same thing so many times. But the things he speaks of are things that are very close to his heart, and it’s easy for him share his feelings on the subject. Often Jackie will become emotional during these press conferences, but today's meeting was more lighthearted and he even shared a few laughs with the reporters.

Jackie gestures as he tells the press about the Build a School for a Dollar project.

A reporter stands in front of a photo of Jackie and the children taken at the groundbreaking two years earlier.

He talked at length about the Dragon’s Heart Foundation and the Build a School for a Dollar project. He told the reporters about how his fans from all over the world have used their imaginations and done all kinds of activities to raise money for the Foundation. He mentioned a young fan who donated just a few cents and he said that proved even a three year-old has the power to make a difference. Finally, he gave everyone his speech about not wasting water; showing them how to label their bottles and then crush them to their smallest size when finished.

After the press conference as we headed back to our rooms, Jackie looked out the window and saw that in less than an hour, the crowd down in the courtyard had grown to enormous proportions. There were now hundreds of people and they were making a lot of noise. But it was a happy noise; no one was angry or demanding, they were all smiling and chanting “Cheng Long, Cheng Long, Cheng Long!” Jackie was quite obviously tickled by this show of affection and he stood at the window for a few minutes, waving and blowing kisses. Hundreds of smiling faces beamed up at him as he visited from the safety of the hotel hallway.

Within moments of finishing lunch, everyone scampered to their rooms to grab some rest. We had a two hour break between events and it was a good chance to unpack or maybe take a short nap. Fibe and I decided that the latter would be the best choice, and within minutes both of us had fallen asleep. As can be the case when you sleep at an odd hour of the day, you awaken a bit dazed and confused as to what time it is or even where you are. It took a moment to remember that we were in Erdos, but not at the hotel we were at last night; in a different hotel and it was not morning, but the middle of the day!

We rushed to get our things together and went to join Jackie in his room. He was still sleeping, so we had to wake him up, then wait a few minutes for him to come to his senses before we headed down to the waiting van. As we passed through the hotel lobby, I noticed that it was decorated with beautiful posters of Jackie. What a loving tribute to him! Everywhere we go, people show such a tremendous regard and respect for Jackie, and Erdos was no exception.

The banner in Jackie's room reads "Warmly welcome Mr. Jackie Chan visiting Henjin Qi."

It was a short ride over to the Liang Center’s Elderly Rest Home, and when we arrived there Jackie was greeted by some of the center’s residents who performed a small ceremony of welcome, beating drums and marching in a circle to the music. Jackie presented the residents with clothing and supplies and then he talked to them for a few minutes, telling them about his own dad who is 93 years old. He talked about taking pride in having led a full and productive life and encouraged the residents to continue to find new happiness as they got older.

Jackie watches the welcoming performance.

Some of the residents.

Supplies.

A young onlooker has a good view of Jackie.

Afterwards Jackie was given an extensive tour of the facilities by a group of very proud residents. He told me later about how he felt when he was going through this unique elderly facility. He said that he was so happy to see that the residents were raising their own vegetables and caring for pigs, chickens, goats, and cows. He feels that this kind of arrangement is beneficial for the residents because when they are self sufficient, they look forward to getting up in the morning and starting a new day, they take pride in what they’re doing, and they find joy and happiness in their lives. They’re not just sitting somewhere waiting to die; they are productive and proud of their accomplishments. He worries about the elderly getting cast aside because they are no longer considered useful to society; he feels that this is disrespectful to the lives they’ve led and the things they’ve done for their families and for their country. He said that when you look at a group of elderly people like these, you have to remember that they are the ones who worked to help make China a better place. They deserve care, love, and respect.

Jackie admires a tomato grown by the residents. He told them that he used to grow his own vegetables and said that when you grow them yourself, they just taste better!

One of the farm buildings.

The tomato plants soak up the bright Mongolian sun.

I followed Jackie and the group for a while, then headed off in another direction to have a look around on my own. I was so surprised and happy at what I saw: meticulously cared for vegetable gardens, healthy looking animals in clean pens, buildings and grounds that were obviously well tended, and lots of smiling people working hard. This farm was situated at the edge of a vast prairie and the view beyond the buildings was breathtaking; it was just a lovely place.

As I stood admiring the beautiful landscape, I heard a “Psst!” from above me. It was X Lee, perched on the edge of a window sill.

“Chickens,” he said.
 
“Chickens,” I repeated.

“Yes. Chickens,” he said, pointing to an area behind me. “Jackie will go near the chickens. You should go to the chickens – there will be a good photo to take there.”

I looked over my shoulder and saw a flock of chickens milling about in a small clearing and noticed Jackie and the rest of the group approaching. I hurried over to wait for them to come and sure enough, Jackie immediately ran into the middle of the chickens, sending them squawking and flapping in all directions. The tips I get from X Lee are the ones that you won't find in any "How-To" book on photography. I am always grateful for his help.

After visiting with the chickens, Jackie and the group moved on, and X Lee joined me so he could take some footage of the flock. This may seem unusual, but knowing X Lee, he will make good creative use of it somewhere down the line. Before we left to join Jackie, I took a few photos of X with the chickens. I must tell you that after every trip, when I’m going through the hundreds of photos I’ve taken, there are always one or two that are my favorites. They might have nothing to do with the event we’ve attended; they just have a special something that makes me smile every time I look at them. My chicken pictures of X fall into that category.

So many chickens, so little time.

Going in for the chicken-level view.

Mission accomplished.

Soon it was time to leave the farm, and after Jackie posed for some photos with the residents, we all got into the van for the quick trip back to the hotel. Once there, Jackie ran off to grab some more sleep and the rest of us went to our rooms. No sooner had I put my gear down than X Lee came in and asked me if I wanted to join him up at the Erdos Prairie Resort. I knew that we would be going there later for an auction, so I was a little confused as to why we would want to go so early, but I immediately agreed; I could just find out the details later. I said goodbye to Fibe and went down to the car with X Lee and Ah Yuen, the Dragon’s Heart photographer.

We drove for a while, past the small towns and houses and then turned up onto a dirt road and drove for an even longer while. X Lee told me that he wanted to go up early and have a look around, then find a good location to film Jackie’s arrival, scheduled for around 5:00 that afternoon. As we began to get closer to the prairie resort (don’t worry, I’ll tell you in a minute what a “prairie resort” is; I didn’t know either) the landscape began to change dramatically. Soon all we could see were endless grassy plains dotted with hundreds of goats and the occasional tree.

We got out of the car before we reached the resort and took some photos of the goats. While doing this, I was reminded of Jackie’s observation earlier when we were driving through the prairie. He noticed that all the goats stood facing the same direction while they were grazing. We had discussed why that would be, and had come up with some creative answers:

1. They’re playing “follow the leader.”
2. If a predator approaches, they are all prepared to run off together in the same direction.
3. They are standing with their backs to the wind.
4. They don’t want to watch each other chew.

There were several more colorful explanations not fit to share with you here. Anyway, I don’t know if goats in all parts of the world graze while facing the same direction, but in Inner Mongolia, that seems to be their habit.

All facing to the right. Do they know something we don't know?

We got back in the car and headed up towards the Erdos Prairie Resort. Now I will tell you what a prairie resort is. (I read it on the informational board in front of the super yurt.) The Erdos Prairie Resort was built in 2004 and covers an area of 264 square miles (that’s 19 miles long and 25 miles wide). The complex consists of one super Mongolian yurt (a yurt is a traditional Mongolian tent), four extra luxury yurts, one hundred eighty nine luxury yurts, and fifty traditional ones. In the super yurt, you can see traditional Mongolian dances, attend weddings, and enjoy Mongolian foods. The resort offers horseback riding, archery, and “visits with the herdsmen.” It was built to satisfy the desire of people to experience all that Inner Mongolia has to offer and it is very unique and beautiful. I later found out that it is immensely popular and people come from all over China to enjoy what it has to offer. The reason we were there was because the charity dinner and auction would be held in the super yurt, which holds hundreds of people. The resort itself can accommodate up to 1,000 people!

The "super yurt" where the auction would be held.

I walked around for a while, taking some photos and trying to figure out exactly what some of the things I saw were. I felt like I was at Disneyland –not sure what’s real or what’s fake. Soon I heard the wailing of a baby and went to investigate. There on the path was a little girl dressed in beautiful traditional Mongolian clothing, looking like she stepped straight out of a National Geographic magazine. With her was the screaming and crying toddler. I watched for a few seconds and soon realized that the baby was the girl's little brother, and she was mercilessly teasing and tormenting him. I thought to myself that no matter where you are, children are basically the same. In every corner of the world, there are older sisters teasing their younger brothers, kids throwing a ball back and forth, kids’ faces lighting up when they meet a personal hero. It doesn’t matter if it’s in New York, Beijing, Rio de Janeiro, or Erdos. There’s something comforting in knowing that there is a common human experience everywhere in the world.

But for this little guy, it was just really irritating.

Do you think this girl also teased her little brother when she was growing up?

"Service"

In Inner Mongolia, you park your Mongolian horse outside your yurt.

Look at how small these horses are. The man in yellow is average height.

I took a few more photos, then joined X Lee to walk some more around the complex, look at the buildings, and admire the beautiful scenery. We walked up to where the horseback riding area was, and I watched with fascination as X Lee talked to the herdsmen for a few seconds, waving his arms around and gesturing all over the place, obviously explaining to them something he wanted them to do for the camera. I couldn’t follow the conversation very well, but soon got the idea that X wanted to film them riding around him in a circle. I was presented with a dilemma; where to stand? If X Lee was filming 360 degrees, I would obviously show up on camera, especially since I was wearing a pumpkin colored t-shirt. The only solution was to stand directly behind X Lee and hang onto the back of his shirt as he swung his camera around in a circle. On X’s signal, the horses began circling him and he filmed away as they thundered round and round. Although I wasn’t frightened of the horses – they’re very small – I was a little concerned for my camera equipment when the animals came perilously close to us as they circled. But all was well. I got a bit of dust into my equipment, but other than that there was no problem.

After finishing up that routine, one of the riders went far out onto the prairie and X Lee told me to get ready. He didn’t exactly tell me what to get ready for, so it was with some surprise that I watched the rider galloping full speed directly at us. I did my best to remain professional (and remain still) as the horse got bigger and bigger in my viewfinder. I was (somewhat) confident of the rider’s ability to steer the animal around us as they hurtled straight towards us. Of course he did, and all was well. 

This horse and rider were moving very quickly directly at the camera!

By now the time was approaching for Jackie’s arrival, so we walked back from the horseback riding area, past the super yurt and the little yurts, and down the road a ways. We were sidelined by a group of tourists who wanted to take a photo with me. Remember, not many Westerners venture out into this area of Inner Mongolia. I felt a bit foolish as I posed for photos with a group of giggling teenage girls, a little boy who was obviously afraid of me, and an entire family, including grandma and grandpa. Finally I was set free and X Lee and I continued on our way. We looked around for a good vantage point where we could photograph Jackie’s arrival. It would be quite impressive because he was going to be escorted up the dirt road by a team of horseback riders dressed in traditional costume. Alongside the dirt road sat three traditional yurts (i.e. they were made of fabric and not concrete like the yurts up at the resort). The sun would be setting behind these yurts and the road ran right in front of them. It was a perfect place and we chose to stay right where we were to wait for Jackie. And wait we did….for an hour and a half.

So what do you do when you’re standing in the middle of nowhere waiting for your boss to come along so you can take his picture? Well, normally you might sit down and make yourself comfortable; you’re on a prairie, aren’t you? All that grass, very comfortable, right? Wrong. The growth beneath our feet was not like any grass I’ve ever seen or touched. It was like little clumps of needles sticking out in all different directions, making it impossible to sit on. If you touched it, you would get these tiny barbed needles stuck in your hands. If you sat down on it….well, you can just imagine. So we had no choice but to stand. We didn’t want to leave our waiting place because we had no idea exactly when Jackie would be coming along; he was expected around 5:00. But obviously there had been some reorganization of the schedule and we had no clue what was going on. So we just waited. Since I had my camera, the logical thing to do was to take some photos. So that’s what we did. I hope you enjoy them:

We looked for a hill to stand on to await Jackie, but since the prairie is very flat, the best we could find was about 6 inches off the ground. Here, X Lee celebrates our victory while standing atop the "mountain." 

The sun begins to set behind the traditional yurts.

Perfect conditions to take silhouettes

Don't worry, it's only water.

While we waited, I asked X Lee how he came to be Jackie’s special event videographer. He told me that he’d begun after being hired as a location director for Jackie’s biographical video, My Story. During the production of that video, X Lee started using a digital video camera, which was much lighter and easier to carry than the large Beta camera he’d always used. Jackie was quite intrigued by the high quality and portability of the digital video, and with X Lee's skill using it. He ended up inviting X to work for him on numerous projects. X did the making-of video for Who Am I and began traveling with Jackie on special trips and charity events. X also did the making of The Myth and several other feature films, and when he’s not working for Jackie he produces and directs television commercials and programs, music videos, and films. Also, if you’ve ever seen Jackie’s Three Dreams video, then you’ve seen X Lee’s wonderful work. He’s aces at what he does and it’s a privilege to work with him and learn from him.

After an hour and a half of talking and taking photos, we saw the caravan of vans and horses approaching from far down the dirt road. It was thrilling to hear the thundering of hoofs and watch as the riders escorted Jackie’s van up the road. As he came near, Jackie opened up the window of the van and waved to us as though he were waving to crowds lining the roads. Of course it was just X Lee, me, and the goats.

Once they’d gone by, we walked up to the super yurt to join Jackie for the dinner and auction. The event would take place inside this massive yurt with ceilings as high as a three or four story building. Every table was occupied by people who had come to contribute to the Dragon’s Heart charity and the atmosphere inside was very lively. There is one thing that probably contributed a little bit to the party feeling inside the room, and that was the Maotai (or Moutai – the spelling is determined by who produces it). Maotai is considered to be the national liquor of China. It is made from the sorghum plant and it contains a whopping 53% alcohol. Everywhere we went throughout our trip, tiny glasses of Maotai awaited us at our dining table. It didn’t matter if it was lunchtime or dinnertime, a toast with Maotai was an essential part of any meal. To say that it has a strong taste would be an understatement. When you drink it, it makes your eyes water, your chest burn, and it takes your breath away. But it has a unique and not unpleasant flavor, so it is quite popular.

This is the ceiling of the yurt. If you don't take care with the Maotai, this is a view you will soon see.

I watched as Jackie was approached time and time again for a toast, and wondered how he would manage to hold all this Maotai if everyone continued to want to toast with him. It is considered quite rude to refuse to drink when someone offers a toast, so Jackie was obliged to participate. Luckily, someone put glasses of wine on the table and he was able to use a sip of wine to satisfy the steady stream of toasters who approached him.

Amidst a great flurry of excitement, a chef came out on the stage to present Jackie with a special dish served only to honored guests. During dinner, we were entertained by dancers and musicians dressed in traditional costume and playing Mongolian songs. It was quite festive and I think it put everyone in the mood for the auction which was to come a little later. I watched with amusement as Jackie was interrupted over and over again during his meal. This may bother some people, but it never bothers Jackie. He will just jump up out of his chair and greet whomever it is that is there to say hello to him, whether he’s eating or not. Sometimes, when he’s interrupted right after taking a big bite of food, he has no choice but to either store what’s in his mouth inside his cheek or continue to chew while listening to someone talk to him. He doesn’t seem bothered by either choice, and neither are the people who are visiting with him. Jackie was well aware that the people here were supporting the good work of the Dragon’s Heart Foundation, and he was very welcoming. Jackie is very easygoing and doesn’t have a lot of rules about how people should behave around him. He is happy when people just act like themselves and show that they are as comfortable and relaxed with him as he is with them.

After dinner it was time for the auction and Jackie was keen on taking an active part in encouraging people to be as generous as they could possibly be. There was a professional auctioneer on hand, but Jackie was on stage the entire time, often grabbing the microphone to encourage the audience or to make a comment on some item being auctioned.

Auctioneer Jackie describes the fine details of his costume from The Myth. It ended up fetching USD $171,230!

Jackie signs General Meng Yi's breastplate.

Another of my favorite photos from the trip. Look at the man who won this auction - he's holding Jackie's hand.

These are the generous people who came to support Jackie and Dragon's Heart.

Jackie gives a big hug to one of the elders of a Mongolian tribe.

She couldn't stop smiling.

As he will often do at these events, Jackie modeled one of the outfits, showing off his best runway moves much to the delight of the crowd. Sometimes I think Jackie was a runway model in another life. He knows exactly how to walk the walk and whenever he does this, everyone loves it.

All of his efforts really paid off; his enthusiasm and encouragement caused the audience to respond very generously and the auction was a huge success. One man who paid a lot of money for one item asked if Jackie would sing a song, and Jackie immediately agreed. Although the band did not know how to play Sincere Hero, Jackie did a great job of singing it nonetheless. The crowd was thrilled to hear him sing live and the applause was deafening.

Once the auction was over, it was time to head back to the hotel. Jackie was quite energized in the car on the way home, and he talked non-stop about his happiness over the success of the auction. As we began our drive down the long dirt road, dozens of people began chasing the van. Jackie became very concerned, as he always does, especially because it was dark and the road was uneven. Someone could have easily fallen and gotten run over by one of the cars. He called out to them in the loudest voice I have ever heard him use to be careful and stay away from the van. Actually, he screamed right above my ear level and scared me silly. I’ve never heard such a noise come out of his mouth. He is always terribly worried when fans chase the cars and does whatever he can to prevent disaster.

Back at the hotel we all joined Jackie in his room to take photos with him while he was wearing the beautiful blue ceremonial robe. It was great fun, and everyone in the room got to try on the big furry hat and have a picture taken. Afterwards Jackie put on another outfit and posed for photos, and when he was through he couldn’t get the boot off (you know how boots are – easy on, difficult off) so Irene was tugging and pulling until finally Jackie’s foot was released from its prison. We all worked together to try and pack the gifts Jackie had received into his luggage; no easy task. He’d been given several robes, boots, the hat, and a Mongolian horse saddle. After a lot of rearranging, pushing, and shoving, everything was safely stowed into his bags and it was time for everyone to leave.

Jackie gets some help with a traditional robe.

Look at how tiny the boots are!

Irene tries her best to yank Jackie's boot off.

How many people does it take to pack a suitcase? Well, when you try to fit in a saddle, some boots, and several ceremonial robes....it takes a lot of hands.

I went back to my room to put my gear away and check my email before returning to Jackie’s room for a late night snack. I got some disturbing news from home, and was unsuccessful trying to make a phone call to get an update. After getting the news, I wasn’t going to join Jackie and the others for dinner; I figured I wouldn’t be in the mood for visiting, but Fibe told me to come anyway; that it would take my mind off things and I could continue trying to call through the evening. So we went down to Jackie’s room where we were joined by X Lee, Irene, and Mr. Hu. The hotel had sent up a nice selection of food and it was all laid out on a small coffee table. We sat on the couch and on chairs around the little table; it was quite cozy and comfortable. Jackie asked me if I wanted to eat and I told him that I wasn’t hungry. So he laughingly told me just to drink instead and offered me some Maotai. Of course I could not refuse - it would be rude -and I took the glass. Wow! There is nothing in the world quite like Chinese Maotai to put color into your cheeks and set your whole body on fire.

We sat around that little table for many hours, talking, eating, and drinking together. It was wonderful; intimate and unforgettable. As we sat and chatted, Jackie asked me what I thought of the trip so far. I told him how meaningful it had been and how exciting it was to be able to be a part of something as wonderful as the Dragon’s Heart trips. He listened, thought for a second, then teasingly said, “You know, if you worked for another star, you wouldn’t get to go to places like Inner Mongolia or the mountains in Guizhou. See how lucky you are?”

“Of course,” I agreed. “Those poor people who work for other stars have to go to terrible places like fancy dinners at beautiful clubs!”

“Well, we go to those places too, right? But think about it – isn’t this more interesting and fun?”

“Of course it is!” I agreed.

And I meant it from the bottom of my heart.

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Text and photos ©2008 The Jackie Chan Group. All Rights Reserved.

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