Jackie Chan's Life and Work
Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan was born in 1954, the son of a poor couple who had just come to Hong Kong from the Province of Shandong, China. When he was born, his parents could barely raise the money for the hospital bill, and were almost forced to adopt him out to the delivering doctor. His parents tried very hard to raise money to pay the hospital bill and took Jackie, their only child, home. They named him Chan Kong-sang, which means "born in Hong Kong", to celebrate their safe arrival in Hong Kong.
The family lived in the French Embassy for a while because Jackie's father worked as a cook there and his mother as a housekeeper. Jackie did not like school so much and he left after finishing Primary One.
When Jackie was seven years old, his father was hired as chief chef in the American Embassy in Australia and went there to improve the family's financial status. At the age of seven, Jackie's life changed direction as he studied at the Chinese Drama Academy, studying and working 19 hours a day under the famous Chinese Opera Master, Yu Jim-Yuen. The students practiced Kung Fu, stunts, flips and somersaults, and helped with cleaning and washing up. Jackie was named Yuen Lou by his Master. Together with six other pupils whose names also had the same prefix "Yuen" - Yuen Lung (Samo Hung), Yuen Tai, Yuen Wah, Yuen Mo, Yuen Kwai and Yuen Biao - they were chosen for the leading role in an Opera called Seven Little Fortunes. From then on, Jackie and his "Yuen" brothers were referred to as the Seven Little Fortunes and often staged public performances at the then Laiyuen Amusement Park and other venues.
At the time, Chinese Opera was declining. Their "Si-fu" (meaning teacher) started to loan the Seven Little Fortunes and the other kids out as stuntmen in films. Then at the age of 17, Jackie left the Drama Academy and became Jackie the fearless stuntman, undertaking many dangerous assignments in Shaw Brothers Film Company. Jackie then met with old friend Samo Hung, who
Jackie Chan was born in 1954, the son of a poor couple who had just come to Hong Kong from the Province of Shandong, China. When he was born, his parents could barely raise the money for the hospital bill, and were almost forced to adopt him out to the delivering doctor. His parents tried very hard to raise money to pay the hospital bill and took Jackie, their only child, home. They named him Chan Kong-sang, which means "born in Hong Kong", to celebrate their safe arrival in Hong Kong.
The family lived in the French Embassy for a while because Jackie's father worked as a cook there and his mother as a housekeeper. Jackie did not like school so much and he left after finishing Primary One.
When Jackie was seven years old, his father was hired as chief chef in the American Embassy in Australia and went there to improve the family's financial status. At the age of seven, Jackie's life changed direction as he studied at the Chinese Drama Academy, studying and working 19 hours a day under the famous Chinese Opera Master, Yu Jim-Yuen. The students practiced Kung Fu, stunts, flips and somersaults, and helped with cleaning and washing up. Jackie was named Yuen Lou by his Master. Together with six other pupils whose names also had the same prefix "Yuen" - Yuen Lung (Samo Hung), Yuen Tai, Yuen Wah, Yuen Mo, Yuen Kwai and Yuen Biao - they were chosen for the leading role in an Opera called Seven Little Fortunes. From then on, Jackie and his "Yuen" brothers were referred to as the Seven Little Fortunes and often staged public performances at the then Laiyuen Amusement Park and other venues.
At the time, Chinese Opera was declining. Their "Si-fu" (meaning teacher) started to loan the Seven Little Fortunes and the other kids out as stuntmen in films. Then at the age of 17, Jackie left the Drama Academy and became Jackie the fearless stuntman, undertaking many dangerous assignments in Shaw Brothers Film Company. Jackie then met with old friend Samo Hung, who