Action icon Jackie Chan says China gave him the stories that made him who he is

Jackie Chan has revealed the three wishes that guided him when he began his career, saying they were always centred on Chinese cinema, Chinese filmmakers and the next generation.

The martial arts icon shared a series of photographs on his Instagram page from places he has visited across China over the years, including the Great Wall of China in Beijing in 2004, the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center in 2010 and Deshengbao in Shanxi in 2019.

Reflecting on the images, Chan said they brought back memories of the excitement, hard work and youthful energy of his early years in filmmaking.

“Looking at these old photos, I can still feel it — the exhaustion, the excitement, the youth I left on those sets somewhere in China,” he wrote. “Over the years, no matter where I go, my friends around the world warmly call me ‘Jackie’.”

The actor spoke about his strong bond with his homeland and said China played a defining role in shaping both his life and career. While his films introduced many international audiences to Chinese culture, he said the country itself had first given him the stories and values that inspired him.

“It was the movies that gave me that name and allowed me to share stories across borders,” Chan said. “But the further I travelled, the more I thought about where it all began. It was China that made me.”

He said values such as kindness, perseverance and sincerity were deeply rooted in him long before he became a global star.

Chan also recalled the ambitions he had when he first entered the film industry.

“When I started out, I carried three wishes: for Chinese cinema, for Chinese filmmakers and for the next generation,” he said.

The 71-year-old actor added that he now carries a fourth wish — to encourage people around the world to visit the country he loves and experience its culture and stories for themselves.