JackieChanwasborninHongKongonApril7th,1954.Hisparents,CharlesandLee-leeChannamedhimChanKong-sangwhichmeans"borninHongKong."Jackieweighed12poundswhenhewasbornandhismotherrequiredsurgerytodeliverhim.Jackie'sparentsweresopoorthattheyhadtoborrowmoneyfromfriendstopaythedoctor. 　　AlthoughJackie'sparentswerepoor,theyhadsteadyjobsattheFrenchembassyinHongKong.CharleswasacookandLee-leewasahousekeeper.Together,theChanfamilylivedonVictoriaPeakinHongKong.WhenJackiewasyoung,hisfatherwouldwakehimearlyinthemorningandtogethertheywouldpracticekungfu.CharlesChanbelievedthatlearningkungfuwouldhelpbuildJackie'scharacter,teachinghimpatience,strength,andcourage. 　　WhenJackiewassevenyearsoldCharlestookajobastheheadcookattheAmericanembassyinAustralia.HefeltthatitwouldbebestforJackietostaybehindinHongKongtolearnaskillandsoenrolledhimintheChinaDramaAcademywhereJackiewouldliveforthenext10yearsofhislife. 　　DuringJackie'stimeattheschool,helearnedmartialarts,acrobatics,singing,andacting.TheschoolwasmeanttoprepareboysforalifeinthePekingOpera.Chineseoperawasverydifferentfromanyotherkindofopera.Itincludedsinging,tumbling,andacrobaticsaswellasmartialartsskillsandacting.Studentsattheschoolwereseverelydisciplinedandwerebeateniftheydisobeyedormademistakes.ItwasaveryharshanddifficultlifebutJackiehadnowhereelsetogo,sohestayed.Herarelysawhisparentsformanyyears. 　　WhileattheChinaAcademy,JackiemadehisactingdebutatageeightintheCantonesemovie"SevenLittleValiantFighters:BigandLittleWongTinBar."Helaterteamedwithotheroperastudentsinaperformancegroupcalled"TheSevenLittleFortunes."FellowactorsSammoHungandYuenBiaowerealsomembers.YearslaterthethreewouldworktogetherandbecomeknownasTheThreeBrothers.AsJackiegotolderheworkedasastuntmanandanextraintheHongKongfilmindustry. 　　WhenJackiewas17,hegraduatedfromtheChinaDramaAcademy.UnfortunatelytheChineseoperawasnolongerverypopular,soJackieandhisclassmateshadtofindotherwork.Thiswasdifficultbecauseattheschooltheywerenevertaughthowtoreadorwrite.Theonlyworkavailabletothemwasunskilledlabororstuntwork.EachyearmanymoviesweremadeinHongKongandtherewasalwaysaneedforyoung,strongstuntmen.Jackiewasextraordinarilyathleticandinventive,andsoongainedareputationforbeingfearless;JackieChanwouldtryanything.Soonhewasindemand. 　　Overthenextfewyears,Jackieworkedasastuntman,butwhentheHongKongmovieindustrybegantofail,hewasforcedtogotoAustraliatolivewithhisparents.Heworkedinarestaurantandonaconstructionsite.Itwastherethathegotthename"Jackie."AworkernamedJackhadtroublepronouncing"Kong-sang"andstartedcallingJackie"littleJack."Thatsoonbecame鈥淛ackie鈥andthenamestuck. 　　JackiewasveryunhappyinAustralia.Theconstructionworkwasdifficultandboring.HissalvationcameintheformofatelegramfromamannamedWillieChan.WillieChanworkedintheHongKongmovieindustryandwaslookingforsomeonetostarinanewmoviebeingmadebyLoWei,afamousHongKongproducer/director.WilliehadseenJackieatworkasastuntmanandhadbeenimpressed.JackiecalledWillieandtheytalked.Jackiedidn'tknowitbu