‘Help others when you’re successful one day’: Action star Jackie Chan encourages Pei Chun pupils
Chin Soo Fang
The Straits Times
July 7, 2026
When he started training in wushu and opera at 6½ years old, all that young Jackie Chan looked forward to was to fill his stomach and be spared from punishment.
Action superstar Chan told pupils at Pei Chun Public School in Toa Payoh on July 7: “Looking at you today made me remember my childhood years and humble beginnings. I had no hope. My only hope was my bowl of plain rice and to not be beaten by my teacher.”
But today’s pupils are different and have more to hope for, acknowledged the 72-year-old martial arts legend, who joined the film industry 64 years ago.
“Please work hard. Dreams may not come true, but without dreams, you definitely won’t succeed.”
He added in Mandarin: “If you work hard today, you will thank yourself years later. If you don’t, you will only look back with regret in time to come.”
During his visit to the school, Chan met some 900 upper primary pupils.
He also met recipients of the Singapore Olympic Foundation-Peter Lim Scholarship (SOFPLS), including more than 20 who practise wushu.
The event was facilitated by the Lim Family Foundation, which is led by Singaporean businessman and philanthropist Peter Lim and his son Kiat Lim.
Chan encouraged the pupils to listen to their parents and teachers, and perform little acts of charity such as to help someone to cross the road or to pick up litter.
“When you grow up and become successful, help others. If everyone helps one another, there will not be poverty. And when there is love and peace, there is no war,” he said.
He said he used to depend on donations of rice and toiletries from well-wishers. One day, while thanking someone for some clothes, he was told to pay it foward in future instead.
“This advice has stayed with me since then,” he said.
Besides setting up schools and nursing homes and contributing to various charities, he now also promotes Chinese culture and global peace, he said.
Also at the visit were Minister for National Development Chee Hong Tat, Speaker of Parliament Seah Kian Peng and the Lim Family Foundation’s Kiat Lim.
The event opened with a medley of wushu and dragon- and lion-dance performances by pupils, before the superstar took centrestage for a dragon eye-dotting ceremony. An orange dragon was used to represent Chan, whose name in Chinese sounds like “orange dragon”.
This was followed by a sharing session by the superstar and a question-and-answer segment that covered topics like resilience, discipline and cultural pride.
Asked if he was scared of his dangerous stunts, Chan said: “Of course I am scared. I am no superman, just an ordinary person. I just wanted to do my best.”
On how he makes time for charity amid his busy schedule, he urged pupils to spend less time on their mobile phones.
“Give yourself a schedule for screen time. When you put down your phone, you realise there is a lot of time to do many other things.”
The event is one of a series organised by the foundation with global icons such as football legend Cristiano Ronaldo, Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton, and home-grown Mandopop star JJ Lin. The foundation organises charity events and community initiatives to give local youth a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Chee said Chan and the Lim family exemplify the values of gratitude and giving back to the community, which he hoped would inspire pupils.
School principal Ong Lee Choo told The Straits Times: “Not only is Jackie Chan a celebrity due to his role as an actor, but we are also inspired by his humility and strong sense of giving back to the community.”
She hopes the pupils understand that his fame and status came with a lot of grit, a positive attitude and deep passion for what he does.
Primary Five pupil Ayla Theinnila Ayapillai has watched Jackie Chan movies, as her father is a fan and introduced her to his work. She found him “cool” and “wise”.
She said: “I admire his perseverance. He wasn’t good at English, but he picked up the language to act in Hollywood movies.”
Kiat Lim said: “Jackie Chan is one of the most recognised faces in martial arts and global cinema. His lifelong journey is exactly the kind of beacon we want our young athletes to see – living proof that years of relentless discipline in training can carry you to the world stage.”
Since its inception in 2010, the foundation has committed over S$20 million to SOFPLS, supporting 5,629 athletes in pursuing their sporting dreams.
These include 163 wushu scholars over the past 16 years, many of whom have gone on to represent Singapore on regional and world championship podiums.
Lucas Teo, a two-time SOFPLS scholarship recipient, said he used to rewatch The Karate Kid (2010) over and over, imitating Chan’s stunts in his living room.
“He is the absolute reason I started wushu,” said the 16-year-old. “Getting to meet him today and show him my form is a dream come true.”
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