Jackie Chan Has a Poor Brother Who Worked in a Pigsty — He Was Kept a Secret until Video Surfaced

• Jackie Chan's life turned complicated when his dad revealed he abandoned two sons to move to Hong Kong.
• Even after Chan found worldwide fame, he didn't know of his siblings, one of whom worked in a pigsty.
• Chan was surprised by the revelation but made no attempts to get in contact with his long-lost siblings in China, until one event changed that.

Before Jackie Chan became a Hollywood action star, he had to endure a difficult life in Hong Kong. His parents fled mainland China and found shelter in Hong Kong in 1949.

Before Chan was born, his dad had two sons with his first wife. His mother also had two daughters with her first husband, who died during a Japanese bombing raid.

For years, no one knew whether Chan kept in touch with his siblings. Nobody even knew whether they were alive. After finding fame, Chan kept his private life exactly that – private. He rarely spoke about his family to the press and it remained that way through the years.

While many attributed this to his pursuit of a peaceful life, a journalist uncovered that it may be because Chan didn't know much about his family background. The journalist revealed that Chan's mom was once a smuggler and a gambler, while his father was a spy and gangland boss.

This revelation was a "big shock" to Chan, who had always been close to his mother. Everyone in Hong Kong knew her as a kind and gentle housewife, not a woman with dark secrets.

In the same way that Chan was surprised to hear about his mother's alleged dealings, the movie star's fans discovered he had two living brothers. His elder brothers lived in mainland China, leading impoverished lives.

When Hong Kong film director Mabel Chung worked on the documentary "Traces of the Dragon: Jackie Chan and His Lost Family" in 2003, Chan invited her and producer Alex Law to fly to Australia to meet his father.

The Truth from Jackie Chan's Father

It was during an interview with Chan's father for the documentary that he unveiled the whole truth. They were hard pills to swallow, even for the movie star, who had no idea what would come. His dad, Chan Chi-Long, revealed that his real name was actually Fang Daolang, and that he had two older sons before he met Chan's mother.

Chan's parents' first meeting was an interesting story in itself. Chan Chi-Long met Lee-Lee Chan when he arrested her for smuggling opium. At the time, Chan's mom was in a difficult situation. She had two daughters to raise and even tried to sell them at one point.

When unsuccessful, she turned to smuggling, gambling, and racketeering. She was running the docks when Chan Chi-Long first saw her. He felt compassion for the desperate mother and let her go. They became a couple and together navigated the underworld.

When Communism took over China, they moved to Hong Kong and changed their names. Lee-Lee Chan also abandoned her two daughters in pursuit of a better life. Chan Chi-Long's sons, Fang Shide and Fang Shisheng lived in mainland China. He left them there when he fled for Hong Kong.

The two men have lived difficult lives since being abandoned. Their mother passed on early, and at one point, they begged for money and food on the streets. They never lost hope, thinking their dad would return for them one day. As for Lee Lee Chan's daughters, not much is known about them to date.

When the couple moved to Hong Kong, Chan Chi-Long worked at the French Embassy. Jackie Chan was born in 1954, a heavy 9-pound baby nicknamed "Shandong Cannon" by his parents."

Chan was oblivious to his siblings' situations in mainland China. He was sent to boarding school for ten years when his father was destined for Canberra in 1961.

Given his new connections in Canberra, Chan Chi-Long asked the Chinese ambassador for help locating his two sons. They were still in Wuhu, the town he left them in.

Fang Shide was working as a postman, while Fang Shisheng was working in a pigsty. They had never met their famous half-brother, and it seemed they never will. Chan Chi-Long insisted that his sons need not meet. The actor had also expressed no interest in getting to know his older brothers.

In "Traces of the Dragon: Jackie Chan and His Lost Family," Chan said he felt closer to actors Yuen Biao and Sammo Hung, two people he grew up with and considered his brothers.

Fang Shide and Fang Shisheng learned about their father's death in the newspaper.

Chan had a somewhat submissive answer when asked about the possibility of reaching out to his brothers – he wished not to disobey his father's request. He also said:

"I don't believe blood is thicker than water. Our backgrounds are completely different."

Life After Chan Chi-Long

When Chan Chi-Long died in 2008 at 94, Chan held a private and solemn funeral ceremony for his dad in Australia. The actor carried a portrait of his late father framed with fresh flowers throughout the procession and had visibly red eyes as he did.

While Chan invited friends, colleagues, and close family members, his two brothers were not in attendance or invited to attend. Fang Shide and Fang Shisheng learned about their father's death in the newspaper.

The brothers wanted to pay their last respects but needed to figure out how to contact their famous younger brother. Left with no choice, they turned to the media. They used the platform to contact Chan, hoping he would respond.

Fang Shide and Fang Shisheng insisted they wanted to meet Chan and had no interest in his money. Five years after their father's death, their wish finally came true.

Chan visited Wuhu to hold a memorial service for Chan Chi-Long in his hometown. The service was the first and last time Chan met his two older siblings, and it was a cordial affair.

Chan only stayed for a short while. After the memorial service, he left in a hurry and didn't take time to learn more about his late father's hometown. That short visit was the last time his older brothers had seen him or spoken to him.

Chan's complicated family relationships don't end with his parents and siblings. He also has an equally challenging relationship with his two children, Etta Ng Chok Lam and Jaycee Chan.

Chan has been married to Joan Lin since 1982. He and Lin share a son named Jaycee Chan. In 1999, news of the actor's infidelity came to light. He confessed to having an affair and an illegitimate child named Etta Ng Chok Lam.

His mistress, Elaine Ng Yi-Lei, raised her daughter on her own. Chan refuses to have a relationship with Etta, and the two are not in contact.