“We learn martial arts as helping weakness. You never fight for people to get hurt. You’re always helping people.”

When I was a young stunt guy the director would say: “You’re useless” But I wanted to be the best, I wanted to be a super stunt guy. That’s how I built myself, because of martial arts and everything.

When I got depressed, I watched Bruce Lee movies. I learned everything from Bruce Lee.

I’m tired of fighting. I’ve always known that I can’t be an action star all my life.

I allowed myself to be bullied because I was scared and didn’t know how to defend myself. I was bullied until I prevented a new student from being bullied. By standing up for him, I learned to stand up for myself.

Why did I become Jackie Chan? Mostly because I work very hard. When people were sleeping, I was still training.

When you are learning about a martial art, it is about respect.

I want to show audiences I can act.

Martial arts is for defense. It’s not for attacking. So when people are fighting, always, always, defend.

The movie business is a big gamble.

In the past when I was in Hollywood, I was like a dog. I felt humiliated. My English was not good. People would even ask me ‘Jackie Who?’.

I hate interviews – but you have to do them.

I’m gradually beginning to feel that we Chinese need to be controlled. If we’re not being controlled, we’ll just do what we want.

Being still and doing nothing are two completely different things.

After all those years in Asia, I don’t have to do promotion anymore. We just release a Jackie Chan movie and – Boom! – people go.

I only want my work to make people happy.

I want to build up my philosophy… my philosophy with kung fu is to respect people.

Art is a collaboration between God and the artist, and the less the artist does, the better.

Art’s everything we hope life would be, a lot of times.

Diplomacy is the art of saying ‘Nice doggie’ until you can find a rock.

To me, music is art and fashion is art, but fame? Fame isn’t art, but the person you become when you’re famous – your alter ego – that’s art.

The increase of known truths stimulates the investigation, establishment, and growth of the arts.

Freedom is absolutely necessary for the progress in science and the liberal arts.

It is hard to separate the art from the artist.

Let your art reflect your soul.