The Secret Lives Of Action Royalty: 7 Shocking Facts About Jackie Chan's Spy Father And Opium-Smuggling Mother

The action-packed life of Jackie Chan is legendary, but the true story of his parents, Charles and Lee-Lee Chan, is a cinematic masterpiece waiting to be made. As of late 2025, the incredible details of their past—a narrative involving Chinese espionage, the Shanghai underworld, police corruption, and a dramatic arrest that led to romance—continues to captivate fans and historians alike, revealing the source of the martial arts superstar's own resilience and dramatic flair. This deep dive into the Chan family's history goes beyond simple biography, exposing a secret life that Jackie Chan himself was only told about decades after his birth. The shocking reality is that the man who raised the world's biggest action star was a former Nationalist spy and police officer, while his mother was a notorious figure involved in opium smuggling and gambling. The narrative of their lives, which spans pre-Communist China, the Chinese Civil War, and a perilous escape to Hong Kong, is perhaps the most incredible family secret ever revealed in Hollywood, a story of survival, danger, and an improbable love that laid the foundation for a global superstar.

Complete Biography: Charles Chan (Fang Daolong) and Lee-Lee Chan (Lily Chan)

The parents of Jackie Chan led lives of such dramatic contrast and danger that their combined history reads like a high-octane spy novel. Jackie Chan only learned the full truth of their identities and his real family name, Fang, when he was in his forties.

Charles Chan (Fang Daolong)

• Original Name: Fang Daolong (房道龍).
• Born: December 18, 1914, in Shandong Province, China.
• Died: February 26, 2008, in Hong Kong.
• First Marriage: Had two sons, Fang Shide and Fang Shisheng, who Jackie Chan did not know about until the 2000s.
• Roles in China: Worked as a spy for the Nationalist (Kuomintang or KMT) government during the Chinese Civil War. He was also a police officer in Shanghai.
• Post-China Life: Fled to Hong Kong in 1949. Later worked as a cook for the French consul in Hong Kong, and eventually moved to Canberra, Australia, to work as a cook at the American Embassy.
• Espionage Revelation: Charles revealed his past as a Chinese spy to Jackie Chan in the 1990s, warning him to be careful when traveling to mainland China.

Lee-Lee Chan (Lily Chan)

• Original Name: Lee-Lee Chan (also known as Lily Chan).
• Born: 1916, in China.
• Died: February 28, 2002, in Hong Kong.
• First Marriage: Had two daughters, Guilan and Yulan, who were left behind in mainland China.
• Roles in Shanghai: Was a notorious figure in the Shanghai underworld, involved in opium smuggling and gambling to support her children after her first husband’s death.
• Post-Arrest Life: After being arrested by Charles, she was released and they eventually married. She fled to Hong Kong with Charles in 1949 and later moved to Canberra, Australia.
• Nickname: She was known for her tough, street-smart demeanor, a trait necessary for survival in the tumultuous Shanghai of the 1940s.

The Secret Life: From KMT Spy to Opium Dealer's Arrest

The foundation of the Chan family's history is built on a dangerous web of political intrigue and underworld crime in war-torn Shanghai. Charles Chan, operating under his original name, Fang Daolong, was deeply entrenched in the Nationalist spy network. His role as a KMT agent and police officer during a period of immense political upheaval meant his life was constantly at risk, especially as the Communist forces gained power.

The Shanghai Underworld Connection

Meanwhile, Jackie Chan's mother, Lee-Lee Chan, was a survivor in the chaotic environment of 1940s Shanghai. Having lost her first husband, she resorted to the illicit but lucrative trade of opium smuggling and gambling to provide for her two daughters. This placed her directly in the crosshairs of the law—a law enforced by Charles Chan. The stark contrast between the two: one a government agent, the other a desperate underworld figure, set the stage for their incredible first meeting.

The Dramatic Arrest that Sparked a Romance

The moment Charles and Lee-Lee met was not a romantic encounter, but a dramatic confrontation. Charles, in his capacity as a police officer, arrested Lee-Lee for her involvement in opium smuggling. The story goes that Charles, upon hearing her desperate reasons for resorting to crime—to feed her children—was moved by her plight and resilience. He arranged for her release, and the initial spark of conflict quickly turned into a deep, improbable connection. Their shared understanding of survival in a brutal era forged a bond that transcended their opposing roles.

An Unbelievable Love Story: Escape, New Beginnings, and the Secret

The rise of the Communist Party in 1949 forced both Charles and Lee-Lee to make a difficult, life-altering decision. Given Charles's history as a KMT spy and police officer, remaining in mainland China was a death sentence. They fled separately to British-controlled Hong Kong, leaving behind the children from their previous marriages.

The Hong Kong and Australian Chapters

In Hong Kong, they reunited and married, adopting the surname Chan for safety and anonymity. Jackie Chan (born Chan Kong-sang) was born in 1954. Their life in Hong Kong was humble; Charles worked as a cook and Lee-Lee as a laundress for the French consul. When Charles was offered a job as a cook at the American Embassy in Canberra, Australia, the family split again. Jackie was left behind in Hong Kong to attend the China Drama Academy, a decision that would ultimately launch his career.

The Decades-Long Silence and Final Revelation

For decades, Jackie Chan believed his parents were ordinary, hard-working people. The truth was kept hidden to protect him and themselves from the dangerous political past they had escaped. The revelation came in the 1990s, when Charles, then living in Australia, finally decided to share his secret. He told Jackie the incredible story of his past as a spy, the opium smuggling, and the existence of his two half-brothers in mainland China and Lee-Lee's two half-sisters. Charles's final request was for Jackie to use his fame and resources to find his long-lost siblings, a promise Jackie eventually fulfilled. This late-life discovery provided Jackie Chan with a new perspective on his own identity and the extraordinary sacrifices his parents made for his safety.

Topical Authority: The Legacy of Survival and Espionage

The story of Charles and Lee-Lee Chan is not just a family anecdote; it is a vital piece of 20th-century Chinese history and a testament to the resilience required to survive the Chinese Civil War. The details of Charles Chan's espionage work and Lee-Lee's involvement in the Shanghai underworld provide a raw, uncensored look at the economic and political desperation of the era. The decision to flee, the change of identity, and the decades of silence highlight the pervasive fear and necessity for secrecy that defined the lives of many who escaped the Communist takeover. This family history, filled with political danger, drug trade, and a love that blossomed from an arrest, serves as the ultimate "prequel" to the high-flying, death-defying career of their son. It is a powerful reminder that behind every superstar is a family history that can be far more dramatic than any film they ever star in. The revelation of the "spy father" and "opium mother" solidified the Chan family legacy as one truly born from action and adventure.