Jackie Chan, who is as venerated in philanthropy as in show business, has turned his maiden visit to the central Chinese province of Henan into a highflying fundraiser.

Hong Kong star Jackie Chan pays a charitable visit to the Dragon's Heart children's center in Xinxiang, Henan Province on October 14, 2008. [yule.sohu.com]

The Hong Kong actor arrived in Xinxiang, a city in the northern part of Henan, on Tuesday to kick off his charity efforts in the province that are expected to last for days.

A fundraising auction for a local school was held shortly after Chan's arrival. A dozen items were put on for auction, which were all from Chan's personal collection and included a T-shirt he designed, and a CD of his Olympic songs.

Both enterprises and individuals were attracted to the event, which eventually raised 2.55 million yuan (US$373,314).

Chan will donate the proceeds to the Dragon's Heart children's center, a recently completed boarding school named after his youth-oriented charity project. The center provides education and rehabilitation facilities to mentally handicapped children.

During his stay, Chan also visited children at the center and spent time playing games with them.

Initiated in 2004, Chan's Dragon's Heart project has financed the building of 21 schools across China, according to its Web site.