AO3: a_belladonna Fandom and character: Tchang Tchong-Jen from Tintin.
Tchang is a very special character in this series, as he's based on a real life person, Zhang Chongren (or Chang Chong-jen - the transcription varies somewhat), a young Chinese art student who helped Hergé making the depiction of China more accurate in The Blue Lotus (every kanji in the story was written by him, which means every single banner, sign or advertisement in the background actually carries a real message). Hergé and the real Zhang became very good friends, but lost contact when Zhang went back to China (however, they did manage to meet up again before Hergé died).
This very close relationship is mirrored in the comic books, both towards the ending of The Blue Lotus, where both Tintin and Tchang are more or less crying the entire last page as they have to say goodbye, and in Tintin in Tibet, where Tintin drags Captain Haddock with him to the Himalayas to rescue Tchang - simply because he keeps having dreams that indicate Tchang still being alive (while the official verdict is that nobody survived the plane crashing high in the mountains). In the following story, The Castafiore Emerald, we see Tintin receive a letter from Tchang, who's now living in London with his uncle.
We first meet Tchang as Tintin saves him from drowning in the Yangtze river. He's an orphan, but it's a bit unclear whether he became one due to the flooding, or if he was one before the flood. He's later adopted by Mr. Wang and family - Mr. Wang is the leader of the secret society "Sons of the Dragon", a society sworn to fighting the opium trade, and Tintin is helping them doing that. The Blue Lotus takes place in Shanghai in the late 1930's. In Tintin in Tibet the Wangs and Tchang have moved to Hong Kong. It's not said explicitly why that happened, but it's not wrong to assume it has to do with that family being considered enemies of the Maoist regime in China.
Tchang is shown to be brave, kind and quick-witted and even though he only appears in 1½ album (he only shows up around halfway through The Blue Lotus), it's clear he and Tintin have a special bond. Even though he's sort of the "damsel in distress" in Tintin in Tibet, he's shown to be tough and resourceful, between having the wits to seek cover in a snowstorm with an injured leg, and thinking of leaving traces of his survival in the hope a rescue-team will come looking for him. In the end he's also the only one in the story to not call the Abominable Snowman "abominable", since he's been the primary witness of the care and, dare I say it, humanity, the Yeti possesses in this story.
What I'm requesting: A story exploring the bond between Tchang and Tintin, be it romantic or platonic. The reading of their relationship can easily go both ways. A story set in 1930's China, because I love the setting of The Blue Lotus.
Some prompts from my sign-up: Tintin and Tchang spending spending time together in China after the events of The Blue Lotus but before Tintin's return to Europe.
Tchang visiting Moulinsart (Marlinspike Hall in English).
Tintin - Tchang Tchong-Jen
Fandom and character: Tchang Tchong-Jen from Tintin.
Tchang is a very special character in this series, as he's based on a real life person, Zhang Chongren (or Chang Chong-jen - the transcription varies somewhat), a young Chinese art student who helped Hergé making the depiction of China more accurate in The Blue Lotus (every kanji in the story was written by him, which means every single banner, sign or advertisement in the background actually carries a real message).
Hergé and the real Zhang became very good friends, but lost contact when Zhang went back to China (however, they did manage to meet up again before Hergé died).
This very close relationship is mirrored in the comic books, both towards the ending of The Blue Lotus, where both Tintin and Tchang are more or less crying the entire last page as they have to say goodbye, and in Tintin in Tibet, where Tintin drags Captain Haddock with him to the Himalayas to rescue Tchang - simply because he keeps having dreams that indicate Tchang still being alive (while the official verdict is that nobody survived the plane crashing high in the mountains).
In the following story, The Castafiore Emerald, we see Tintin receive a letter from Tchang, who's now living in London with his uncle.
We first meet Tchang as Tintin saves him from drowning in the Yangtze river. He's an orphan, but it's a bit unclear whether he became one due to the flooding, or if he was one before the flood. He's later adopted by Mr. Wang and family - Mr. Wang is the leader of the secret society "Sons of the Dragon", a society sworn to fighting the opium trade, and Tintin is helping them doing that.
The Blue Lotus takes place in Shanghai in the late 1930's. In Tintin in Tibet the Wangs and Tchang have moved to Hong Kong. It's not said explicitly why that happened, but it's not wrong to assume it has to do with that family being considered enemies of the Maoist regime in China.
Tchang is shown to be brave, kind and quick-witted and even though he only appears in 1½ album (he only shows up around halfway through The Blue Lotus), it's clear he and Tintin have a special bond. Even though he's sort of the "damsel in distress" in Tintin in Tibet, he's shown to be tough and resourceful, between having the wits to seek cover in a snowstorm with an injured leg, and thinking of leaving traces of his survival in the hope a rescue-team will come looking for him.
In the end he's also the only one in the story to not call the Abominable Snowman "abominable", since he's been the primary witness of the care and, dare I say it, humanity, the Yeti possesses in this story.
What I'm requesting: A story exploring the bond between Tchang and Tintin, be it romantic or platonic. The reading of their relationship can easily go both ways.
A story set in 1930's China, because I love the setting of The Blue Lotus.
Some prompts from my sign-up:
Tintin and Tchang spending spending time together in China after the events of The Blue Lotus but before Tintin's return to Europe.
Tchang visiting Moulinsart (Marlinspike Hall in English).
Tintin visiting Tchang in London.
Here's a link to the Tintin-part of my Yuletide letter