Mr Wang Introduces Himself – Figurines Tintin La Collection Officielle – 50 – Wang Jen-Ghie Se Présente

Author: Hergé & Editions Moulinsart
Price: £60.00
Publisher: Editions Moulinsart
Publication date: 2013
Format: Original pictorial boards with passport and figurine
Condition: In near fine condition
Illustrations: Illustrated throughout

Description:

Original pictorial boards. Includes passport loosely inserted. Text in French. Includes the accompanying figurine. One from the collection of 111 books and figurines. Very slight wear. In very near fine, clean condition overall.

Mr Wang: A Short Biography

Mr Wang Jen-Ghie (often rendered simply as Mr Wang) is a key character in The Blue Lotus (Le Lotus Bleu, 1936), one of Hergé’s most celebrated and culturally transformative Tintin adventures. A Chinese scholar, humanitarian, and family man, Mr Wang plays a central role in Tintin’s introduction to China and serves as both moral guide and cultural bridge.

His friendship with Tintin marks a profound shift in Hergé’s storytelling — away from the racial stereotypes of early adventure fiction and towards empathy, realism, and respect for other cultures.

Character Overview

Mr Wang is portrayed as an educated, honourable Chinese intellectual who lives in Shanghai with his family during the turbulent 1930s. He is a member of a resistance network working against the corrupt forces occupying parts of China — including spies, smugglers, and foreign aggressors.

Hergé depicts him with dignity and warmth. He is intelligent, courteous, and morally steadfast, embodying Confucian virtues of integrity, loyalty, and wisdom. His calm authority and compassion make him a spiritual counterpart to Tintin’s courage and idealism.

Role in The Blue Lotus

At the beginning of The Blue Lotus, Tintin, following his earlier adventure in India (Cigars of the Pharaoh), is invited to visit Shanghai by a mysterious letter. The letter is from Mr Wang Jen-Ghie, who warns Tintin that his life is in danger and offers him protection.

When Tintin arrives, he is welcomed into the Wang household, where he meets Mr Wang’s wife and young son, Chang Chong-Chen (later known simply as Chang). This meeting leads to one of the most meaningful friendships in the entire Tintin canon.

Mr Wang quickly recognises Tintin as a man of courage and justice. Together, they uncover the activities of the opium smuggling ring and the political conspiracies behind the Japanese invasion of China.

Throughout the story, Mr Wang aids Tintin not only with resources and intelligence but also with insight into Chinese customs, politics, and philosophy. His measured wisdom contrasts with the violence and greed surrounding them, grounding the story in humanity rather than exoticism.

Personality and Traits

Mr Wang exemplifies dignity, courage, and moral clarity. His defining qualities include:

• Integrity: He lives by principle, standing firmly against corruption and oppression.
• Compassion: His kindness extends beyond family and country; he treats Tintin as a true friend and ally.
• Wisdom: He offers calm, reasoned judgement even amid turmoil.
• Courage: He risks his life to protect Tintin and resist injustice.

His composure and civility stand in stark contrast to the deceit and arrogance of the villains — particularly the Japanese agents and Western profiteers who exploit China’s instability.

Symbolism and Historical Context

Mr Wang represents Hergé’s moral and artistic awakening. Before The Blue Lotus, Hergé’s depictions of non-European cultures were shaped by colonial clichés. With guidance from his Chinese friend Zhang Chongren, who co-created much of the story’s authentic detail, Hergé transformed his perspective.

Through Mr Wang, Hergé portrays the Chinese not as caricatures, but as complex, dignified individuals. The character embodies Chinese civilisation’s depth, compassion, and intellect — a deliberate counterpoint to the Western ignorance and prejudice Tintin witnesses in the story.

In one memorable scene, Mr Wang expresses gratitude to Tintin for defending a Chinese coolie from a Western attacker, saying:

“Tintin, you are a true friend of China.”

The moment encapsulates the novel’s humanist spirit — mutual respect across cultures in an age of imperialism and misunderstanding.

Relationship with Tintin

The friendship between Mr Wang and Tintin is one of genuine equality. Unlike many of Tintin’s allies, who serve as comic foils or sidekicks, Mr Wang interacts with Tintin as an intellectual and moral peer.

He recognises Tintin’s courage, while Tintin, in turn, respects Wang’s wisdom. Their alliance is based on shared ideals — truth, justice, and compassion — rather than nationality or power.

The relationship also frames Tintin’s later bond with Chang, Wang’s adopted son, who becomes one of the most beloved recurring figures in the series (The Blue Lotus and Tintin in Tibet). Through Mr Wang’s household, Tintin experiences genuine cultural exchange — an early example of cross-cultural friendship in European comics.

Artistic and Narrative Importance

Hergé’s portrayal of Mr Wang marks a turning point in the Tintin series. The character’s realism and dignity helped elevate The Blue Lotus from pulp adventure to literature of moral and emotional depth.

Hergé, working closely with Zhang Chongren, ensured that every detail — from architecture to calligraphy — was authentic. Mr Wang’s home, his gestures, and even his clothing reflect this careful cultural respect.

Through Mr Wang, Hergé demonstrates that knowledge and empathy are forms of heroism equal to Tintin’s physical bravery.

Legacy

Although Mr Wang appears only in The Blue Lotus, his influence resonates across Tintin’s later adventures. His friendship with Tintin leads to the introduction of Chang, whose reappearance in Tintin in Tibet (1960) stands as Hergé’s most personal and emotional work.

Mr Wang also represents the values Hergé came to champion: tolerance, respect for other cultures, and the pursuit of truth. His presence helped reshape Tintin from an explorer of foreign lands into a citizen of the world.

In Tintin’s moral and spiritual development, Mr Wang is the teacher — the quiet voice of conscience who reminds the hero, and the reader, that decency transcends borders.

Summary

• Full name: Wang Jen-Ghie (Mr Wang)
• Nationality: Chinese
• Residence: Shanghai, 1930s
• First appearance: The Blue Lotus (1936)
• Occupation: Scholar and member of the Chinese resistance
• Family: Wife and adopted son, Chang Chong-Chen
• Traits: Wise, honourable, compassionate, courageous, and dignified
• Symbolism: Embodies cross-cultural friendship, intellectual integrity, and moral strength
• Legacy: Central to Hergé’s artistic evolution and Tintin’s moral growth

Conclusion

Mr Wang is far more than a supporting character; he is a moral compass within The Adventures of Tintin. His friendship transforms Tintin’s journey from youthful adventure into a story of empathy, respect, and justice.

Through Mr Wang, Hergé gave readers one of the earliest and most respectful portrayals of a Chinese character in Western comics — a man of wisdom, dignity, and humanity whose quiet strength still resonates as one of Tintin’s greatest influences.

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Cataloguer: Daniel Hornsey

Daniel Hornsey has specialised in fine and rare books, ephemera, and collectors’ editions for over thirty years. As a long-standing member of the antiquarian book trade, he has advised private collectors, curated catalogues, and sourced works for leading dealers, libraries and institutions across the world.

Hornseys’ exhibit regularly at book and map fairs in London and throughout the UK and are members of the Provincial Booksellers Fairs Association, the PBFA.

His fascination with Hergé’s work — especially ‘The Adventures of Tintin’ — began in childhood. Daniel recalls reading Tintin in original European editions and quickly recognising that these were not merely children’s books, but finely illustrated narratives crafted with artistic depth and wit.

As noted by the Musée Hergé in Louvain-la-Neuve, Hergé’s ‘ligne claire’ style has influenced generations of European comic artists and his original drawings and paintings command very high prices with his painting of ‘The Blue Lotus’ jar fetching £2.8m at auction in 2021.

By presenting these works through Hornseys’, he hopes to contribute to the continued appreciation of one of the 20th century’s most influential illustrators, helping new generations discover the artistry and legacy of Hergé.