Starting from May 14, an exhibition called "A Belgian comics reporter and his Chinese companion" is underway at the JC Cartoon Art Museum, Guangzhou. Co-hosted by the Consulate General of Belgium in Guangzhou and the Guangdong Contemporary Academy of Art, the exhibition will last until August 13.
Exhibits of the cartoon series entitled "The Adventures of Tintin" (Photo provided to Newsgd.com)
More than 60 pieces of the cartoon series entitled "The Adventures of Tintin" collected by JC Cartoon Art Museum are on display, including comic manuscripts, sculptures, celluloid films, original editions of posters, as well as first-hand documents witnessing a lasting friendship between Belgian cartoonist Georges Remi, also known by his pen name Herge, the author of the "The Adventures of Tintin", and Zhang Chongren, a Chinese student in Belgium.
A plaster sculpture of Tintin in the Blue Lotus (Photo provided to Newsgd.com)
The friendship between a Belgian reporter and a Chinese student
The Blue Lotus, one of the famous works in "The Adventures of Tintin", records a half-century-long friendship between Hergé and Zhang Chongren.
In 1934, these two young people, with sincerity and dreams, met each other and became friends. Since then, Hergé learned a lot about China, developing a genuine interest in Chinese culture, such as calligraphy and painting.
Based on their deep friendship, Hergé created a new character in his cartoon, named Chinese Zhang, with Zhang Chongren as the prototype. After a year of cooperation, Hergé and Zhang Chongren separated from each other since Zhang had to return to China.
Missing Zhang Chongren too much, in 1960, Hergé created a cartoon named "Tintin in Tibet". In this story, Tintin saves Chinese Zhang's life with the risk of death and finally meets him.
A poster of "Tintin in Tibet" (Photo provided to Newsgd.com)
In the following decades, Hergé and Zhang lost contact with each other because of wars and turbulence. In 1981, they managed to get reunited after 46 years. The memorable scene of the two friends embracing each other in tears was a touching moment for the fans of "The Adventures of Tintin".
Time: May 14 to August 13, 2022
Opening hours: 14:00-17:00, Tuesday to Friday; 10:00-17:00, Saturday to Monday (closed on Monday)
Ticket price: 68 RMB for each person
Address: No.58, Taojin Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou (广州市越秀区淘金路58号)
Nearest Metro Station: Take Guangzhou Metro Line 5, get off at the Taojin Station, and then use Exit A.
