While considering the character of Chang, absent since The Blue Lotus, Hergé thought of his artistic Chinese friend Zhang Chongren, whom he had not seen since the days of their friendship over twenty years earlier.
Saat menempatkan karakter Chang, yang absen sejak Lotus Biru, Hergé memikirkan teman Tionghoa artistiknya Zhang Chongren, yang tak ia lihat sejak masa pertemanan mereka sepanjang dua puluh tahun sebelumnya.