Tintin Forums

I came across a book in Shanghai entitled Tintin in Old Shanghai (some editions are also titled Tintin and the Ring of Encirclement.
It's a color paper-back book in Chinese, about 30 pages long, published in 1988 by Haha Comic Press, and I haven't been able to find an English version.
The plot has Tintin and Ah Liang Xu - a Chinese boy he saves from drowning - on the run from the Japanese police and some rich Westerners, in Old Shanghai.
Does anyone know anything more about this book? Is it published legally, or a pirated version? Has anyone else read it? Any other thoughts?
All information would be greatly appreciated!

Sounds very similar to the plot of The Blue Lotus, although, at 30 pages long, it's shorter.
Can you give more details as to the story?

Is it published legally, or a pirated version?
Tintin in Old Shanghai is most definitely a pirated book.
China did not secure the rights to publish Tintin until 2001.

Thanks for the replies!

Can you give more details as to the story?

It begins with Tintin riding a rickshaw in Shanghai, when he runs into a wealthy businessman.
The businessman complains to the foreign police and the police alert the Japanese, who start to chase him. From that point on there are familiar plot points from The Blue Lotus, but with more of an emphasis on evil Japanese and evil foreigners.
One character comments on how fluent Tintin's Chinese is, and he replies, "Yes, it's my first language!"
The story ends with Tintin leaving Shanghai on a boat back to Belgium, and a message praising foreigners who helped in the War of Resistance against Japan.

It's strange, like Tintin is cast as a Chinese resistance fighter.

Anyone know anything else about this edition?

This sounds like a fascinating propaganda item chopped and changed from Le Lotus Bleu - a great little collector's piece (certainly so, judging by the price it's going for on ebay!).
It's probably to help steer young Chinese in the "right direction", politically.

Tintin does seem to lend himself to political causes quite nicely (apart from Hergé's own leanings evident in the stories). There was that Breaking Free book - not using Hergé art - a very left-wing union propaganda item. It was quite good, I thought, though a bit too militant for my tastes! I don't have it any more.

Didn't the Chinese also try to change the title of Tintin in Tibet to Tintin in Chinese Tibet?

Here's some info on Tintin in Chinese Tibet from the BBC.

Also Breaking Free has recently been republished. I lost mine too, but I won't be rushing out to buy another copy just yet...