December 26th a birthday too often overlooked: That of Chang Ah Ping (鄭阿平)

With this being the close of the centennial year of the fictional Detective Charlie Chan, it’s fitting today we mention his real-life catalyst and inspiration. He was born December 26th, 1871, Waipio, Hawaii, and served for 34 years on the Honolulu Police Department. His given name Chang Ah Ping, Americanized to Chang Apana. Though you’re probably more familiar with his moniker: Detective Charlie Chan. But before his fictional counterpart’s success, the real-life Detective Apana of the Honolulu Police Force was first to achieve considerable fame!

The life story of Detective Apana is truly sprinkled with interesting and amazing facts. Though born in Hawaii, at the age of three his parents moved back to China. But with the famine and the opium wars plaguing the country, Ah Ping’s parents sent him back to Hawaii at age 10 to live with an uncle.

Funny how life works. Earl Derr Biggers was vacationing with family on the beaches of Hawaii in 1920, when he thought of the perfect way to commit and get away with murder! This idea was to be the basis for his next novel after a successful run with Seven Keys to Baldpate (1913.) Biggers began writing this new mystery (not sure exactly when) but it wasn’t until visiting the New York library around 1923 he read in a Hawaiian newspaper the exploits of Detectives Chang Apana and Lee Fook, who arrested one of their countrymen for Opium. Then, acting on that newspaper article he added Detective Charlie Chan of the Honolulu Police and introduced one of the most legendary detectives in American mystery fiction:

“I went to the New York Public Library and glanced through a huge bunch of Honolulu newspapers in order to refresh my memory about the islands …. I came across a small unimportant item to the effect that Chang Apana and Lee Fook, Chinese detectives on the Honolulu force, had arrested one of their countrymen for being too friendly with opium. … I decided at once that … a Chinese detective would be a good idea in The House Without a Key. Sinister and wicked Chinese were old stuff to mystery stories, but an amiable Chinese acting on the side of the law and order had never been used up to that time.”

(Biggers’ interview 4/10/1931, the Syracuse Herald, source Pat Morin)

During the City and County of Honolulu’s Centennial Anniversary, 2005, Chang Apana was selected one of their top 100 noteworthy citizens of the century. And in 2008 he was inducted into the Honolulu Police Department’s Hall of Fame. His exploits are many and some mirrored by Biggers inside the novels.

I found a wonderful (relatively short) 2019 KHON Hawaii news article by Eric Stinson, that touches briefly on the main escapades surrounding this unusual character and his journey through life: Remembering Apana Chang, legendary detective and first Chinese policeman in Hawaii.

So pretty easy to remember–the day after Christmas–tip your Panama Hat to the young Chinese, who grew up to help an Ohio Author create a legendary fictional character. One who lives on a century later. And without who I would not have much to write about!

Detective Chang Apana (December 26, 1871 – December 8, 1933)

“May the four nails of his coffin be made of the purest gold.”

Keeper of The Keys, 1932, Chap 18