Brilliant Chang is a Chinese supplier of opium to the Peaky Blinders.
Character History[]
Background[]
Brilliant Chang is a Chinese gangster.
Series 5 · 1929[]
He is first seen waiting in line at The Garrison to meet with Thomas and Arthur Shelby, while at the same time sending a prostitute associate to Finn Shelby's office. During the meeting, it is revealed that Chang sent the associate to hold an advantage to discuss with the Shelbys about business with the Chinese and the opium they provide. When Finn is released, he comes barging into the meeting threatening to shoot Chang.
Arthur, Aberama Gold, and a few others arrive to collect a cargo of opium from Chang at the dock, but they get ambushed by the Irish Titanic mob and find Chang injured. A shootout ensues, but the mob eventually retreat.
Real Life[]
Brilliant Chang is based on the real person Brilliant "Billy" Chang, born Chan Nan. He was a Chinese restaurateur and drug dealer who was implicated in supplying the drugs that killed Freda Kempton in 1922. He was born in Canton, China to a wealthy mercantile family. He traveled to England in 1913. His Chinese name was loosely translated as Brilliant Change and was then shortened to Billy Chang. He was known to have a clientele of mostly young women.
Trivia[]
- Andrew Koji, the actor for Brilliant Chang, is actually not Chinese but has a heritage of English and Japanese.