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The Opium Wars

Ming Dynasty (1368–1644)

• Voyages of Zheng He (1405-1435)• Isolationist Policy• Early contact Portuguese and Dutch (1500’s)

Qing Dynasty (1644-1911)

• Centralized government• Feudal economy• Reached zenith in mid 1700’s

Chinese world view

• China centre of civilized world• China superior to all other nations• Foreigners not worth much attention• Tribute system – gifts and kowtowing

Early European Trading Missions

• Portuguese reached China in 1517• Sent mission to Bejing in 1520-1521– Portuguese viewed mission as friendly meeting of

equals– Chinese recorded it as Portuguese paying tribute

• 1550’s Macau used as Portuguese trading post• Dutch established in Taiwan in 1620’s

Establishment of Canton

• European maritime trade allowed to grow from 1760 but was– Centralised in Canton– Overseen by Chinese officials– Taxed

British Trade with China• China had goods England wanted– Silk– Tea

• China did not want any goods England had to offer

British Delegation to Bejing

• 1793 – British delegation to Bejing from George III

• England sent presents– Poor quality in comparison with splendour of

Chinese court• Wanted permission to establish trading ports

other than Canton

Two Different Views

• British saw delegation as diplomatic mission of equals

• Chinese saw delegation as paying tribute to the Emperor

Opium

• British East India Company able to procure opium from India• Immense profits from trade in China–selling opium to Chinese–selling tea and silk in England

Chinese reaction to Opium Trade

• Increasing numbers of Chinese addicts as trade grew

• Death penalty for those who smoke or smuggle opium

• Lin Zexu's letter to Queen Victoria– Appeal for cessation of opium trade– Some doubt if Queen Victoria ever read this letter

Chinese Action on Opium

• Lui sent by Emperor to deal with Opium trade in Canton

• Lui destroyed opium by mixing it with lime and tipping it into a creek

British Reaction

• 1st Opium War - 1839-1843• 2nd Opium War – 1856-1860

Causes of Opium War

• Misunderstanding• Greed• Imperialism

Consequences

• China defeated• Forced to sign humiliating treaty• Conceded Hong Kong• British trading ports opened along Chinese

coast

Questions on Sources1. According to Source A, what products did the British want from China?2. In Source A, what does “beneficence” mean?3. What Chinese institutional framework is the Qianlong Emperor using in his relations

with the British in Source A? Give evidence. How does this differ to the British view?

4. Who wrote Source B? When? What was the author’s purpose in writing Source B?5. According to Source B, what was the justification in the Chinese destroying the

20,000 chests of opium?6. Given that the British eventually retaliated with violence, what was the British

viewpoint on the destruction of the opium by Lui?7. Why do think the Chinese and British viewpoints differ?8. Compare Source C with the Chinese Emperor's reply to Lord Macartney in Source A.

What sort of rights did the Chinese give to the British that they previously refused to give?

9. Refer to Source D. Describe what you can see.10. Did the Treaty of Nanjing (Source C) bring a lasting peace? Give your reasons.11. Extension: If the word "imperialism" is defined as "the policy of seeking to dominate

the affairs of weaker countries”, do you think Chinese today are justified in saying that China suffered from Western "imperialism" begun by the British?