Nanjin
The war with Britain officially ended yesterday, but many Chinese still harbor feelings of resentment towards their once trading partner. The treaty marks the end of a war that started in 1839, when Britain, in a selfish attempt to continue trade with China, began importing opium from the British owned East India Company. The British then sold the opium in Canton, one of China's major port cities, and one of the only ports where foreigners were allowed. Empress Cixi released a statement today in response to criticism of her actions, and those of the ruling Manchu government.

"I have often thought I am the cleverest woman who ever lived..." she said. [1] Empress Cixi denied rumors that she would be stripped of power due to China's defeat claiming that "Many Chinese regard [Empress Cixi] as the 'most powerful woman in China's history.'" [2] She later went on to add that although mighty China is now more humble, she still stands behind her original decision to open Canton to foreigners. "I have 400 million people all dependent on my judgement" she said, and she feels that the decision to westernize was important. However, many peasants disagree with the monarch.

"The British are responsible for the taxes we pay now, and also for our declining economy." said Jiang Hainan, a local rice farmer. "The Chinese are stuck paying for a war when we committed no crime, how can I make a living with such large taxes?"
Jiangs view is shared by many other small business owners in China. They feel that China's government is corrupt, and now is sticking the people of China with the bill.

All these problems began in the 1830's, when the British could no longer satisfy China's demands for payment in precious metals. Figuring that it would become China's problem, and not theirs, the Brits payed the Chinese merchants in opium, a drug known for its addictive nature. The British violated not only ethical codes, but also Chinese law by selling this drug to citizens without checking with the government first. Of course the government, had knowledge of areas where opium was being traded, but they took bribes from British merchants to keep their mouths shut since opium trade was illegalized in 1836. One man in particular is being credited as the first to take a stand against the British drug lords [3].

"All those people who sell opium or smoke opium should receive the death penalty." [4] said Commissioner Lin Tse-hsu. "If we trace the crime of those barbarians, then the deep harm they have wrought and the great profit they have usurped should fundamentally justify their execution according to law."[5] Commissioner Lin decided to boycott the opium imports. Boycotting the opium was no easy task however, because the Brits brought literally tons of opium over from the East India Company.

Lin Tse-hsu orchestrated a refusal of opium in November, 1839 in which the Chinese junks simply wouldn't allow the British ships into the harbor. The British responded in June, 1840 by sending their Navy over to China, with the intent to force the market back open again. The war began.
Inevitably, England won the war and regained control of Canton. China's style of fighting was outdated, and they were no match for the excellent British Navy. Britain however, has created an unfair treaty that China will be forced to sign. This agreement gives Britain control over the port cities of Canton, Shanghai, Foochow, Ningpo, and Amoy, [6] as well as giving British citizens the luxury of being under British law while on Chinese soil! This is an outrage, any further humiliation to the Chinese people will surely spark revolt, and the Manchus can't afford for that to happen.

Ultimately, if China wants to someday defeat the westerners, it needs to lay low right now. The people need to unite against the common enemy. Now with facts of the war leaking out to all Chinese, surely there will be anger. That anger should be harnessed, and put towards rebuilding a stronger China. If the Chinese show that they are incapable of bouncing back from this setback, there will surely be more western influence in the near future.

Sources

1. Spielvogel, Jackson. World History: A Human Odyssey. Belmont, Ca: West Publishing Co. ©1993

2. Ibid

3. Richard Hooker, "Ch'ing China: The Opium Wars" [http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~dee/CHING/OPIUM.HTM], July, 1999

4. Tamura, Eileen. China: Understanding Its Past. Honolulu, HI: University of Hawai'i Press, ©1998

5. Ibid

6. Blunden. Cultural Atlas Of China. New York, NY: Facts On File, ©1983

7. DigitalChina, "The Opium Wars" [http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/ChinaDragon/opiumwar.html]

Images

1. Opium Smokers, "Historic China and Drug Abuse Treatment" [http://www3.bc.sympatico.ca/tcmguide/addicts.jpg]

2. Chinese Navy, "CNN Interactive"

[http://asia.cnn.com/SPECIALS/1999/china.50/50.beyond/political.overview/link.opium.war.cnn.jpg]

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