History 175 (2008)
Lecture #2

China, Great Britain and the Opium Wars

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IDs:    Qianlong Emperor
          Canton System
          George Macartney
          Commissioner Lin Zexu
          Treaty of Nanjing (1842)

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O. Background
          A. Qing Dynasty (1644-1911)
                    1. Qin Dynasty (221-206 BCE)
                    2. Manchus

I. Early Contacts: Qing China and the West
          A. Tribute System
                    1. Administrative Tools
                              • koutou (kowtow)
                              • gifts
                    2. Confucian Assumptions
          B. Early Contacts with the West
                    1. Ming China (1368 - 1644)
                              • Matteo Ricci (Jesuit)
                                        - Memory Palace
                    2. Western Science and Technology
                              • Kangxi

II. Qing China and the West
          A. Commerce
                    1. Trading Orientation (map)
                              • West = Xinjiang
                              • North = Mongolia
                              • East = Japan Korea (via sea)
                              • South = SE Asia (via Canton)
                    2. European Trade
                              • 18th Century Global Situation
                              • Monopolies
                                        - British = British East India Company
                                        - Chinese = Co-hongs (gonghang)
                              • Guangzhou (Canton) System
                              • Tea
III . Macartney Mission (1782)
          A. The Mission
                    1. Goals
                              • End Restriction on Commerce
                              • Establish Permanent Embassy
                    2. George Macartney
                              • Arrival
                              • "Koutou Controversy
                    3. Qianlong's decision
          B. Mutual Misunderstandings?

IV. Introduction:  Sun at Midday
    1. From Diplomacy  to Opium 
        • China Under Qianlong Emperor
    2. Rise in Opium Trade
    3. Opium Smuggling
        • British East India Company (and opium trade)
        •  Opium Runners
                - "fast crabs" (kuaixie)

V. Opium in China
    1. Opium Consumption (history of opium)
        • "Traditional" Usages
        • Rise in Addiction
        • Economic cost        
        • Social cost
    2. Internal debate
        • "Legalization Faction" (Ruan Yuan)
        • "Suppress Opium Faction" (Lin Zexu)
        • Daoguang Emperor

 VI. Commissioner Lin
    1. Efforts at Suppression
        • Internal success
        • Handling the foreigners
                - Letter to Queen Victoria
     2. Confiscation of Opium
        • 3 trenches (150x75x7)
        • January 31, 1840 -- War

VII. Opium War
    1. The War (June 1840-Jan 1841)
        • Defense of Canton (Guangzhou)
        • Banishment of Lin
        • Dismissal of Capt. Elliot
    2. Abortive Negotiations 
    3. Treaty of Nanjing (1842) [image]
        • Col. Pottinger
        • Basic Concessions
                - $21 million Indemnity
                - Treaty ports: Canton, Amoy (Xiamen), Fuzhou, Ningbo, Shanghai
                - Cession of Hong Kong
                - Indemnity for opium ($6 million) and war ($12 million)
                - Abolition of Cohong
                - Reduced tariffs
                - Equality of the two nations.
                - Extraterritoriality for British subjects.

VIII. Conclusion
    1. Insatiable desire for Treaty Ports
    2. Role of "extraterritoriality" &
        "Most Favored Nation" clause