The Opium Wars and Taiping Rebellion shook Qing China. Two armed conflicts between China and the states of West, known as the "Opium Wars" (1839-1842 and 1858-1860), led to a terrible Chinese national disgrace, completely loss of political independence and the separation of China to zones of influence between foreign powers.
At first, the casus belli was closure of the vast China market for countries of West. All the foreign states were forced to market only to certain Chinese companies situated at the port area in the Guangdong Province, without possibility of trade within the city, this caused artificial prices formation from Chinese. Along with this, Guangzhou was forbidden for the representatives of foreign countries - the capital of Guangdong Province, so foreigners had to live on the territory of the port or even more - on vessels. China looked at the foreigners as "barbarians" and was not considered with any proposals to streamline trade.
The most active trade led England by means of purchasing Chinese tea and silk, along the northern borders of Manchuria actively developed Russian-Chinese trade. China as a huge country with a huge practically untapped market was very important for the Western states, especially Great Britain, France, United States and Germany. China has not made any concessions, while the markets of most of other Asian countries were already open.
In the XIX century China’s technological and military inability to compete with West was a huge disadvantage. Not many of the Chinese soldiers were armed with muskets with matchlock and had to manually pour the gunpowder every time. In China, which was the center of trade throughout East and South Asia, there was no navy with up-to-date guns. This was taken into account by military intelligence of Western countries that was actively looking for the key to the market of China.
One of the most popular goods in southern China was opium, which was brought here byBritish from India - at that time a British colony, and sold in China for the silver coins, as they were not interested much in copper. Silver could also be exchanged for checks of English banks or buy tea to send to England.
There was also a more terrible consequence: opium smoking has spread so widely that the drug came into daily life, whole villages were befuddled by it, and many high-ranking officials did not forget to look into the popular those days opium dens.
The opium problem became worse and worse. Emperor Daoguang, initiated an investigation in 1831, was shocked to learn that in the opium trade were involved not only some petty criminals and pirates, but many governmental representatives, commanders of military garrisons.
Daoguang Emperor was shocked by the results of the survey of coastal provinces. There were millions and millions of opium smokers, abandoned villages, and total corruption. There were turned debates at the court in Beijing. Some loyal thought that the solving was to legalize the opium purchases and provide taxation it that will only replenish country`s treasury. But soon there was added another factor - the traditional dislike of foreigners, so prominent official Lin Tszysyuy suggested that instead of punishing opium consumers, it is necessary to punish the sellers – British. And in 1838 the Emperor ordered Lin Tszysyuy to solve the opium problem. First of all Lin come to the South to Guangzhou and arrested several hundred of Chinese small traders and middlemen, taking 70 thousand bales of opium. And immediately demanded that the British give him all their opium stocks in response promised to compensate all of it by the tea. The British were impressed as stringent requirements and resolutely refused, and then Lin ordered to ban all trade with foreigners in the port, putting guards around the warehouses. Foreigners surrendered in six weeks. There was gave over a million tons of opium to the Chinese side, that was mixed with salt and lemon juice, washed into the sea by five hundred Chinese people during 22 days.
The British regarded this as "uncivilized behavior" that violates the rules of free trade. In defense of British interests in India was sent a military expedition that consisted of 42 ships. It was the Start of the first Opium War.
Lin Tszysyuy assumed that the British may attack the city of Guangzhou, and gathered within its walls a large garrison. But British ships went around Guangzhou and struck the nearest port of Ningbo, and then the city of Tianjin, located dangerously close to Beijing. It turned out that China has no navy. All that could oppose the Chinese against British armada was burning flesh that had set fire to enemy ships, but the board was bound in metal. Chinese army straggled for centuries of Western military technology, has lost the battle. Lin Tszysyuy had to start negotiations. He accepted the initiative of paying indemnity for the destroyed opium to British and also convey to the British Hong Kong Island - an important trading port. Glenn Melancon, 2003)
First Opium War ended in August 1842 by signing of the Treaty of Nanking – the omen from a long list of contracts, which are still in China called as "unequal". Under this agreement, five Chinese ports opened to foreign trade (Guangzhou, Xiamen, Fuzhou, Ningbo and Shanghai), import tariffs were no more than 5%, and Hong Kong Island officially departed under British jurisdiction. In addition, China had to pay 21 million silver dollars to Britain as compensation. There were established extraterritorial rights for foreigners - they could be judged only in accordance with the law of native country, not the law of China, and this, gave them completely freedom of action in China, because they could not be punished. The British also received the right to live in Guangzhou. Additionally, they obtained a lot of privileges and the status of "most favored nation in trade". In 1844, such contracts were signed with France and the USA, which obtained similar privileges with the exception of territorial concessions.
Thus as a result of the First Opium War began the partition of China by foreigners and, as a consequence the rapid growth of Chinese nationalism and hate for foreigners.
However as it was clear later, China was no hurry to implement all the requirements that were imposed on it by the end of the First Opium War. There stormed a series of popular rebellions in China, Muslim clans arose, in the heart of China's was unfolding one of the most powerful uprisings in the history of Asia - Taiping Rebellion. Dissatisfaction with the power of the Manchus, swept China, resulted in 1850 in a powerful peasant uprising. Hong Xiuquan became a leader of this rebellion. He put forward the requirements of the expulsion of the Manchus, empowering all farmers an equal amount of land. Hong Xiuquan sought to create Taiping Tiangui - Heavenly great welfare state. Therefore, the rebels were called Taiping. In 1851 they took over the south of China and announced about the establishment of the new state. Hong Xiuquan was proclaimed the emperor and his associates received the titles of princes. (Office of the Historian, n.d.)
Taiping Rebellion lasted for 14 years. It took place in several stages. The culmination of the uprising was the establishment of the state Taiping Tiangui in 1853. The capital of the Taiping state became Nanjing. Taiping ideology was to preserve the ancient Chinese traditions. However, the Taiping did not bring marking difference in the China’s social environment. The state that they created did not destroy the monarchy and the feudal system. Therefore, no matter how long the rebellion lasted, it ultimately was defeated.
Taiping Rebellion ended with defeat. The ultimate cause for this was the lack of a clear leadership of the insurrection, help of the European countries to the Qing Empire and the proclamation of the Taiping leaders of the Christian faith, which was alien to the Chinese people. Hong Xiuquan, Yang Xiuqin the leaders of the uprising were unable to rally the Chinese people. Taiping Rebellion in 1864 was suppressed. China has kept the power of the Qing Empire.
The Emperor Daoguang’s successor showed that he was not willing to prolong the regime of the "long-nosed barbarians", was returned from exile Lin Tszysyuy, who wanted to continue the fight with foreigners, and the Western ambassadors have stopped it`s work in Beijing.
In October 1856 in Guangdong port on charges of illegal trade and piracy was arrested ship "Arrow", which was owned by the Chinese, but, in fact, was under the British flag. This minor incident served as the formal beginning of the Second Opium War, also called the "Arrow War".
The British reacted instantly. British Consul ordered to push the English fleet and block Guangdong; here the expedition was sent under the command of Lord Elgin. Soon French forces joined the operation under the pretext that the two French missionaries were executed in the southern province of Guangxi. The operation was carried out rapidly: by the end of 1857 the combined British-French forces captured the city of Guangzhou and held under its full control within three years. Soon blow was inflicted on the North of China. In March 1858, foreign army captured powerful Dagu Fort, covering the approaches to Beijing, and moved to the big city of Tianjin, that located in 70 km. from the Chinese capital. (Office of the Historian, n.d.)
Only after the attack Tianjin Qing court realized that lost not only a campaign, but also the whole of China. The court officials were sent to negotiate to the representatives of foreign states. Foreigners also have exposed a number of requirements, including the opening of more than ten ports for trading, compensation of 4 million ounces of silver to British and 2 million to French, transfer of part of the territory to the Western states and the establishment of the embassy quarters in Beijing. In June 1858, all these requirements have been enshrined in Tianjin agreement signed by the Chinese authorities with foreign powers.
In October 1860 a number of agreements has been concluded and received generic name "Beijing Protocol". In fact, China has entirely lost its right for independent trade policy and foreign relations. Opium War was an outrageous example of nation’s shame for China, proclaimed them an exclusive center of civilization. On the other hand, China began to open to Western technology and innovation, western education and western medicine system, modern missionary schools and hospitals began to establish across the country, but the price for such progress was paid ultimately high.
References
Glenn Melancon (2003). Britain's China Policy and the Opium Crisis: Balancing Drugs, Violence and National Honour, 1833–1840. Ashgate. p. 126.
Office of the Historian. (n.d.) The Opening to China Part I: the First Opium War, the United States, and the Treaty of Wangxia, 1839–1844. Retrieved April 26, 2016, from <https://history.state.gov/milestones/1830-1860/china-1>
Office of the Historian. (n.d.) The Opening to China Part II: the Second Opium War, the United States, and the Treaty of Tianjin, 1857–1859. Retrieved April 26, 2016, from <https://history.state.gov/milestones/1830-1860/china-2>
