Qing China Essays Example

Opium is dried latex, obtained from the opium poppy. It contains alkaloid, and 12% morphine which can be chemically processed to produce illegal heroin, used in illegal drug trade. Similarly, latex contains alkaloid codeine which is the cousin of similarly structured, thebaine.
Opium trade developed in the 18th and 19th centuries, where western nations, majorly Great Britain bought opium and sold Opium it to China. From these sales, they got profits which were used in silk, tea, porcelain luxury goods demanded by the west. It was taken orally by Chinese people to relieve pain, but later led to addictions which increased the demand. The addiction increased, and there was increased importation to China. British discovered the trade earlier, hence led in supplying China with opium, they also established a monopoly in India, where they grew opium and supplied opium poppies in abundance and cheaply. Therefore, Britain wanted to make profits and barter with different goods available in china, balancing the trade which was imbalance at that point due to demand of Chinese goods.
Meanwhile, opium network grew in China leading to high addictions affecting official classes and troops. First effort of Ching dynasty to put in place restrictions led to opium war, due to conflict of interest with the British traders. Taiping rebellion was a rebellion against Ching dynasty, caused by religious mysticism between 1850 and 1864. It weakened the dynasty but was later suppressed by aid from the foreigners.
In the same point, opium wars mainly came in 1940; it was inevitable because Britain despised Chinese weakness, and Chinese thought they were invincible. The wars opium wars were ended by the treaty of Nijing (Naiking) was an unequal treaty, signed in 19th August 1842 between Qing Empires and the British, which forced China to lower tariffs, hence ending the First opium war.
Ci-xi is one of the most formidable women in today’s history. She quickly discerned the dead-end the country was rammed into through the closed –door policy. She understood the necessity of opening up to the outside world, and led China towards self- strengthening efforts by not allowing foreigners to look down on them. Ci-xi tactically supported the boxer rebellion, where poor Chinese people attacked the westerners blaming them for their imperialism, hence poor living standards. The boxers attacked and begun a siege which lasted almost eight weeks. Afterwards, British imperialist captured peiking, ending the siege and Ci-xi fled.