At the beginning of this issue, we will explain the history of China since modern times, China gradually degenerated into a semi-colonial and semi-feudal society, and began a century of humiliation, and this article will lead you step by step to understand the various desperate moments that China has experienced.
A History of Humiliation in Modern China 100 Years (First Opium War, 1840-1842)
First, the declining China
At the beginning of the nineteenth century, Britain established the "empire of the sun never sets" by virtue of the first opportunity to complete the bourgeois revolution and the crisscrossing of the Age of Exploration, becoming the most powerful capitalist country in the world.
At that time, China, under the feudal ignorance and backward rule of the Manchu Qing Dynasty, showed a trend of declining rivers:
Economically, the subsistence smallholder economy has always dominated China's social economy, and land annexation has become increasingly serious. Politically, the rule of officials was corrupted, and the feudal autocracy developed to the extreme. Ideologically, the Qing government used the "Four Books" and "Five Classics" to imprison people's minds and brutally suppress those who were dissatisfied or commented on current affairs. The country's air defense is empty, and the armament is in ruins. In terms of foreign relations, the Qing Dynasty practiced a policy of retreat for a long time, which seriously hindered China's foreign trade and social, political and economic development.
With the increasing corruption of the Qing Dynasty's rule and the intensification of exploitation and oppression of the people, the class contradictions in the country became increasingly intensified, and the resistance struggles of the masses of the people rose one after another, but capitalism in Britain, France and the United States was developing rapidly, carrying the majesty of the industrial revolution and thriving national strength. In order to expand the commodity market, compete for the origin of raw materials, and intensify the activities of conquering colonies, China's neighboring countries and neighboring regions have gradually become their colonies or spheres of influence. As a vast country under the enslavement education of ancient feudal Confucianism, China naturally became the best choice for the colonialists' invasion and expansion.
Second, the opium trade brought about by the Sino-British trade surplus
After the completion of the industrial revolution, Britain needed a large market as an export place for goods, and China's tea, silk, porcelain and other luxury goods were very popular in the European market, and China, which had a large land and a population of more than 100 million, became the preferred target for British industrial goods dumping, and the British hoped that China would open up trade. However, British exports of wool, wool and other industrial products were not favored in China, and the Qianlong Emperor even believed that China lacked nothing and there was no need to trade with Britain, which made Sino-British trade bring Britain a huge trade deficit (overtake).
Britain began to implement a gold standard monetary policy in the 18th century, while China used silver as currency, and all trade with China needed to be converted in silver, so that Britain needed to buy silver from Europe for trade with China, and gold and silver were bought and sold, which damaged the profits of the British. In terms of tax rates, China opened the 13 lines in Guangzhou, and the high tax rate of 20% for British imports made Britain very dissatisfied.
In order to change this unfavorable trade situation, Britain took diplomatic channels to negotiate forcefully, failed to achieve its goal, and adopted despicable means, relying on the method of "destroying the human race" to smuggle a large amount of special commodities - opium to China to satisfy their unlimited desire for profit.
The British grew opium poppies from India and then transported opium to coastal China through the East India Company and private traders, using corrupt officials and profiteers for illegal trade. The opium trade brought staggering profits to the British bourgeoisie, the Anglo-Indian government, the East India Company, and opium dealers. It has broken China's long-term advantages in foreign trade and turned China from a supercountry for more than 200 years to a supercountry.
The import of opium in large quantities has caused an annual outflow of silver to 6 million taels of silver from China, and a serious silver shortage has occurred in China, resulting in cheap silver, depletion of finances, and empty treasury. The importation of opium has seriously corrupted social customs and destroyed the physical and mental health of the people. The spread of tobacco and poison not only brought mental and physical damage to Chinese, but also destroyed social productive forces, causing industrial and commercial depression and decline in the southeast coastal areas. The serious harm brought by the opium trade to Chinese society attracted the attention of the Qing government and the broad masses of the people. Proceeding from its own interests, the Qing government issued bans eight times from 1821 to 1834; A section of the ruling class witnessed a social crisis and demanded reform of bad government, and opium was banned in China.
The British grew opium poppies from India and then transported opium to coastal China through the East India Company and private traders, using corrupt officials and profiteers for illegal trade. The opium trade brought staggering profits to the British bourgeoisie, the Anglo-Indian government, the East India Company, and opium dealers. It has broken China's long-term advantages in foreign trade and turned China from a supercountry for more than 200 years to a supercountry.
The import of opium in large quantities has caused an annual outflow of silver to 6 million taels of silver from China, and a serious silver shortage has occurred in China, resulting in cheap silver, depletion of finances, and empty treasury. The importation of opium has seriously corrupted social customs and destroyed the physical and mental health of the people. The spread of tobacco and poison not only brought mental and physical damage to Chinese, but also destroyed social productive forces, causing industrial and commercial depression and decline in the southeast coastal areas. The serious harm brought by the opium trade to Chinese society attracted the attention of the Qing government and the broad masses of the people. Proceeding from its own interests, the Qing government issued bans eight times from 1821 to 1834; A section of the ruling class witnessed a social crisis and demanded reform of bad government, and opium was banned in China.
Third, Humen sold tobacco and printed the Opium War
In December 1838, the Daoguang Emperor appointed Lin Zexu as the minister of Qincha and sent him to Guangdong to ban smoking. Lin Zexu, the governor of Huguang, sent the minister of Qincha to Guangzhou to be in charge of execution, which is the famous Humen tobacco sales in history. After arriving in Guangzhou in March 1839, Lin Zexu ordered foreign tobacco dealers to hand over all opium, promised not to sell it again, and destroyed most of the opium stocks legally belonging to the British from June 3 to June 25. The urban and rural masses in Guangzhou who watched the scene all applauded.
The British regarded the Chinese's anti-smoking campaign as an invasion of private property, which they felt intolerable, and contributed to the outbreak of war. In July 1839, the case of Lam Wai Hei occurred in Tsim Sha Tsui Village, Kowloon. British sailors drunkenly made trouble in the village and killed villager Lin Weixi, Lin Zexu asked British commercial director Yilu to hand over the murderer, but Yilu himself gave a light sentence. On August 15, 1839, Lin Zexu ordered a ban on all trade, sent troops into Macau, and further expelled the British. This thus became the trigger for the Opium Wars. On October 1, 1839, the British cabinet made the decision to "send a fleet to the China Sea" on the grounds that commerce was blocked and the lives of British subjects were threatened, although under Chinese law the British did not have the right to store opium on Chinese soil. On January 5, 1840, Lin Zexu, in accordance with the will of the Daoguang Emperor, announced the official closure of Hong Kong and permanently cut off trade with Britain. On January 8, the British captain of the "Wola Suspicious" announced that from January 15, the Guangzhou port and the mouth of the Pearl River will be blocked. On January 16, Queen Victoria addressed Parliament, saying that she was paying close attention to British interests and national dignity in China.
In June 1840, 47 British ships and 4,000 army personnel led by Rear Admiral George Elliot and Charles Elliot, commercial superintendent in China, went on an expedition to China, and the Opium War broke out, relying on the advantage of warships, the British army arrived outside the mouth of the Pearl River in Guangdong, blockaded Haikou, and successively captured coastal cities such as Dinghai, Xiamen, and Ningbo, and went up the Yangtze River to threaten the Jiangnan region.
In June 1840, the British army captured Dinghai, and the general Zhang Chaofa became the first general to be martyred in the Opium War. Yao Huaixiang of Dinghai Zhi County died from the festival of killing, and Dinghai Dianshi Quanfu died heroically.
In January 1841, the British army launched a fierce attack on the Dajiao and Shajiao forts, Qishan withdrew, and Chen Liansheng, deputy general of the Sanjiang Association, led more than 600 officers and soldiers defending the island to suffer the enemy and died heroically. The eldest son Chen Changpeng, the second son Chen Jupeng and the garrison Zhang Qingling were also martyred.
In February 1841, British troops attacked the area around Humen. Governor Qishan refused to increase his troops, and Guan Tianpei, the governor of the Guangdong Admiralty, was outnumbered and eventually martyred, and Liu Dazhong, deputy general of the Xiangshan Association, Guangdong Tibiao Zuo Battalion guerrilla Mai Tingzhang, staff general Zhou Fang, guerrilla Shen Zhanao, and garrison Hong Dake were also killed and martyred.
In August 1841, the British launched the Third Battle of Xiamen, and Jiang Jiyun, the commander-in-chief of Kinmen Town, was finally seriously wounded and threw himself into the sea and was martyred. Fucha Lingzhi, deputy general of Yanping Association, and Wang Shijun, the commander of Huaikou, were also killed in battle.
In September 1841, after breaking through Xiamen, the British army marched north into Zhejiang and attacked Dinghai, and the second Battle of Dinghai broke out, Wang Xipeng, the general soldier of Shouchun Town, Zheng Guohong, the general soldier of Zhizhou Town, and Ge Yunfei, the general of Dinghai Town, were killed in battle on the same day, and the deputy generals Zhu Huiyuan, Lü Linhuan, Liu Guiwu, Xia Minzhong, Zhang Kuijia, Dusi Li Yueyuan, General Hu Dachun, Hong Wujun, Foreign Commissar Jin Zhao, Shipu Tongzhi Shu Gongshou, General Zhang Yuheng, Foreign Commissar Wu Yingtai were killed together, and all 5,800 defenders under their command were martyred.
In October 1841, the British army invaded Zhenhai after capturing Dinghai, and the governor of Liangjiang, Borzigit Yuqian, jumped into the water and was martyred, and Xie Chaoen, the commander-in-chief of Wolfshan Town, died heroically, and Li Xiangyang of Zhenhai County, Zhang Chongxiang, deputy general of Jinhua Association, guerrilla Bian Yunbao, garrison Wang Wanlong, general Jiang Zongbin, Xie Tianpei, foreign commissioner Lin Geng, Wu Dingjiang, and Chi Dingrui were killed together.
After the fall of the three cities in eastern Zhejiang, Zhu Gui, deputy general of the Jinhua Association, Sun Rupeng, the commander of the Nanning City Guarding Camp, Dajinhe Qianzong Amuyan, garrison Li Yunlong, Qianzong Chen Qingsan, Chen Shoushu, Zhou Wanzhi, General Ma Jinlong, Jin Nightma, Wasi Tugaret Hakri, Foreign Commissioner Cai Bugao, Zhu Gui's son Zhu Zhaonan, Zhixian Yan Lujing, Xining Town Zuoying guerrilla Huang Tai, garrison Tian Xi, Chen Yilan, Xu Gong, Qianzong Wei Qiming, General Lin Huaiyu, Lu Bing, Di Fade, Foreign Commissioner Zhang Huapeng, Ma Longtu, He Hai, Mao Yugui, Wang Baoyuan, Yang Fuzeng, Shanyin Lianyong and Yuan Lezhong died in battle.
In May 1842, the British army launched an attack on Zhapu in three ways, Zhapu deputy commander Xi, forward Xie LinkedIn Dengbu, Zuo Ling Longjiang, defensive Guishun, Etehe, forward school Foyin, Xiao Cai Riding School Il Hafen, Genshun, Cai Hang'a, garrison Zhang Huaisi, Qianzong Li Tinggui, General Wang Rong, Ma Zhirong, Sun Dengxiao, Foreign Commissioner Ma Chenggong, and Zhu Chaogui also died in battle, Zhapu fell, after the British army captured Zhapu, they killed and plundered to the point of misery, accumulated corpses and blocked the road, or abandoned in the river, and the water did not flow.
In June 1842, the British fleet attacked the mouth of the Yangtze River, the governor of Jiangnan Chen Huacheng was martyred, and the Jinshan battalion guerrilla Wei Yinfu, Qian Zongqian Jinyu, General Xu Pangui, Gong Zengling, Foreign Commissar Xu Taihua, and Zhou Lin were all killed, and the British army then captured Shanghai, and Liu Qingen, a Shanghai classic, was thrown into the water and died.
In July 1842, the British army entered the Yangtze River, and Guo Luoluo Hailing, the deputy commander of Jingkou, was martyred by self-immolation, his wife and grandson died at the same time, and the horse vest Changsong and his son Xiao Riding School Xiangyun, Zuo Ling Jingxing, Ai Xingbu, Heng Huming, Defense Hengshan, Shangde, Hengfu, Jicheng, Xiao Riding School Ikzine, Forward School Songbao, Wen Kui, Alkintu, Xixing, Wenjuren Kala, Wuju Ren Hadahai, Pen Post Hafeng'a, Enxi, Guerrilla Luo Bikui, and all officers and soldiers below General Zhao Lianbi were killed.
According to post-war statistics, in the entire Opium War, the Chinese casualties totaled 22,790, and the British casualties were 523 (69 killed), with an exaggerated casualty ratio of 44:1.
Fourth, the Treaty of Nanjing began China's humiliation
On August 4, 1842 (the 22nd year of Daoguang), British warships arrived at the Xiaguan River in Nanjing, and the British troops landed from Yanziji, inspected the terrain, and threatened to attack the city of Nanjing. After the British army arrived in Nanjing, Niu Jian, the governor of Liangjiang, asked the British army for peace. On August 8, after the arrival of Chincha Minister Qi Ying, the two sides held a total of about four discussions in Jinghai Temple. On August 17, Jiang Ningbu's envoy Huang Entong and Ma Ruhan agreed on the content of the treaty. On August 22, the Daoguang Emperor allowed it all. During the negotiations, Qiying and others gave in to the British demand and did not refute it. From the beginning of the negotiation to the formal signing of the contract, Qiying, Iribu and Niu Jian had boarded the ship at the invitation of Pu Dingcha, and Pu Dingcha also went ashore to pay respects. However, the British army did not stop looting during this period, which triggered the last battle of the Opium War, the defense of the Jingjiang River.
Treaty of Nanjing was signed
On June 26, 1843 (May 29, Daoguang 23), Senior Ying and Pu Dingcha held a treaty exchange ceremony in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong has been ceded many times
The treaty is as follows:
(1) The truce between China and Britain and the conclusion of permanent peace and reciprocal relations.
2. China opened five coastal ports in Guangzhou, Fuzhou, Xiamen, Ningbo and Shanghai for trade and trade.
3. China ceded Hong Kong Island to British governance.
4. China compensated a total of 21 million silver yuan to the United Kingdom.
5. China and Britain each release each other's military and civilians.
6. The British army withdrew from the rivers and islands in Nanjing, Dinghai and other places.
7. The two countries jointly establish import and export tariffs.
8. British merchants "should pay import and export taxes and wages in accordance with the rules of impartiality" at all ports of commerce, thus setting a precedent for the agreed tariffs. The "public bank" system was abolished, and it was stipulated that in the future, "all British merchants who trade at each port of commerce will be at their disposal, regardless of who they are trading with."
Cede Hong Kong
Fifth, the United States and law follow suit
On July 3, 1844 (May 18, 24 Daoguang), Qing government representative Qing government representative Qi Ying and American representative Gu Sheng signed the Sino-US Treaty of Wangxia, the "Sino-US Trade Charter of the Five Ports", in the village of Wangxia in Macao. The content of the treaty can be summarized as: the United States enjoys all the privileges of Britain in China; U.S. warships can freely enter and leave China's trade ports; The United States can build churches and hospitals at trade ports; Expansion of consular jurisdiction.
On October 24, 1844 (September 13, the 24th day of Daoguang), the Qing government representative Ji Ying and the French representative Lacheni signed the Sino-French Treaty of Huangpu on board the French warship in Huangpu, Guangzhou. The content of the treaty can be summarized as: France enjoys all the privileges of Britain and the United States in China; France can build churches on leased land for five, and China has the obligation to protect churches.
Western powers took advantage of the provisions of the Humen Treaty, a subsidiary to the Treaty of Nanjing, to lease land, build houses, and demarcate concessions at trade ports. In 1845 (the twenty-fifth year of Daoguang), the British consul in Shanghai, G. Balfour, and Shanghai Daogong Mujiu agreed on a land charter to carve out an area in Shanghai as the British Concession. In 1847 (the 27th year of Daoguang) and 1849 (the 29th year of Daoguang), the United States and France also forcibly demarcated concessions in Shanghai. Later, the concession system was gradually extended to other trade ports.