During most of the Ming dynasty and the first half of the Qing dynasty, Chinese emperors presided over a prosperous and orderly society. Jesuit missionaries to the Qing court, who had some success in winning converts, sent numerous letters to colleagues in Europe that were strongly positive about what they observed. Leaders of the European Enlightenment such as Voltaire based their views of China on the Jesuit reports and praised the Chinese political system for its stability and reasonableness.Around 1800, however, much began to go wrong in China. By this date the Chinese population, which had been growing rapidly for the past three centuries, began to press hard against the available food supply. In the past, the Chinese had been among the world’s most innovative people with regard to technology, but for reasons that are poorly understood, this was no longer the case. Living standards in China, which scholars think were roughly comparable to those in Europe up to 1800, began to plummet. In addition, Chinese emperors after 1800 were less competent than those who had reigned during the first half of the Qing period.
The emperors’ problems were exacerbated by the actions of the British East India Company and other Western traders who began to ship huge quantities of opium to China around 1800. Attempts by the Qing authorities to halt the trade in opium (which was grown in British-controlled India) proved ineffective, and addiction to the drug began to spread. In response, Emperor Daoguang dispatched one of his most highly regarded officials, Lin Zexu, to Canton (present-day Guangzhou) in 1839 to find a remedy. It was in this context that Lin addressed his famous letter to Queen Victoria. Lin also blockaded Canton harbor and had a large quantity of opium seized and destroyed. The British responded by attacking Canton and several other Chinese ports. Overwhelmed, the Chinese surrendered. By the terms of the 1842 Treaty of Nanjing, the Chinese were forced to open several ports to trade, to cede the island of Hong Kong, to grant extraterritoriality to British subjects residing in China, and to make other significant concessions (which were soon extended to other Western governments).
The two letters that I would like you to read illustrate the contrast in Chinese and British thinking about the conflict over opium smuggling. How does Lin’s letter (that you can read by clicking here; Doc 1, pgs. 24-28)—which may have never have reached its destination—reveal how the Qing authorities saw the dispute, while also suggesting reasons why the Chinese were easily defeated? How does the letter from Lord Palmerston (you can read that letter by clicking here), the British Foreign Secretary, shed light on the perspective of the British?
After reading the letters, I would like you to think about and discuss the following: What were Lin’s objections to the opium trade? What was his solution to the problem of opium consumption in China? Was he a Confucian? How well informed was Lin about England and about Chinese relations with England? What does Lin’s letter suggest about the traditional goals of China’s leaders in international relations? What changes in the 19th-century world made the attainment of these aims problematic? How does Palmerston’s letter differ from Lin’s? Are there any similarities? Was there any basis for compromise between the two governments? Were Lin and Palmerston nationalists? Why did the use of opium spread in China during the 19th century? How did the Chinese response to the growth of European wealth and power compare with those of Russia in Season 3 and the Ottoman Empire in Season 4? Your thoughts…
19 comments:
Lin's being too nice! you can just hear the hatred behind those kind words. it seems like he doesn't mind trade, but he says that harmful trade will not be tolerated by heaven, so he uses heaven as a way to put force on them...its funny how he starts calling the people bringing in opium barbarians but he called them "kind" before..
He hates the trade of, because it is poisoning their society. People are acting like "barbarians." Buyers will choose an addiction over food; they are importing more useless drugs and outing all their silver, which is going to help when famine hits the peasants who don't even have any opium to drown out their hunger in! Lin has taken the measure to kill any drug user in order to enforce the law and to try to end opium trade with Europe. He highly suggests and begs in a way that they halt the trade of opium. He knew they were growing in India and wished them to grow crops there, rather. The Gods and heavens were used a lot in his letter to emphasize the importance of his will. The Gods are with him in a way and the Europeans/ Victoria will be rewarded greatly for ending this horrible mess. I don't think they would appreciate being told how to handle their colony or trade relations and would have gotten very upset-may have continued simply in spite, unless they recognized his reasoning.
HA! this second letter done by the British man makes Britian sound all innocent and simple traders who enjoy their happy, simple, little trade business with the Chinese, as they always have, and suddenly the Chinese have become mean to them and they are sad:'/ gzzes! They knew they shouldn't have been secretly trading opium, but oh! they cannot control what some traders do and please punish those violators of our laws. They do wish for a nice treaty between the two, because of the blockade. Both of these people seemed strong nationalists to their country, especially being that they would write to the other in order to solve problems in their own.
Lin doesn't like the fact that England is pushing for something to be used in China that is illegal in China- that really doesn't seem quite right. I could see him as having written this and rewritten this over and over again trying to figure oiut his wording so as to not sound like he's attacking the English government (even if it does result in this) What is really scary is if you think about the road that the US is going down now (with marijuana and meth and drugs of the sort) it seems oddly like this addiction that China formed to opium... Just a thouhgt...
Lin says that the opium doesn't help anyone, and that all of China's exports do. He believes in the typical Chinese mindset. The world needs Chinese goods. China does not need the world's goods, so we can cut off trade and only you will be hurt. He suggests the British use the land that is now being used for opium production instead for grain.
The European uses a lot of flowery language to cover up his true intention. He says that the Chinese want the opium, and the British merchants were treated horribly.
I think both of these guys are nationalist. They both seem to think that they are better than the other person.
Yeah I agree with Nidhi...Lin is being way too nice. It was very interesting to read that after learning about it in a textbook and in a lecture. It just puts what I learned in a defferent yet greater perspective (real world).
If that makes since.
Anyways, I really enjoyed reading hte interaction between Great Britain and China. I thought it was interesting when Lin said something along the lines of ....Why are you selling this poison (opium) to our country when it is clearly understood that you don't allow it in your country. That really shows me how hypocritical and low Great Britain really is during this time.
Oh and also... what is Celestial Court??
lin used the basic principle of "do unto others as you would want done to yourself". he tried to convey that he just cared about his people and that they were being hurt and that their lives were being affected negatively. it's genuine concern he has. he knows that the british don't allow it, so he asks them: why do you ban it in your own country, and then sell it to us? lin's views on trade are also of the chinese mentality that they are the independent ones. the chinese are able to get along just fine without britain and the west, and so they could just as easily cut off all trade with them. they are giving europeans the blessing to trade with them, but with the trade of opium poisoning the chinese, lin does not see it necessary to trade with the west anymore.
in lord palmerston's letter it has a line that bascially says, the queen will allow her subjects to be under the rule of the countries that they are in, as long as they aren't treated harshly. it is only logical though, that for taking the lives of chinese citizens with opium, that the lives of the british merchants be affected so. this however, is where the british plan to use their superior military might to take over dominate the chinese.
lin's accusation was unfair. he tried. his case was legit and he wanted positive change, he still wanted to be able to have a peaceful relationship with britain, but he thought it could be done in other ways that didn't involve harmful drugs.
celestial court usually refers to heavenly deities
Europe is starting to annoy me. I mean come on. Lin was basically begging for the British to stop selling them opium. They were killing innocent people and tearing apart the Chinese society, but all Britain cared about was getting their silver back. Lord Palmerston didn't even seem to show the slightest pity for China in his letter that he sent to China. Come on Britain have a heart.
Lin isnt happy that China is addicted to opium and that all of their silver is being traded away to Britain to support their drug habit.Butin his letter to the queen hes still trying to be polite, so as to have a better chance of getting his way.
The Europeans try to make themselves sound like just a simple little country trying to enjoy simple trade w/ China. Also, the European letter isnt very direct in how it was written and it sounded like they were trying to write something, without saying anthing or giving any information.
Lin plainly does not approve of the trading of Opium. He continuously states the harmful affects that are being created in China. Like Ashley stated, when Lin talks about how Opium is not permited in their country, yet they pass it along to China, their true hypocrital-ness shows. Lin should have been harsher in his words, because obviously they had no effect on England..
He hates the consumption of opium because it is destroying his country. To stop the spread, he says that anyone using or selling the opium will recieve the death penalty. He is very educated in their affairs with England because he says that all of their profit is going to Britain so why would they punish them by getting them all addicted to opium and try to take down their state.
Britian is pursuing drugs that are illigal in their own country, so as long as you give them to China its okay???
Lin seems like he wll do anything for the well-being of china, he knows that the opium is hurting China and wants an end to all drugs. his mindset is that china has been strong without impors so who needs them? They cut off trade with almost everyone and only export good for their economy.
In the 2nd document the European guy almost wants you to feel sorry for him, and even talks about how badly they get treated in China, so he is almost trying to cover up all the illigal trading he has done in China
Lin is being wayy to polite by saying remarks such as "your honorable country." For a country who is being abused by drugs because of another county should at least show some sort of aggression. He cares for the Chinese people and expresses his emotion by trying not to anger the English gonvernment.
The Palmerson document states the possibility that it wasnt the europeans fault for smuggling opium. Infact, the Chinese's very own officers are to be blamed because of their corruption. This is shown in the quote
"If it did know these things, it virtually abolished its own Law, by permitting its own officers to act as if no such Law existed. If the Chinese Government says it did not know of these things, if it says that it knew indeed that the Law was violated by Foreigners who brought in opium, but did not know that the Law was violated by its own Officers who assisted in the importation, and received fixed sums of money for permitting it, then may Foreign Governments ask, how it happened that a Government so watchful as that of China should have one eye open to see the transgressions of Foreigners, but should have the other eye shut, and unable to see the transgressions of its own officers...."
to me it does like history has a tendency to repeat itself. china was getting addicted to opium and today there are so many illegal drugs being sent in from many places it does seem like we are acting a bit like china. maybe not with that big of consequences though
Lin does not like this opium trade at all. He describes the Europeans as barbarians who only care for themselves. Lin pretty much attacks Britain and telling them of their hypocrisy. They make it illegal back home, but in China, they're making opium as free as air. The opium is poisonous to the Chinese and Lin says that the Europeans selling and profiting from the opium while harming the Chinese has caused unrest among the heavenly powers. Lin also points out that China does not need European goods at all, as to where the Europeans greatly depend on Chinese goods, such as tea and silk.
Like Kirsten said, the Europeans are trying to make themselves sound like the good guys who have only had good intentions for the Chinese when really, they only wanted to corrupt the government and take advantage of China.
I would say both are nationalists because they are defending their country and why one is better than the other.
by reading the first few paragraphs of this document...you can tell that Lin hates the idea of opium. He hates it simply becuase he thinks that the pdrug(opium) is effecting their society...in a bad way. teh society is falling apart and so is the government. ANd he thinks that all the Chinese people who are selling opium should receive death penelty.
The British, however, make it seem like they are doing nothing worng adn trading opium is not that big of a deal..>As long as it doesnt effect them and thier getting money...they really dont care.
this letter is so respectful to the queen but you can see how much he hates opium. I agree with him because the opium is not getting this country anywhere and the Brits are just using this drug to get back their silver.
The second letter displays Britain as a nation who is just their to trade, but we all really now why they are tradin the strongest opium in all the world with China. They seem innocent as if they were trading something that isn't ruining China and benefiting themselves.
Who would like the consumption of opium?! he trys placing an end to the ties with opium the death penalty takes place...Opium is destroying his country..and its not like he is un aware of whats going on with Britain, but this sort of brings me back to the whole "the world needs China, China doesnt need the world"..
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