The second opium war is sometimes called the arrow war after the pirate ship the chinese seized. As a result of the war, britain won trade rights, access to five treaty ports, and hong kong. The opium war yapian zhanzheng, directed by 74yearold chinese director xie jin, was released in beijing on july 1, 1997, set to coincide with the transfer of hong kong from britain back to china. And this episode of history provides some serious lessons for america in these dark times of trade dysfunction and drug legalization. Dec 01, 1996 and even if the making of the opium war were a paragon of objectivity, the act of making and promoting it during the season of hong kongs return to chinese sovereignty panders to the. The clashes included the first opium war 18391842, with the british naval forces, and the second opium war.
The second was from 1856 to 1860 and involved france as well. There is a 10 minute clip from episode 1 the seeds of war that works well as a complement to readings and lecture. Reviewed at cannes film festival market, may 8, 1997. Losers rarely name wars, an exception being the conflict between britain and china from 1839 to 1842, known bluntly ever since as the opium war. Excerpts from two treaties signed following the opium wars. During the first opium war, china cedes the island of hong kong to. The opium war is a 1997 chinese historical epic film directed by xie jin. Overview of opium war, the, 1997, directed by xie jin, with jiang hua, ko hsiangting, carrick hagon, at turner classic movies. Mar 31, 2010 it was a war to force the chinese to buy and use opium. Released in 1997, the opium war is a film about the conflict between china and england which began in 1838 due to a dispute over the legality of opium being sold by british merchants in china. The theme of the evening was queen victoria, and the opium war was the unusual and bold first choice of a group of 3 programmes, the other two coming conventionally from germany and britain.
The arrangement began in 1997 as part of a gradual return of the territory to china. This includes a sweeping story about both the personal and the national cause for war, as. The opium wars were two wars which were waged between the great qing and the british government in the mid19th century, triggered by the british governments imposition of the opium trade upon china. A fascinating look at the other side of the opium wars. At midnight on july 1, 1997, hong kong returned to chinese control after a century and a half of british colonial rule. The opium war 1997 dvd movie english sub all region bao guo. Fairbank, the creation of the treaty system in john k. Jan 29, 2019 the first opium war was fought from march 18, 1839, to august 29, 1842, and was also known as the first anglochinese war. In the opium war, author brian inglis details the origin of this illicit trade, and how the british east india company was able to spin the story back in englands parliament through successive parties in power. In the mid1850s, the european powers and the united states sought to renegotiate their commercial treaties with china. Barbarians in the celestial empire in the early part of the nineteenth century and the war by which they forced her gates ajar new york. The opium wars 1 2 banned version with extended jingoist ending duration. See how china was blasted into the global marketplace, after conflict with the british.
For webquest or practice, print a copy of this quiz at ancient china opium wars webquest print page. Chinese history after the opium war including the death of consort zhen. Between 1839 and 1842, british forces fought a war on behalf of drug traffickers. The story of the opium war between china, in the waning days of the qing dynasty, and the british empire, in the 1830s, and the subsequent takeover of hong kong by britain. Customs which promptly puts a duty fee on the import. The opium wars were two wars between china and western countries during the qing dynasty. The opium war amuchhyped, longplanned project with a clear political message, the opium war is a consistently eyepleasing historical costumer thats a superior example of its type without. The winner of the 1997 golden rooster and 1998 hundred flowers awards for best picture, the film was screened in several international film festivals, notably cannes and montreal. China would regain control of its leased lands on july 1, 1997. After the burning of 20,000 boxes of opium by the chinese, england declares war since the burned opium was the property of the. Russia gained land from china as a result of the second opium war. Britishchinese trade canton system british imported goods from china.
Opium wars in china the opium wars were a series of three wars between the chinese and the british. This effort was led by the british who sought the opening of all of china to their merchants, an ambassador in beijing, legalization of the opium trade, and the exemption of imports from tariffs. By 1870, chinas share of global gdp had fallen by half. After the burning of 20,000 boxes of opium by the chinese, england declares war since the burned opium was the. In china, letting a hundred films wither the new york times. Historical drama starting in 1839 in guangzhou where british merchants dealing with opium are to be executed because the opium is destroying the empire.
Opinion the opium wars secret history the new york times. Many historians imply that the opium war was somehow inevitable. The first opium war 183942 was fought between china and britain, and the second opium war 185660, also known as the. The story of qing dynasty official lin zexu and his battle against british imperialist is set at the start of 1838 during the first hints of the conflict that would become the opium war which led to the ceding of hong kong to the british empire. They were also about opening china to european and american trade and. Chinese attempt to shut down trade lin zexu appointed in 1838 to stamp out opium trade.
The conflicts put china at a disadvantage in foreign trade and international relations for decades. How did the opium war affect the economy of china by dominick. The opium war is an historical event that heralded the beginning of the end for the qing dynasty and the chinese empire as a whole. The first opium war ends when britain and china sign the treaty of nanking duration. All western countries including america were involved in the trade. China cedes hong kong island in the first opium war. Chinese history after the opium war including the death of consort zhen duration. Lin sought to enforce the emperors ban on opium and demanded that the british merchants hand over opium stock within three days and sign a bond promising to not traffic opium. How hong kongs complex history explains its current.
The first was between great britain and china and lasted from 1839 until 1842. The opium war 1997 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Opium wars, two armed conflicts in china in the mid19th century between the forces of western countries and of the qing dynasty, which ruled china from 1644 to 191112. Unwilling to make further concessions to the west, the qing. History often overlooks the first opium war, which was fought from 18401842. The first opium war 183942 was fought between china and britain, and the second opium war 185660, also known as the arrow war or. In june, 16 british warships arrived in hong kong and sailed northward to the mouth of the bei river to. After the burning of 20000 boxes of opium by the chinese, england declares war. An attempt to stop the british from selling opium to the chinese leads to war when mass quantities of the drug are. In this tragic and powerful story, the two opium wars of 1839 1842 and 1856 1860 between britain and china are recounted for the first time through the eyes of the chinese as well as the imperial west. The opium war is a consistently eyepleasing historical costumer thats a. Opium wars bibliography 1 opium wars is a term referring to two wars that britain 2 fought against imperial china 3 in the middle of the nineteenth century, presumably over the attempts of the chinese authorities to stop the growing influx of foreignproduced opium.
An attempt to stop the british from selling opium to the chinese leads to war when mass quantities of the drug are dumped into the sea. As a result of the war, britain won trade rights, access to. Xie jin has been called the chinese spielberg, and his epic has the look and texture of an indiana jones movie though apparently the. Further reduction of the running time to the twohour mark would help its.
However, despite its name, the roots of opium war do not only lie in the drug or its addiction. Dierci yapian zhanzheng, also known as the second anglochinese war, the second china war, the arrow war, or the anglofrench expedition to china, was a war pitting the british empire and the french empire against the qing dynasty of china that lasted from 1856 to 1860. The chinese opium wars harvest books, 1975 fay, peter ward. Their victory opened up the lucrative china trade to british merchants. The first installment in a twoparter about the opium wars in the 1800s between the glorious anglo saxon empire and the manchu qing dynasty of china, an ancient and majestic nation. Amuchhyped, longplanned project with a clear political message, the opium war is a consistently eyepleasing historical costumer thats a superior example of. The first opium war was fought from march 18, 1839, to august 29, 1842, and was also known as the first anglochinese war. In february 1840 the british government decided to launch a military expedition, and elliot and his cousin, george later sir george elliot, were appointed joint plenipotentiaries to china though the latter, in poor health, resigned in november. The opium war was a war fought by two countries great britain and china in 1839. China banned the import of opium, which forced western countries to declare war to revive the trade. China the first opium war and its aftermath britannica.
Architect of the first opium war benjamin cassan history often overlooks the first opium war, which was fought from 18401842. All the questions on this quiz are based on information that can be found on the page at ancient china opium wars. The resulting concession of hong kong compromised chinas territorial sovereignty. The war was fought over the drug opium which was used by the chinese for hundreds of year to relieve pain. The film tells the story of the first opium war of 18391842, which was fought between the qing empire of. The first opium war 183942 was fought between china and britain, and the second opium war 185660, also known as the arrow war or the anglofrench war in china, was fought by. An attempt to stop the british from selling opium to the chinese leads to war when mass. They were also about opening china to european and american trade. With guoan bao, liankun lin, sihung lung, debra beaumont. The united states became involved in the second opium war after the chinese attacked a u. The first of the opium wars occurred from 1839 to 1842, the second occurred between 1856 and 1860. In march of 1839 the emperor appointed lin zexu as an official to govern trade in canton. The immediate issue was chinese official seizure of opium stocks at canton to stop the banned opium trade, and threatening the death penalty for future.
Aug 07, 2012 the first and second opium war history of china 18391860 duration. They manifested the conflicting natures of both nations and demonstrated chinas misconceptions of its own. Xie jin described the film as a special gift for the motherland and the people. Invision employees share their remote work secrets. This is something that happens occasionally with these movies, i think a lot of times, they started off on 2 cds. This was all done with the full blessing of the british government. The second was from 1856 to 1860 and involved france as well the wars were about many other things than opium. Opium wars simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. After 150 years of british rule, hong kong reverts to chinese sovereignty at midnight on june 30, 1997.
Xies opium war will make its world debut as an unsubtle piece of. Feb 02, 2012 i have the original vhsvideo from hong kong which contains two parts with the full length of 150 minutes. In response, the british send expeditionary warships to the coast of china, beginning the first opium war. Opium entered china during the middle ages when arab traders brought it into china for. The opium war 1997 dvd movie english sub all region bao. The resolution of these wars resulted in treaties that dictated trade agreements and concessions as well as the cession of hong kong island which became a british colony until 1997. The roots of the opium war or first china war lay in a trade dispute between the british and the chinese qing dynasty.
266 826 1217 132 543 23 1461 1174 51 1511 1295 1124 1145 652 914 1476 215 1352 1134 955 522 198 1312 1477 1280 349 188