Chronicles of the Late Qing Crisis: War in the Name of Opium

Told in a witty, irreverent voice, this book recounts the history surrounding the Opium Wars of the late Qing in lively, fluid prose. It begins in 1757, the twenty-second year of the Qianlong reign, when British merchant ship captain Hong Renhui traveled to the capital to petition the emperor, and gradually reveals the deeper causes of the Opium Wars. The narrative follows the course of the war, using major events as its framework and the actions of historical figures as its focus to present a vivid account of the conflict. After the war, it examines the Treaty of Nanjing and related treaties and their impact on modern China, uncovering the deeper causes that shaped the course of modern Chinese history and inviting readers to reflect.