The Second Opium War, Second Anglo-Chinese War, Second Chinese War, War of Arrows or Anglo-French Expedition to China was a war in which the British Empire and the Second French Empire opposed the Qing Empire. … Read more
The central core of the Qing Dynasty military was the eight-banner system. It was Nurhaci’s successor who integrated allied and conquered Mongolian tribes into the system. The eight banners were an important system in the … Read more
When Qing extended its power beyond the Great Wall of China in the final years of the Ming Dynasty, Nurhaci’s son and successor Hong Taiji added mirrored Mongolian and Han banners to the eight-banner system. … Read more
The trade patterns of the canton system were developed in the 17th and 19th centuries by Chinese and foreign, mainly British merchants in the southern Chinese trading city of Guangzhou (Canton). The main feature of … Read more
Given Britain’s dependence on Chinese silk, ceramics, and tea exports, opium was the only commodity that could save Britain’s balance of payments in Asia from a ruinous deficit. Opium Wars and Foreign Encroachments In the … Read more