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History of Ming and Qing Dynasties 40 Humen sells cigarettes

Duration: 0:08:46

This Chinese historical story talks about the silence symbol of the Opium War, where the Chinese emperor faced the severe effects of opium trade by British forces. The British had been exporting opium to China, leading to addiction, disease, and an economic crisis throughout the country. The emperor enacted several measures, but nothing seemed to work until he received an ordinance from Lin Zexu, who outlined six measures to ban the opium trade in China. The emperor was pleased with the results and assigned Lin Zexu to oversee the ban.

Language: Chinese
Topics: ChinaOpium War

Ming and Qing History 43 Burning the Old Summer Palace

Duration: 0:09:02

This Chinese historical story recounts the burning of the Yuanmingyuan (Summer Palace) in Beijing during the Second Opium War in 1860. This was a result of Western colonial powers such as Britain, America, and France forcing unequal treaties upon the Qing government, that allowed them to loot China's wealth. A Chinese ship was seized by the British under false pretences, which triggered the war. The Yuanmingyuan, which was an elaborate palace complex built over centuries by Qing emperors and interwoven with traditional Chinese and Western architectural styles, was looted and burned to the ground by the Western forces. The palace had been filled with countless treasures, artworks, and historical artifacts. The destruction of the palace is regarded as one of the greatest cultural losses in Chinese history.

Language: Chinese
Topics: HistoryYuanmingyuan