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Zhang Yu Xian's Interview
Before I have the interview about the Opium War, I do not like neither the Government
Qing nor the British Government.
My uncle reached my home very early. This was the first time I did a interview,
I felt very nervous. I got the video and took out the recorder quickly. After
My uncle was ready, we started the interview. The interview went well, and I
have learned a lot after the interview.
Before the Opium War, the Government Qing has already become very decline. The
officer looked down upon the technology. They thought that they beat the Government
Ming by horse easily, so they should keep it. Because of this, the armament of
Qing was very bad. What was worse, the Government Qing had already become very
decline. They can not maintain the dominion of China. Long long ago, they had
stopped the business between east and west. They had not stopped the opium until
it had made a huge harm. All of them made the Government Qing failed the war.
Now, the condition of the world is still not very good. Only the country which
can see all the things clearly and has good science and has good economy can
live well.
The interview is over, I have learned a lot. I have thought a lot. And I will
do a lot……
Q: How do you think the Opium War (1840-1842) is viewed in China and in the
world?
A: Before the Opium War (1840-1842), China and the world associated very little.
In the period of Kang Xi, while recovering Taiwan , they once took and prohibited
the sea trade. They moved the fisherman on the seashore to the hinterland.
In this way the understanding of China as a foreign country is very little,
they know almost nothing, because trade ,etc. reasons come China until Spaniard,
understand Chinese just after contacting with Chinese general common people,
but understanding of the government is still unclear, the Qing Government does
not understand the world at all either, there were some European countries
, such as Spain , Britain , France ,etc. in the country that
associated with China at that time. In their eyes, the Chinese are "a
herd of bizarre animals". The men have long pigtails and the woman still
wrap their feet. These two kinds of cultures are widely different, it is very
difficult for them to communicate with each other.
Q: How do you think China was viewed by the world after the Opium War (1840-1842)?
A: After the Opium War, China realized how they appeared to the world in the
west and studied east ancient culture, westernization movement, etc. Later,
having seen the western metal gun ships, they almost couldn't resist reform,
but they only made the constitutional reform picture strong. From this it
can be said the Opium War forced China to learn about the world. Go to the
world to come on the other hand. After the Opium War, become with the exchange
of China less abroad, the Opium War made foreigners think that the Chinese
were weak and easy to bully, which caused the Second Opium War and the Eight
Strategic Nerve Points to invade China.
Q: During the Opium War, what was the common people’s understanding
of the war?
A: In China's history, people join the army just for life, do not have the
problem that some is patriotic, common persons do not pay attention to the
changes of dynasties very much either. After the Opium War breaks out, the
British invading army has a lot of uncivilized acts and these behaviors have
caused the resistance of Chinese common people. Some British soldiers, who
came to China at that time, conduct not outstanding either and the unrestrained
behavior of them, strengthened Chinese common people’s hatred, conflict
of them too.
Q: Was the decline of China is irreversible, or was the Opium War caused?
A: Whether the decline of China is determined by the economy or not, China
was all small-scale peasant economy at that time, that is to say that self-sufficient
natural economy is unable to adapt to the whole world development. Although
China was in favorable balance with foreign trade at that time, they still
couldn’t change China's overall national strength and lag behind newer
economies. That is to say, even if without emergence of the Opium War, the
decline of China remains unavoidable.
Q: Do you know about a little personal story in the Opium War?
A: The Opium War took place in the South at that time, the common people in
a lot of the North did not even know this war, so, in folktale, what I knew
is not a lot. I am sorry can't help some of you.
Q: How do you think of Lin Zexu and Guan Tianpei's?
A: Lin Zexu is a civil official, when he is in Guangdong, the danger of seeing
opium overflowing, a lot of personnel taking drugs are worse and worse, and
the drugs have caused a large amount of silver to outflow. Lin Zexu banned
opium-smoking and the opium trade, it should be more successful; Lin Zexu
is really a national hero. During the process of banning on opium-smoking
and the opium trade, Lin Zexu realized the foreign power too. He submitted
a written statement to the government and required that the constitutional
reform picture be strong. Guan Tianpei is a soldier, it is his duty to protect
our homes and defend our country; he must resist any enemy coming to attack.
In that he inculcates being all hospitable to protect our homes and defend
our country, is really a national hero too. Two military people of one article
of him and Lin Zexu; the contribution in history is indelible.
Q: It is a fine idea that Britain used the opium to open the gate of China,
are those the kind of motives that are to be cherished?
A: Though the economic development of Britain was in primitive capital accumulation
period, a lot more than the Chinese advanced person at that time, they needed
capital. They had very many people go to America to colonize and kept in touch
with China too. Before 1849, they found Chinese more abundant produce and questioned
if it was trade with China they wanted. Unfavorable balance is too great in
trade; they wanted to develop with China further, but the Chinese Government
had not realized these questions and still adopted the idea of seclusion. The
result of policy causes the war to break out. Later on they find that the opium
can remedy adverse balance, then begin to import the opium to China in a large
amount, obviously this kind of method is wrong.
Q: If before the Opium War, the Chinese Government did not ban opium-smoking
and the opium trade, would the war still erupt?
A: China banned the opium-smoking and the opium trade because China realizes
the opium poisons people's spirit and health and caused the silver to outflow;
it was very harmful. If they let matters drift, soldiers may not be able to
be used in the future and wealth may not be able to be spent. Qing Dynasty,
for own governance, had to ban opium-smoking and the opium trade. The way it
looks now, even if China didn’t ban opium-smoking and the opium trade,
Britain would still have wanted to satisfy their interests immediately and
war would still erupt.
Q: What connections do the First Opium War and the Second Opium War have?
A: The Qing Government did not understand the international rules at that time.
After finishing signing the treaty, they found some contracts were difficult
to fulfill, and at the same time Britain, not satisfied with the vested interest
, found that the war makes a profit and makes a profit much more greatly
than trade, so the war started again without the least hesitation of Britain.
Q: After the war, how was the folk situation of China?
A: After the Opium War, the opium overflowed further in the South, more persons
sucked the opium, whole families were ruined in a lot of cases, and the government,
after the war, paid an indemnity in a large amount. The money could only
appear from common people too, so the burden of common people was heavier
and heavier. In addition, they did not ban opium-smoking and the opium trade
again. Under the circumstances that the burden of taxation increases the
use of the opium, it was more and more difficult to pass.
Q: What measure of turning back the situation has the Chinese Government taken
after the war? Still immerse it in indulging in dissipation, ignore the government
affairs?
A: About 20 years after the Opium War, the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom has taken
place to move in the South, has swept across half of China. As for the Qing
Government, their view at that time placed the primary importance to rule steadily;
should root out various kinds of thoughts threatening the rule first, then
the task threatening to be ruled is eliminated. Before 1860, nothing should
pacify the people's measure that the government has not reviewed nor taken
the effective measure either. They had not considered the whole Chinese development
in the future more; it was still under the situation that it has not found
out about to the whole world.
Q: What blows are there, do you think, from colonialism to China?
A: Colonialism robbed a large amount of wealth from China. Combined with the
war indemnity to come economically and the cede in the territory, it has
caused a large number of damages to the country. The burden of taxation of
common persons is increasing constantly, in addition, a large amount of injuries
and deaths of the war, bring the great disaster to common people too. Generally
stored in the ruling class, corruption buried the seed of trouble for the
extinction of Qing Dynasty, but colonialism pushed a door open in front of
China and let China see the world is very large. China is not in the center
of the world, at the same time a lot of foreign thoughts entered China and
have developed and offered further help for China.
Q: Why do you think France joined the Second Opium War?
A: In first the Opium War, Britain obviously made a profit. France can obviously
divide into a cup of custard to add the Second Opium War in the country.
Country concern, according with the jungle rule that the weak are the prey
of the strong too, France comes in. I can understand a lot of countries participated
in getting and invading the Chinese war later after all. I think I can say
France is still to fault, one country getting small and weak to come from
emotion, everyone can bully.
Q: In the Opium War, other countries did not help China; there was not even
expression in world. What do you think of that? What were the personal feelings
of the soldiers in the Opium War?
A: All over the world, Europe has a tradition colonization since before the
Middle Ages. Other countries have their own rules between their country, it
is impossible while supporting their own country. China and other countries
get in touch with each other fewer too. There are only little countries, such
as Korean and Vietnam, etc. Unless they too are invading, they are busy enough
with their own affairs, in addition, they are very few countries with external
exchanges, and the Opium War which Britain launched, was a war among a small
circle to come to see in the world, so it was impossible for the world. Is
it support voice of China to have, feeling in the Opium War just, contacts
of the countries, must regard strength as the foundation. There is ancient
proverb in China. There is not diplomacy to call the weak nation in words,
the personal feeling is, it is with what Hugo speaks, “one robber, and
victory of Britain only because they have hard the sharp big gun of ship is
not because of the victory of culture, their war is an unjust war”.
Click here to go to Zhang Yu Xian's Biography
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