Ep. 6 | The Opium War

FromThe China History Podcast

Start listening View podcast show

Ep. 6 | The Opium War

FromThe China History Podcast

ratings:

Length:

37 minutes

Released:

Jul 14, 2010

Format:

Podcast episode

Description

In this week’s episode we give an overview of the First Opium War, one of the most humiliating events in Modern Chinese history. From this event that culminated in the first of many unequal treaties in 1842, China began a steady downhill slide and suffered a multitude of setbacks and insults from foreign powers eager continue reading >>

Released:

Jul 14, 2010

Format:

Podcast episode

Titles in the series (100)

Since 2010, The China History Podcast, presented by Laszlo Montgomery presents over two hundred episodes of curated topics from China's antiquity to modern times.

Skip carousel

CHP-003 The Four Great Inventions: Today we look at the Four Great Inventions, the 四大发明, that Lord Francis Bacon hailed as having done more than anything else to transform completely the modern world and mark it off from antiquity and the Middle Ages. Today we examine the four gre by The China History Podcast
33 min listen
CHP-011 Kang Sheng: Kang Sheng 康生 was a sinister character from modern Chinese history who was both Chairman Mao's close confidant and creator of China's Secret Police. by The China History Podcast
36 min listen
CHP-035 The Qing Dynasty Part 1: In this first episode covering the Qing Dynasty we look at the Shunzhi emperor and his son, the Kangxi emperor. The 61 year reign of the Kangxi emperor was the longest in imperial Chinese history. The Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong eras saw the Qi[...] by The China History Podcast
32 min listen
CHP-023 The Southern and Northern Kingdoms: The Southern & Northern Dynasties were a collection of dynasties that lasted 170 years and preceded the time of unification under the Sui Dynasty. North of the Yangzi River you had the Northern Wei, the Northern Qi and the Northern Zhou. South[...] by The China History Podcast
38 min listen
CHP-029 The Southern Song Dynasty: In this week's episode Laszlo finishes off the Song Dynasty after the Jin Empire captures the royal family and sacks the capital in Kaifeng. The Song dynasty continues on with the new capital in the south of China, below the Yangzi River. Des[...] by The China History Podcast
30 min listen
CHP-015 The Shang Dynasty: This week in part two of our dynasty overview, we examine the Shang Dynasty 1600 BC to 1046 BC. Chinese characters make their appearance for the first time. Artisans cast the most beautiful bronzes. Because of the discovery of archaeological evide[...] by The China History Podcast
38 min listen
Welcome to The China History Podcast!: Listen to the trailer for The China History Podcast by The China History Podcast
4 min listen
CHP-017 The Eastern Zhou Dynasty: In this episode we look at the second phase of the Zhou Dynasty. This period was known as the Eastern Zhou. The Eastern Zhou was broken down between the Spring & Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. It lasted from 770 to 221BC. From [...] by The China History Podcast
33 min listen
CHP-004 The Great Leap Forward: The Great Leap Forward ( 大跃进) from 1958-1960 caused death and suffering to dozens of millions of people. It sounded like a workable idea but it didn't turn out like Chairman Mao hoped. When looking back on the life of Mao Zedong, the Great L[...] by The China History Podcast
39 min listen
CHP-006 The Opium War: In this week's episode we give an overview of the First Opium War, one of the most humiliating events in Modern Chinese history. From this event that culminated in the first of many unequal treaties in 1842, China began a steady downhill slide[...] by The China History Podcast
37 min listen
CHP-020 The Han Dynasty Part 3: In this final installment of the Han Dynasty overview we look at the reign of Wang Mang during the short lived Xin Dynasty and the Eastern (or Later) Han Dynasty that followed. The Eastern Han was a period of endless skullduggery at the imperial co[...] by The China History Podcast
36 min listen
CHP-027 Tang Dynasty Part 3 – Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms: In today's final installment covering the history of the great Tang Dynasty, we look at its agonizing decline until 907 when it is pushed aside and another period of disunity sets in. Five Dynasties reign in the north, all short lived and not [...] by The China History Podcast
35 min listen
CHP-018 The Han Dynasty Part 1: In this week’s episode we look at only the first few decades of the Western Han Dynasty. The Western Han lasted from 202BC to 8AD. We'll focus in on the fall of the Qin and the rise of Liu Bang who went on to found the Han Dynasty. Liu Bang [...] by The China History Podcast
26 min listen
CHP-019 The Han Dynasty Part 2: Today we present the second part of the Western Han Dynasty overview where we will look at the great Han emperors Wendi, Jingdi and perhaps the greatest of them all, Han Wudi. It was a golden age in Chinese history and saw the first indirect contac[...] by The China History Podcast
34 min listen
CHP-016 The Western Zhou Dynasty: Today we take a 走马看花 look at the 790 year Zhou Dynasty, the longest dynasty in Chinese history. In this episode we will particularly focus on the Western Zhou Period which lasted for 275 years. Next week we will finish the Zhou Dynasty by examini by The China History Podcast
23 min listen
CHP-013 Li Ka-shing: Li Ka-shing is a Hong Kong billionaire tycoon who has played a great role in not only Hong Kong's prosperity but in China’s as well. He is respected not only for his achievements in business and industry but also for his rise from humble begin[...] by The China History Podcast
17 min listen
CHP-025 Tang Dynasty Part 1: As the Sui peters out, Li Yuan, the Duke of Tang, seizes power and establishes the Tang Dynasty in 618. Along with the Song, the Tang Dynasty is considered the pinnacle of China's long history. In culture, art, poetry, painting, ceramics, sci[...] by The China History Podcast
29 min listen
CHP-026 Tang Dynasty Part 2: Laszlo is back after a holiday illness to continue where we left off in 705 with the passing of Wu Zetian. After an initial golden age during the Taizong emperor, the Tang will reach new heights of glory under Tang Minghuang a.k.a. the Xuanzong emp[...] by The China History Podcast
31 min listen
CHP-028 The Northern Song Dynasty: This week's episode runs a little longer than usual. In it we examine the Northern Song Dynasty from 960 to 1127. This was a precarious time for China. Despite three potentially menacing non-Han empires surrounding them to the north and west,[...] by The China History Podcast
47 min listen
CHP-030 Chinese New Year: This week we take a break from the history to look at the background and the traditions surrounding Chinese New Year. Laszlo will be back next time to pick up where we left off after the fall of the Song Dynasty. On behalf of everyone here at the [...] by The China History Podcast
28 min listen
CHP-007 Wu Zetian: This week we look at the Tang dynasty Empress Wu Zetian, the only woman from Chinese history to rule China as an emperor in her own name. by The China History Podcast
18 min listen
CHP-014 The Xia Dynasty: In this episode we commence our Chinese imperial dynasty overview. It begins today with the Xia Dynasty 夏朝代. According to historiographer Sima Qian, this was the first dynasty of China. It's origins and its demise and everything in between ha[...] by The China History Podcast
46 min listen
CHP-036 The Qing Dynasty Part 2: In this episode we examine the Yongzheng emperor, the second of the three great Qing emperors who reigned during the most golden of times for the Manchu dynasty. A tireless emperor who was a wizard at managing the machine of state, he reigned for o[...] by The China History Podcast
24 min listen
CHP-024 The Sui Dynasty: The demise of the Southern & Northern Dynasties brought us a China unified under the Sui emperors Wen and Yang. This ephemeral dynasty laid the groundwork for the splendor of the Tang dynasty. Lasting only 37 years, the Sui Dynasty doesn'[...] by The China History Podcast
24 min listen
CHP-034 The Ming Dynasty Part 4: We finish off our overview of the Ming Dynasty in this episode and also trace the rise of the Manchu's. The period from the Jiajing emperor to the tragic suicide of the Chongzhen emperor saw a slow and steady decline in the fortunes of the Mi[...] by The China History Podcast
47 min listen
CHP-031 The Ming Dynasty Part 1: Laszlo is back, finally, after a longer layoff than expected. This week we look at the end of the Yuan dynasty and the founding of the Ming Dynasty. We look at the first emperor Ming Taizu, a.k.a. The Hongwu Emperor. With the establishment of the[...] by The China History Podcast
31 min listen
CHP-045 The Aftermath of the Xinhai Revolution: The Qing Dynasty formally came to an end on February 12, 1912 when the last emperor Puyi abdicated. That same year the Republic of China was founded and had a very rocky start. In today’s episode we look at the immediate aftermath of the Xinhai Re[... by The China History Podcast
40 min listen
CHP-032 The Ming Dynasty Part 2: In this week's episode we examine the second great emperor of the Ming Dynasty, the Yongle [Yong - Leh] emperor who reigned 1402-1424. This tireless emperor waged campaigns against the Mongols in the north, the Vietnamese in the south and sent[...] by The China History Podcast
33 min listen
CHP-050 Daoism Part 1: In this week's episode Laszlo tackles Daoism, a philosophy, a religion and way of life that everyone has heard about but not everyone learned the backstory. This time we look at the history and the times that spawned this most fertile of philo[...] by The China History Podcast
34 min listen
CHP-039 The Qing Dynasty Part 5: We're almost at the end of our Imperial China History Overview. In this segment of the China History Podcast we look at the continued misfortunes in China during the Xianfeng era, as the country is torn apart by the Taiping and Nian rebellions[...] by The China History Podcast
45 min listen

More Episodes from The China History Podcast

Skip carousel

The History of Chinese Philosophy (Part 11): Introduction to the Yi Jing | Part 1 by The China History Podcast
25 min listen
The History of Chinese Philosophy (Part 10): The Seeds of Neo-Confucianism are explored by The China History Podcast
24 min listen
S9E06 | The First Cut is the Deepest: Here's a poetic phrase that no one likes to use by The China History Podcast
12 min listen
The History of Chinese Philosophy (Part 9): The Triumph of Confucianism during the Han by The China History Podcast
23 min listen
S9E05 | Had enough yet?: This time we look at the famous story of Meng Huo, Zhuge Liang and Qī Qín Mèng Huò 七擒孟获 by The China History Podcast
13 min listen
The History of Chinese Philosophy (Part 8): Legalism as an alternative to Confucian Thought by The China History Podcast
25 min listen
The History of Chinese Philosophy (Part 7): The Ru School of Philosophy Part 2 by The China History Podcast
23 min listen
Jin Yong and the Wuxia genre. Laszlo chats with author Alice Poon: Laszlo chats with author Alice Poon about Jin Yong, the Wuxia genre of Chinese fiction, and her new novel "The Earthly Blaze" by The China History Podcast
51 min listen
The History of Chinese Philosophy (Part 6): In this episode we'll take a look at the Ru School 儒家 of Philosophy by The China History Podcast
25 min listen
S9E04 | Be like Kong Rong: An oldie but goodie from many a childhood by The China History Podcast
9 min listen
The History of Chinese Philosophy (Part 5): A look at other Zhou Dynasty Schools of Thought by The China History Podcast
14 min listen
The History of Chinese Philosophy (Part 4): In Part 4 we contibue on with the Life and Thought of Confucius by The China History Podcast
22 min listen
S9E03 | Please allow me to introduce myself: Here's one more from the greatest repository of Chinese Sayings, the Record of the Grand Historian, 毛遂自荐. by The China History Podcast
14 min listen
The History of Chinese Philosophy (Part 3): The Life and Thought of Confucius Part 1 by The China History Podcast
21 min listen
The History of Chinese Philosophy (Part 2): Pre-Confucian Philosophy during the Zhou Dynasty by The China History Podcast
19 min listen
S9E02 | R-E-S-P-E-C-T-Chéng Mén Lì Xuě-程门立雪: Here's one from the Book of Song that co-stars the Cheng Brothers of Neo-Confucian philosophy fame by The China History Podcast
11 min listen
Laszlo Chats with Kaiser Kuo: On Tuesday March 5th Laszlo and Kaiser got together to discuss some of the merits of Chinese history and what's so great about it. by The China History Podcast
66 min listen
The History of Chinese Philosophy (Part 1): Series Intro and Chinese Philosophy’s Ancient Beginnings by The China History Podcast
21 min listen
S9E01 | The Truth Always Gets Out: Time and again we see throughout history, in the movies, and in our own lives, the secret always has a way of getting out by The China History Podcast
10 min listen
Ep. 343 | The History of Clocks and Timekeeping in China: This is an old topic I thought I'd present now to coincide with the recent release of the interview with the curators of "Clockwork Treasures From China's Forbidden City. by The China History Podcast
33 min listen
Clockwork Treasures from China's Forbidden City: After hearing me talk about it for the longest time now, here's the interview with Tilly Blyth and Abbie MacKinnon at The London Science Museum by The China History Podcast
32 min listen
Ep. 342 | China, East Africa, and Mwalimu Julius Nyerere: It took almost fourteen years but here's a first CHP episode that focuses on China-Africa history. by The China History Podcast
56 min listen
Ep. 341 | The History of Chinese Medicine (Part 5): The series concludes in this Part 5 episode that takes the history up to the Qing Dynasty by The China History Podcast
54 min listen
Bonus Episode, An old favorite of Laszlo's: We're in between seasons right now. This is a re-recording of one of Laszlo's favorite chengyu's from the seven year history of the CSP by The China History Podcast
12 min listen
Ep. 340 | The History of Chinese Medicine (Part 4): For the 2024 Year-End Closing episode we continue on with the History of Chinese Medicine during the Sòng by The China History Podcast
41 min listen
Bonus CSP Episode featuring Emma in the narrator's seat: As a special bonus to Season 8, we're thrilled to feature Emma of the Teacup 成语研究中心 by The China History Podcast
10 min listen
Ep. 339 | The History of Chinese Medicine (Part 3): The history of the development of medicine continues with the people and events of the Song, Jin, and Yuan Dynasties by The China History Podcast
52 min listen
S8E10 | Don't Count Me Out Yet: We close out Season 10 with another ancient Chinese Saying, this one from The Record of the Three Kingdoms by The China History Podcast
13 min listen
S8E09 | Why Can't We Live Together: The Record of the Warring States yet again, brings us another Chengyu for our age by The China History Podcast
13 min listen
Ep. 338 | The History of Chinese Medicine (Part 2): The History of Chinese Medicine continues right here. by The China History Podcast
46 min listen

Related podcast episodes

Skip carousel

CHP-038 The Qing Dynasty Part 4: Here we begin the turbulent, bloody and historically humiliating 19th century in China. The first half century sees two emperors, Jiaqing and Daoguang stand by helplessly as China is torn apart by uprisings, anti-Manchu discontent, a financial cris[...] by The China History Podcast
45 min listen
CHP-004 The Great Leap Forward: The Great Leap Forward ( 大跃进) from 1958-1960 caused death and suffering to dozens of millions of people. It sounded like a workable idea but it didn't turn out like Chairman Mao hoped. When looking back on the life of Mao Zedong, the Great L[...] by The China History Podcast
39 min listen
CHP-007 Wu Zetian: This week we look at the Tang dynasty Empress Wu Zetian, the only woman from Chinese history to rule China as an emperor in her own name. by The China History Podcast
18 min listen
CHP-011 Kang Sheng: Kang Sheng 康生 was a sinister character from modern Chinese history who was both Chairman Mao's close confidant and creator of China's Secret Police. by The China History Podcast
36 min listen
CHP-018 The Han Dynasty Part 1: In this week’s episode we look at only the first few decades of the Western Han Dynasty. The Western Han lasted from 202BC to 8AD. We'll focus in on the fall of the Qin and the rise of Liu Bang who went on to found the Han Dynasty. Liu Bang [...] by The China History Podcast
26 min listen
CHP-014 The Xia Dynasty: In this episode we commence our Chinese imperial dynasty overview. It begins today with the Xia Dynasty 夏朝代. According to historiographer Sima Qian, this was the first dynasty of China. It's origins and its demise and everything in between ha[...] by The China History Podcast
46 min listen
CHP-015 The Shang Dynasty: This week in part two of our dynasty overview, we examine the Shang Dynasty 1600 BC to 1046 BC. Chinese characters make their appearance for the first time. Artisans cast the most beautiful bronzes. Because of the discovery of archaeological evide[...] by The China History Podcast
38 min listen
CHP-017 The Eastern Zhou Dynasty: In this episode we look at the second phase of the Zhou Dynasty. This period was known as the Eastern Zhou. The Eastern Zhou was broken down between the Spring & Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. It lasted from 770 to 221BC. From [...] by The China History Podcast
33 min listen
CHP-020 The Han Dynasty Part 3: In this final installment of the Han Dynasty overview we look at the reign of Wang Mang during the short lived Xin Dynasty and the Eastern (or Later) Han Dynasty that followed. The Eastern Han was a period of endless skullduggery at the imperial co[...] by The China History Podcast
36 min listen
CHP-023 The Southern and Northern Kingdoms: The Southern & Northern Dynasties were a collection of dynasties that lasted 170 years and preceded the time of unification under the Sui Dynasty. North of the Yangzi River you had the Northern Wei, the Northern Qi and the Northern Zhou. South[...] by The China History Podcast
38 min listen
CHP-003 The Four Great Inventions: Today we look at the Four Great Inventions, the 四大发明, that Lord Francis Bacon hailed as having done more than anything else to transform completely the modern world and mark it off from antiquity and the Middle Ages. Today we examine the four gre by The China History Podcast
33 min listen
CHP-019 The Han Dynasty Part 2: Today we present the second part of the Western Han Dynasty overview where we will look at the great Han emperors Wendi, Jingdi and perhaps the greatest of them all, Han Wudi. It was a golden age in Chinese history and saw the first indirect contac[...] by The China History Podcast
34 min listen
CHP-016 The Western Zhou Dynasty: Today we take a 走马看花 look at the 790 year Zhou Dynasty, the longest dynasty in Chinese history. In this episode we will particularly focus on the Western Zhou Period which lasted for 275 years. Next week we will finish the Zhou Dynasty by examini by The China History Podcast
23 min listen
CHP-022 The Three Kingdoms and the Jin Dynasty: This week we are back with more Chinese history. We will look at a very confusing but exciting time when there was mostly a period of disunity and China was broken up into contending kingdoms. However this period of chaos brought us some of the ri[...] by The China History Podcast
36 min listen
CHP-040 The Qing Dynasty Part 6: This week we look at China during the Tongzhi Era and part of the reign of Guangxu. This period from 1875 to 1895 is more of the same for China. More humiliation at the hands of foreigners. More scrambling to modernize. More imperial skullduggery.[...] by The China History Podcast
45 min listen
Have Xinjiang's camps been closed? by Chinese Whispers
42 min listen
CHP-031 The Ming Dynasty Part 1: Laszlo is back, finally, after a longer layoff than expected. This week we look at the end of the Yuan dynasty and the founding of the Ming Dynasty. We look at the first emperor Ming Taizu, a.k.a. The Hongwu Emperor. With the establishment of the[...] by The China History Podcast
31 min listen
#5 - Xia 3: The Fall Of The House Of Xia: This episode we cover our source materials, and then delve into the latter half of the Xia Dynasty post Shao Kang's restoration. It all ends with the corrupt and cruel Emperor Jie coming face to face with the Army of Shang bearing down on him, in... by The History of China
31 min listen
CHP-028 The Northern Song Dynasty: This week's episode runs a little longer than usual. In it we examine the Northern Song Dynasty from 960 to 1127. This was a precarious time for China. Despite three potentially menacing non-Han empires surrounding them to the north and west,[...] by The China History Podcast
47 min listen
CHP-041 The Qing Dynasty Part 7: In this episode we conclude our eight month overview of Chinese Imperial history from Yu the Great of the Xia Dynasty to Puyi of the Qing. After more than half a century of tragedy, upheaval, national humiliation and plenty of mass death and destru[...] by The China History Podcast
51 min listen
CHP-024 The Sui Dynasty: The demise of the Southern & Northern Dynasties brought us a China unified under the Sui emperors Wen and Yang. This ephemeral dynasty laid the groundwork for the splendor of the Tang dynasty. Lasting only 37 years, the Sui Dynasty doesn'[...] by The China History Podcast
24 min listen
CHP-039 The Qing Dynasty Part 5: We're almost at the end of our Imperial China History Overview. In this segment of the China History Podcast we look at the continued misfortunes in China during the Xianfeng era, as the country is torn apart by the Taiping and Nian rebellions[...] by The China History Podcast
45 min listen
The Armenian Genocide: Death Marches by Empire
40 min listen
#4 - Xia 2: Revenge of the Xia!: This time, we take an in depth look into Shao Kang, the prince born in hiding who would rise from his dynasty's ashes to seek revenge against the Usurper-General Han Zhuo who had ruthlessly pursued him. Through a combination of skill, luck, and pa... by The History of China
22 min listen
China’s Leaders: From Mao to Now | David Shambaugh: Since the establishment of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, five men have principally shaped the ruling Chinese Communist Party and the nation: Mao Zedong, Deng Xiaoping, Jiang Zemin, Hu Jintao, and Xi Jinping. During their decades of... by NCUSCR Events
65 min listen
CHP-029 The Southern Song Dynasty: In this week's episode Laszlo finishes off the Song Dynasty after the Jin Empire captures the royal family and sacks the capital in Kaifeng. The Song dynasty continues on with the new capital in the south of China, below the Yangzi River. Des[...] by The China History Podcast
30 min listen
#30 - W. Han 8: Getting Over Wu: Following the historically long reign of Emperor Wu, the Han Empire struggles to find a replacement, in light of the designated heir being dead. The first choice will die without ever having tasted real power, the second an incompetent buffoon who won... by The History of China
33 min listen
#191 - Special: "Superpower Interrupted," an Interview with Author Michael Schuman: My interview with Beijing-based author and journalist Michael Schuman about China's history, present, future, and food... and of course about his upcoming book, "Superpower Interrupted: The Chinese History of the World," available on Jun... by The History of China
52 min listen
#3 - Xia 1: The Xia, China's First Dynasty: This week we move into the beginnings of China’s dynastic period where rulers began favoring birthright over merit – and the consequences will be almost immediately apparent. Beginning with the triumphant reign of the heroic Yu the Great, the Xia’s... by The History of China
28 min listen
#9 - W. Zhou 1: Heaven Does Not Make Propositions: The self-proclaimed Kung Wu of Zhou stands triumphant amid the smoking ruins of the Shang Dynasty... but though the war is over, victory is far from assured. With his premature death, his unready heir will prompt rebellion against the fledgling Zhou D... by The History of China
34 min listen

Discover this podcast and so much more

Ep. 6 | The Opium War

Ep. 6 | The Opium War

Description

Titles in the series (100)

More Episodes from The China History Podcast

Related podcast episodes