#317 - Opium War 2: Laboriously Vile Barbarian Eye

The History of China

Chris Stewart

History

4.6 • 1.2K Ratings

🗓️ 18 January 2026

⏱️ 42 minutes

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Summary

In 1834, Britain sent a man to China almost perfectly unsuited to the job... only to forbid him from actually doing it. William John Napier, naval officer, socialite, & dilettante with no experience in diplomacy, trade, or China, arrived at Canton convinced he was destined to break open the Qing Empire by force of his will alone. But he would not get quite the war he wanted. Nor the recognition he imagined. Nor the vindication he believed history owed him. Which is not to say he got nothing at all... Time Period Covered: January-October, 1834 Major Historical Figures: The Qing Empire: The Daoguang Emperor (Aisin-Gioro Minning) [r. 1820–1850] Lu Kun, Governor-General of Liangguang [1772–1835] The British Empire: King William IV [r. 1830-1837] William John Napier, 9th Baron Napier, Chief Superintendent of British Trade in China [1786-1834] Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston [1784–1865] Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey [1764–1845] Major Sources Cited: Fairbank, John K. Trade and Diplomacy on the China Coast Platt, Stephen R. Imperial Twilight: The Opium War and the End of China’s Last Golden Age. Wakeman, Frederic, Jr. “The Canton Trade and the Opium War,” in The Cambridge History of China, Vol. 10. Wakeman, Frederic, Jr. The Fall of Imperial China. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	You're listening to an Airwave Media podcast.
0:05.0	I'm Chris Stewart, and I invite you to come and join us here at the History of China podcast.
0:09.8	We've got it all.
0:10.8	Wars with millions on each side to help drive home exactly why you should never get involved in a land war in Asia.
0:15.9	Come along on the Silk Road to partake in its riches.
0:18.5	Join the great cons of the steps on campaign.
0:20.7	Apply the seas on treasure ships or strike out with pirate crews to take their riches for your own.
0:25.6	Experience the sumptuousness of the imperial court behind the guarded gates of the forbidden city.
0:30.4	All this and so much more here at the History of China podcast.
0:41.5	Thank you. podcast. Hello and welcome to the history of China.
0:48.9	Episode 317, laboriously vile barbarian eye.
0:56.3	Chengli be unkka chingai,
0:58.7	or so bicheng ho-seheng-heng-heng.
1:02.0	To recklessly change precedent is to invite disaster.
1:07.2	Cheng administrative axiom, the Tao Guang Rang,
1:10.2	circa 1820s to 30s.
1:12.6	There are rules for dealing with the barbarians.
1:16.6	They are not to be altered lightly.
1:18.6	Lu Kuhn, Governor General of Liang Guang, 1834
1:23.6	War is the continuation of policy by other means.
1:28.3	Karl von Klauswitz, Womkrieg, 1832.
1:33.3	As we left it last time, the years building up to the outbreak of the Opium War were ones mired in a seemingly intractable and mutually incomprehensible duality of world views.
	...

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