The Century of Humiliations: Uncovering China's Painful Treaties
Channel: The Chinese Revolution
Date: 2024-01-12

The Treaty of Nanjing (Treaty of Nanking) ending the first Opium War, started the Unequal Treaties and the Century of Humiliations.  

Those led to a loss of territory by the Qing, including Kowloon by Hong Kong, and the granting of foreign concessions in five treaty ports of China. 

During the second Opium War, also known as the Anglo French expedition, the Imperial Summer Palace was looted and burned.  It resulted in the Treaty of Tianjin and the Convention of Beijing being ratified.

Russia then gained 600,000 square kilometers, including what would become the Pacific port of Vladivostok, from the Qing with the Treaty of Aihun.  The Chinese Communists later ratified that loss of territory in its own agreement with the Soviet Union in 1969.

These events  were humiliating to China but the treaties freed it its resources to battle the many rebellions growing in the Qing Dynasty lands.

This is episode 9 of the Chinese Revolution series.

Image: "China 1911 en" by SilverStar54 is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timestamps 
0:00 – The Treaty of Nanjing Ended the Opium War
0:56 – The Treaty of the Bogue
1:11 – Americans Sign the Treaty of Wangsha
2:01 – French Sign the Treaty of Whampoa
2:43 – Russia Gains Trading Rights in Xinjiang
2:49 – The Second Opium War
6:28 – Burning and Looting of the Imperial Summer Palace
7:21 – Treaty of Aihun, Russia Gains Lands from the Qing
7:56 – The Unequal Treaties