Lesson Three

The First Opium War – Lesson 03

Commissioner Lin: A National Hero for 21st-Century China?

Introduction
In 1842, China acknowledged defeat in the first Opium War and signed the Treaty of Nanking, which would come to be known as the first of several unequal treaties between China and Western nations. The Treaty of Nanking forced a weak China to end government controlled trade with the West, to open five treaty ports and foreign concession areas within its national boundaries, to pay $6 million indemnity to Britain for opium the Chinese government had seized, and to cede Hong Kong to Britain. Deemed unequal because all concessions were made by China to Britain, the Treaty of Nanking ushered in a 100-year period of diplomatic and international humiliation; a weak China could not prevent Western nations from demanding and winning concessions that challenged China’s national sovereignty. When Mao Ze Dong stood at Tiananmen in 1949 and declared the People’s Republic of China, his gestures symbolized the end of the Century of Humiliation; China had “stood up” and foreign incursions into Chinese territory ended.

To successfully complete this lesson, students should be familiar with the causes of the Opium War, the role of Commissioner Lin Zexu in trying to control the foreign influx of opium to China in the early 1800s, and the Treaty of Nanking as the beginning of a century of foreign incursions into China.

Grade level
High school world history, Asian studies, U.S. history.

Objectives
At the conclusion of this activity, students will be better able to:

Discuss the causes and results of the Opium War.

Discuss the traits of national heroes and consider the purposes for which nations create or identify heroes.

Take and defend positions on a hypothetical debate over the qualifications of Commissioner Lin to be considered a hero for contemporary China.

Use visual sources as historical documents to support an argument.

Time required
Two class periods and homework.

Materials and preparation
Online access to MIT Visualizing Cultures for classwide viewing and discussion, and the ability to print images from the website for individual students, either at school or at home.

Online access to the Lesson Three Mini-database (or printed copies) for all students.

Procedure
1. Ask students to consider the qualities of a national hero by considering American heroes. Why do national governments recognize national heroes? What qualities and events do national heroes help celebrate? What purpose do heroes serve in creating and perpetuating a national experience? Why is George Washington a hero? Who are other American heroes? Are some national heroes contested? Examples?

2. Select images of Lin Zexu from chapter one of the Essay, “Opium Trade” and chapter two, “Production & Consumption” and project several of these on the board for students. Lead a class discussion about Commissioner Lin Zexu’s role in the events leading to the First Opium War.

Was Lin successful?

Which of his efforts to stop opium use succeeded and which failed?

Was he heroic? Explain. How do the images of Lin portray him?

Have students consider the simple brush painting of Lin in scholars robes, the painting of Lin supervising the destruction of opium imports, and the portrait of Lin as elder statesman. What do these images say about how Lin was perceived at the time in China?

3. Given the historical context of China’s Century of Humiliation from 1842 to 1949 as well as China’s rise to international power over the past 30 years, ask for a volunteer to explain why Lin might be perceived as a positive symbol in China today. Ask another volunteer to explain why Lin might be seen as a negative symbol in China today. Post key points of each student’s explanation on the board.

4. Ask students to decide individually if they think Lin should be perceived as a historical hero who fought the West, or as a symbol of China’s weakness and failure in defending itself against the West. Have all students move to one side of the room or the other based on their opinion. Redistribute students if the groups are not fairly equal. Next, have students form pairs representing both positions.

5. Give the following assignment: Chinese textbooks are coming up for revision this year and there is disagreement over whether Commissioner Lin is an appropriate hero to showcase in history textbooks. Some argue that Lin is a symbol of resistance against foreign domination, showing the traits of Confucian government that made China great. Others argue that Lin is a reminder of a sad time in China’s history and the weaknesses of imperial rule that led to China’s Century of Humiliation—not the kind of hero a powerful 21st-century nation should showcase for its young people. Groups are to prepare a debate on whether Commissioner Lin should be included in new Chinese history textbooks as a national hero. In groups, each student should prepare three major points and arguments to defend each point, as well as counterarguments to challenge their partner’s points. For each point, students will select a visual representation of Lin or the Opium Wars from The First Opium War by Peter Purdue to illustrate his or her arguments. Advise students that usable images are available in all chapters of the Essay and in the Image Gallery; they can use portraits, statues, or other likenesses of Lin, and can also use images of battles, the treaty signing, and so on.

6. Allow students one class period and homework to prepare their debates. Have students present their debates in class the next day.

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