The Opium War (鸦片战争)

This urgent official document of the Ministry of War

Shall be sent by prompt delivery to Bao Xing, General of Shengjing!

This urgent official document of the Ministry of Civil Service

Shall be sent by prompt delivery to Qishan, Viceroy of Zhui Province!

This urgent official document of the Ministry of Defense,

Shall be sent by prompt delivery to Lin Zexu, Viceroy of Hu Guang

Rampant opium use has become a serious threat to the Celestial Empire

In my opinion, if we do nothing,

within ten years...

the Qing Dynasty's treasury will be drained and

the country will be defenseless

Foreigners could conquer our nation...

without using force

How dare you!

Summon Lin Zexu, Viceroy of Hu Guang, to the capital at once

Master, here comes His Excellency Lin Zexu

Lin, what...

This medicine has grown for a thousand years at the bottom of the Dongling Lake

It's said that

this medicine can free you from the habit of smoking opium for good

You might try it

I'm so ashamed of myself. I've weathered the storms in civil service for 60 years

But failed to resist the temptation of opium

Lin,

do you know why you are summoned by His Majesty?

I'm afraid it's about a strict ban on opium

Opium is the most abominable thing China has ever seen

It leads people astray and ruins them

Even I have become addicted,

to say nothing of princes and ministers in the capital

In my opinion,

opium smoking is dangerous

but to impose a strict ban on opium is even more dangerous

I'd like to listen to your advice

It's so difficult because customs officers take bribes and

high officials of central government are corrupt

What's more, His Majesty is indecisive

It's really difficult to predict the result

You must think twice

before you agree to undertake any mission

I'll take your advice

Recently I wrote a poem,

and I'd like your comment

It may do you no good...

to be as courageous and determined as you were young

It could not be a good sign

Lin Zexu, you're an important official in my government

Right now, opium use is running rampant Do you have any solution?

It is my opinion that if Your Majesty issues an order,

the cabinet enacts prohibitions and customs rigorously enforces them

I'm certain that opium can be wiped out

Are you sure? Is it that easy?

Your majesty's power can destroy any monster

Since you are so confident,

I hope you will undertake this mission

Go to Guangdong to root out the evil of opium

Your Majesty,

I am duly bound to sacrifice myself for the Celestial Empire

But recently, I've been suffering from various illnesses and

though I fear no death

I am afraid I may fail in this important task

That would be an unpardonable mistake

I know a little about medicine

Let me check your pulse, your right hand

Your pulse is irregular

Shall I prescribe a good remedy?

How do I dare...

Lin Zexu,

the cause of your illness is threefold

One, you're afraid that I won't delegate to you,

the power to carry out this mission

Two, you're afraid that government officials may create obstacles

to make you give up halfway

Three, you fear that...

I may be capricious

and make unpredictable changes in policy

Is this the cause of your illness?

Your Majesty has keen insight

I do have these fears

I am not worried about my career

but I am truly concerned about the future of the Celestial Empire

It has been 109 years since Emperor Yongzheng issued an order...

to ban opium in the 7th year of his reign

And yet opium use runs wild!

If we give up halfway this time,

no one would ever dare...

advocate an opium ban again

You still have no trust in me!

I will show you another remedy

Do you want to beg for mercy on behalf of your teacher?

Your Majesty, my teacher is aged and

has been always loyal

Lu Zifang is not only your teacher

but also mine

When I was five,

he taught me painting

When I was six,

he taught me the Four Books and Five Classics... Now...

Even princes and ministers have taken up the habit of opium smoking

The sacred place of our Celestial Empire

will soon become a big opium den

The thousand-year-old medicine can only cure one addict

but I want to cure the whole empire

Act on my edict: Remove Lu Zifang from office and have him prosecuted

for his own crimes

Go!

Lin, His Majesty put me to death...

to show his determination...

to ban opium on the one hand,

and to cut off your retreat on the other

Lin, go ahead

I'll offer my head as a sacrifice to bring you a success

I'll offer my head as a sacrifice to bring you a success!

Go ahead, Lin!

Lin Zexu obeys Your Majesty's edict

I give my oath that I won't return to the capital until opium is expunged

Daddy, you killed a seagull!

Yes, it's only a game

China...

Daddy, are we really going ashore?

Yes, go on, you'd better get changed

Qing Government doesn't welcome young girls

God will be with you always, my son

Thank you

I like the story about Jesus

Unfortunately, books of this kind are forbidden in the Celesial Empire

I can't take it ashore with me

Perhaps one day that will change, son

You look like a girl!

Give it back to me,

come on!

Mary, give it back!

He'll be beheaded if he's not wearing it

Beheaded? Why is that?

Yes!

Even if we're going abroad without permission we'll get the same punishment

Oh yeah! I'm sorry

Denton

How are you. Your Excellency?

This is Captain White

How are you?

Your Excellency, the ship is ready...

for your inspection

Inspection

This suitcase will be sent to your residence tonight

The Imperial Commissioner Lin,

the Imperial Commissioner will go to Guangzhou pretty soon

You must observe all the regulations and be careful

"Allowed to enter the port"

Shanzhi?

Father

Shanzhi

Father

It's all my fault...

Today, Father...

I...

My son!

Glad to see you again!

People said that you had drowned in the sea,

but master refused to believe it

Our Yihe Company has been prospering

and we wouldn't let you die at sea

After the shipwreck,

I was rescued by a foreign merchant ship, the Tuna

I had to work as a seaman to gain my trip back home

The Tuna?

It is the British merchant Denton's ship

I helped him make a big fortune

How dare he treat you like a seaman!

Urgent message from 400 miles away

Urgent message from 400 miles away

Fine!

"If one is full of tolerance, he will be generous

If one is free of greed, he will be fearless"

Viceroy Deng's blindfolded calligraphy

is definitely a masterpiece of art

Viceroy Deng has great vision and a magic hand

It is said that,

that is Lin Zexu's favourite couplet

In my opinion, practising calligraphy is like,

handling matters of the state

And any slight wavering must be avoided

Just now I heard the voice of a courier

I think it must be an urgent message sent by Lin

You're right

Where is Commissioner Lin now?

It is reported that he travels day and night and has just passed Nanchang

He's still hundreds of miles away, but his orders have reached us

Lin's men have already been in Guangzhou

I'm afraid we are all on his list

Lin is really putting a lot of effort into his mission

Denton, Denton

My son was shipwrecked in Southeast Asia

and I thank you for making him as a seaman

Please... This Chinese is unbelievable

It is Mary!

Rong'er

Yes

This is my treat, cheers

Master