Like most countries throughout the ages, the story of China's more recent history revolves around struggle, greed, conflict and diplomacy. In almost all cases, with the exception of natural disasters such as the Tientsin earthquake, events have been shaped by people and, more specifically, attitude and self-interest. Decisions made by the few affected the many and led to a complete change of landscape including the end of imperialism in China as a result of internal tensions and the end of the British Empire as its domination and influence crumbled.

The decline of the Qing dynasty began before China had to submit to the foreign Capitulations. One of the deeper reasons for the decline seems to lie in the enormous increase in the population without a proportional increase in food production. The disparity in wealth between the educated and the peasant increased. Internal colonization or emigration could alleviate the economic pressure only in some areas, while it continued to build up in others.

In Europe as well as in Japan, there was a strong population increase; in Europe at almost the same time as in China. But before population pressure became too serious in Europe or Japan, industry developed and absorbed the excess population. Farms did not decrease too much in size but, with the development of industries, the percentage of farm population decreased. In China, however, the farm population was still as high as 73.3 per cent of the total population in 1932 and the percentage rose to 81 per cent in 1950.

With the Daoguang period began a new period in Chinese history, which came to an end only in 1911. In foreign affairs these ninety years were marked by the steadily growing influence of the Western powers, aimed at turning China into a colony. Culturally this period was that of the gradual infiltration of Western civilization into the Far East with foreign powers and internal influencers determining that China needed to learn from the West.

Great Britain had made several attempts to improve her trade relations with China, but the mission of 1793 had no success, and that of 1816 also failed. English merchants, like all foreign merchants, were only permitted to settle in a small area adjoining Guangzhou and at Macao, and were only permitted to trade with a particular group of monopolists, the "Hong". The Hong had to pay taxes to the state, but they had a wonderful opportunity of enriching themselves. The Europeans were entirely at their mercy, for they were not allowed to travel inland, and they were not allowed to try to negotiate with other merchants, to secure lower prices by competition.

The Europeans concentrated especially on the purchase of silk and tea; but what could they import into China? The higher the price of the goods and the smaller the cargo space involved, the better were the chances of profit for the merchants. It proved, however, that European woollens or luxury goods could not be sold; the Chinese would probably have been glad to buy food, but transport was too expensive to permit profitable business. Thus, a new article was soon discovered - opium, carried from India to China: the price was high and the cargo space involved was very small. The Chinese were familiar with opium, and bought it readily. Accordingly, from 1800 onwards opium became more and more the chief article of trade, especially for the English, who were able to bring it conveniently from India. The Chinese government took action in 1839 and prohibited the opium trade, burning chests of opium found in British possession.

About the middle of the nineteenth century the influence of Europe became more and more marked in terms of Western thought. Noticeable change began with the translation of philosophical and scientific books and books on social questions. There followed a new style, which was soon elaborated and which culminated in the "literary revolution" of 1917.