The Manchus brought the end to my dynastic greatness. When the barbarian Qing dynasty was overthrown, tradition died with the dynasty. The Humiliating Years are a time I do not like speaking of, but they are undeniably some of the most important in my recent past. To this day, I cannot understand why Britain was so resentful that I was exporting tea and goods to them. Tea and rhubarb are essential and were needed by the big-nosed British. Though my merchants were glad to make money off the British, nothing my country ever sent to that tiny island nation was harmful.
Opium was harmful, though. That beautiful pipe and its magical fumes seduced me. My people and I were entranced in the wonders of opium. I forgot everything but the pipe and the feeling of floating far away, renewing the feeling when I began to fall. A great man realized how dire my situation was when I could no longer rise from my bed. In trying to break me free of the chains of addiction, he angered the Western powers. They swept through my land, sending me to my knees in defeat. A simple signing of my name forced me into a deep humiliation. I lost Hong Kong to that bushy-eyebrowed white devil. I coped with the loss by pretending he had died. There was no other way.
There was a second war, but I cannot remember it very clearly. It blurs with the war before it in a twisting scar of shame. I do remember signing another document that allowed the white devils to go about freely spreading their strange religion. I recall having to pay Britain and his Western friends money, so much money, for their dead. They never seemed satisfied with anything they were given. Those greedy Western powers drained me of everything they could. It is recalled as a time my doors were finally opened to the rest of the world, but it was really more of a smashing of those doors until they had no choice but to cave in.
My people were desperate and angry during this time. Some looked to be saved by other belief systems, even though I have always destroyed those who did not live their lives for the present. The false son of the Western savior misguided so many. The misguided were surprisingly powerful and ended up diseasing a large section of my lands. There was no other option but bloodshed, and bloodshed there was. I was ill during this time, with so many passing into the shadows. I felt the pain and the fear of the suffering whenever I closed my eyes, and to this day I am haunted by the last screams of the innocent who died with the guilty.
AN~ Historical Events Referenced: First and Second Opium War, Peasant Rebellions (Lotus), Taiping Rebellion, Qing Dynasty
I tried to skirt around bashing Christianity, but it really did cause China quite a headache with the Taiping Rebellion. Don't hate me for that .
~ This and the first chapter were initially one, but I split them up so that's why this update was so quick!
~By the way, I don't own Hetalia. Just my biased opinions about history.
