Lin Tse-hsü and Yeh Ming-ch'en: A Comparison of Their Roles in the Two Opium Wars

-63Lin Tse-hsü and Yeh Ming-ch'en: A Comparison of Their Roles in the Two Opium Wars* J. Y. Wong Department of History University of Sydney The two Opium Wars together constitute the turning point in Modern Chinese history and the history of international relations in the Far East. The change took twenty-two years to complete. It began with the first Opium War which erupted in 1839, and ended with the second which was concluded by the Treaty of Peking in 1860. The two Chinese officials most involved in the two wars were Lin Tse-hsu and Yeh Ming-ch'en. A study of their roles will illuminate the two decisive stages in this transition. Such a study will involve an examination of their preconceived ideas, if any, on foreign relations; the effect such ideas had on the way in which they performed their duties; the interplay of forces within China, and the aims of the British and their reaction towards the Chinese approaches. Finally, an evaluation of the judgments passed on the two men may help to throw much light on the subject. Both Lin and Yeh had distinguished academic and administrative records at the time of their appointment as imperial commissioners. As may be seen from Table 1, both were awarded the highest degree, chin-shih, at the early *The first draft of this paper was read to the 23rd International Congress of Human Sciences in Asia and North Africa, held in Mexico City in August 1976. A year later it was completely rewritten and given at the Far East Seminar in the Research School of Pacific Studies, Australian National university. The article in its present form is a further revision to that seminar paper. The author wishes to thank Professor A. R. Davis for reading the entire manuscript. He has also benefited from long discussions with Professor Wang Gungwu, Dr. Andrew Fraser, Dr. Lo Hui-min, Dr. John Fincher and Dr. Louis Sigel. -64TABLE 1 LIN AND YEH: EARLY CAREER Lin Yeh Degree/PostRank chin-shih Han-lin Bachelor Han- lin Compiler Censor/Prefect4b Intendant4a Salt Comptroller3b Provincial Judge3a Provincial Treasurer2b Governor2a Viceroylb Imperial Commissioner Year 1785 1811 1811 1814 1820 1820 1822 1823 Age Born 26 26 29 35 35 37 38 (1824-7 mourning) 182742 (.1827-30 mourning) 183247 183752 183853 Year 1809 1835 1835 1836 1838 1839 1840 1841 Age Born 26 26 27 29 30 31 32 184233 (1844-6 mourning) 184839 185243 185243 This table is drawn with information provided in Lin Chung-yung, op. cit. and J. Y. Wong, op . cit . Table 1 age of twenty-six. Both were admitted immediately into the Han-lin Academy. Once they had received an appointment with administrative responsibilities , both were promoted virtually annually until they reached the rank of provincial governor. This was most unusual because the normal practice in the Ch'ing bureaucracy was for an official to be promoted, if at all, at three year intervals. The various positions Lin and Yeh occupied in their early careers demanded a variety of abilities from the two men: political, financial, judicial and -65military . The records show that they both demonstrated these abilities most 2 successfully. This partly explains their rapid rise in the hierarchy. Needless to say, they also acquired valuable experience while performing their duties . There were differences , of course , between the two men at the time when they became imperial commissioners. The first is one of age. Although both were awarded the chin-shih degree when they were twenty-six, Yeh took one year to complete his studies at the Han-lin Academy while Lin took the normal three years. Again, Yeh was a compiler in the academy for two years after graduation while Lin spent the normal three years. Both of Lin's parents died while he was in active service; Yeh's father survived him. As a result Lin spent six years in mourning while Yeh spent only three. Finally, Lin was appointed imperial commissioner one year after he reached viceregal level. After 1842, the position of imperial commissioner for foreign affairs was firmly established and was held concurrently with that of the viceroy of Liang Kuang. Hence...