“Historians and literary scholars have failed to transform the difficult ancient history books into modern languages, and the stereotyped narratives of the so-called academics into interesting popular speech. Now, Mr. Chen Sun-Shen, a giant hand in the cultural world, has taken up this important task, and his series of historical stories have made the spots of history come alive!”
——Bo Yang, renowned historian and social critic

Chen Shunchen's existence is a miracle
--Ryotaro Sima, famous Japanese historical novelist and author of “Miyamoto Musashi”

“There is probably no writer as accomplished as Chen Sun-Shin now, and there will never be another one in the future. 'There has been no one before, and there will be no one after,' and this is the reason why Chen Sun-Shin is Chen Sun-Shin.”
——Koichiro Inabata, Professor Emeritus, Waseda University, Japan; Visiting Researcher, Center for the Study of Ancient Chinese Documents, Peking University

Consciously combining historical themes with detective techniques, it is both a historical novel and a detective novel, with two types of readability. I'm afraid there is no one in the Japanese novel industry who can surpass it. "- Li Changsheng, a Japanese writer and expert in the study of Japanese publishing cultural history

★A representative masterpiece and a result of thorough research of Chen Shunchen, The best-selling author of history books, who is fluent in five languages and has sold millions of copies! An indispensable reference book for Japanese scholars studying the Opium War!
★A book that takes you through the decline of the late Qing Dynasty and the beginning and end of the Opium War.
★This book connects more than 20 important figures, cites over 40 historical materials such as memorials and letters. Supplemented by 16 rare pictures, it provides the readers with a comprehensive review of the last 80 years of the late Qing Dynasty.
★Taking the Opium War as a clue, this book provides a comprehensive account of the situation in China and the world in the second half of the 19th century from a variety of dimensions, including politics, economy, livelihood, and culture. It explores in detail the causes of the Opium Wars, including the imbalance in Sino-British trade, the proliferation of opium smuggling, and the dispute within the Qing government between the prohibition of smoking and the relaxation of the prohibition.
★The book not only describes the main battles and events of the war, but also analyzes the profound impact of the war on China's economy, society, and culture, such as the outflow of silver, social unrest, and further invasions by Western powers. Special attention was also paid to important figures in the late Qing Dynasty, such as Gong Zizhen, Lin Zexu, Wei Yuan, etc., and explores their roles in the anti-smoking movement and ideological enlightenment.

The "Chen Shunchen History Special Series" includes four books:
"The First Emperor Qin Shi Huang: Revelation of the Great Qin Empire"
"Opium War: Chen Shunchen On the History of the Late Qing Dynasty"
"Observing the Wind: Chen Shunchen On Chinese Culture and Spirit"
"Traveling West: 3000 Years in the East and West"

Who was really in charge of the debate between the "relaxation of opium ban theory" and the "strict prohibition theory"?
How much silver was exported due to opium?
Opium is poisonous and harmful to the body and mind, but why did so many poor people enjoy it so much?
Is the Meiji Restoration in Japan also related to the Opium War?
……
This book is a popular reading about the history of the Opium War written by Japanese historian Chen Shunchen, which later became an important reference book for Japanese scholars to study the history of the Opium War. Taking the beginning of the Opium War as a clue, this book tells the situation of China and the world in the second half of the 19th century in all aspects, including politics, economy, livelihood and culture.

Chen Shunchen (1924-2015), a Chinese Japanese writer, is considered an unparalleled figure in the Japanese novel world. The first "Triple Crown Champion" in the history of Japanese literature, and was one of the “two best” in the field of historical fiction writing with Si Ma Ryotaro. He is proficient in five languages including Chinese, Japanese, English, Hindi, and Persian, and his works present a borderless macro perspective. The works involve history, reasoning, essays, etc., with a total sales volume of up to 20 million copies. His historical works are unique because of their deductive elements, and he has created a craze for reading Chinese history in Japan many times. His major works include "The Rise and Fall of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom", "The History of China", "The First Emperor Qin Shi Huang", "The Land Still Exist", and so on.

Chapter One Decline
The tilted era/2002
Poets Leaving the Capital/007
Xuannan Poetry Society/014

Chapter 2: Friends of Napping
Abnormal Commerce/2022
Poppy Demon/027
Leakage of silver/038

Chapter 3 Narrow Portal
The Eboshi Pavilion/050
Public Transportation/055
Smuggling and Trafficking/0600
UK representative replacement/063
The Failure of Napier/067

Chapter 4 The Debate
The Dream of Guangdong/074
Xu Naiji's Suggestion/077
Refuting the Relaxation of Prohibition Theory/082
The definitive version of strict prohibition theory/087

Chapter 5 Ignition
The Emperor Rises Up/092
Lin Zexu appears/098
The situation is difficult to describe/103
Lin Zexu Southbound/107

Chapter VI Destruction of Opium at Humen
Exercise of Real Power/114
Disgusted by Heaven/118
Opium in the Deep Sea/1-2
Powerful Ministers inside/One Two Seven

Chapter 7: War
Expulsion/134
From Kowloon Bombardment to the Battle of Piercing the Nose/139
The tough attitude of Beijing and London/144
Mobilization Order of the UK/149

Chapter 8: For Opium
Expeditionary Force heading north/152
Return to Guangdong/157
South and North/162
The War of Injustice/168

Chapter 9: The Age of Prism
Star Dou Nan/174
The Fisherman Benefits/178
Lin Zexu after the Opium War/181