An Examination of the Relationship between Qishan and the Daoguang Emperor during the Opium Wars

At the historical turning point of the Opium War, the Daoguang Emperor and Qishan undoubtedly played a key role in influencing the direction of the war. Although the research on the personal images of Qishan and Daoguang Emperor has been relatively adequate, the in-depth discussion on the changes in their relationship during the Opium War has rarely been addressed. The purpose of this paper is to explore the evolution of the relationship between the Daoguang Emperor and Qishan and the reasons behind it in the context of the Opium War. At the same time, through meticulous historical evidence, this paper reveals the complexity of the high-level political relationship between the Qing Dynasty during the Opium War and its impact on the direction of the war.