# الدحيح | كيف نفهم الصين؟ وما علاقة الأفيون؟

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IfON4fF1OQ
Translation: pt-BR

[00:02] Coming, sir!
  Estou indo, senhor!

[00:05] What can I get you?
  O que posso lhe oferecer?

[00:05] Got tea?
  Tem chá?

[00:07] We have green tea, red tea, no-pack tea,
  Temos chá verde, chá vermelho, chá sem embalagem,

[00:09] jasmine tea, alfalfa tea,
  chá de jasmim, chá de alfafa,

[00:11] really all types of tea!
  realmente todos os tipos de chá!

[00:13] Great, Sayed!
  Ótimo, Sayed!

[00:15] Sayed?
  Sayed?

[00:17] How did you know my name?
  Como você sabia meu nome?

[00:19] We have been watching you for a while,
  Estamos observando você há um tempo,

[00:22] you were chosen for an international mission,
  você foi escolhido para uma missão internacional,

[00:25] to capture runaway extraterrestrial creatures.
  para capturar criaturas extraterrestres fugitivas.

[00:28] Wait a second!
  Espere um segundo!

[00:30] Are you Mr.Men in Black?
  Você é o Sr. Homens de Preto?

[00:33] Exactly, Sayed.
  Exatamente, Sayed.

[00:35] Will Smith is cancelled, and we're looking for a new face.
  Will Smith foi cancelado, e estamos procurando um novo rosto.

[00:38] Are you ready to throw your job away, Sayed,
  Você está pronto para jogar seu emprego fora, Sayed,

[00:42] and join us to save planet Earth?
  e se juntar a nós para salvar o planeta Terra?

[00:43] But I'm just a local bartender with a primitive mustache,
  Mas eu sou apenas um bartender local com um bigode primitivo,

[00:48] what help can I possibly offer in an intergalactic war?
  que ajuda eu posso oferecer em uma guerra intergaláctica?

[00:51] Through our investigations,
  Através de nossas investigações,

[00:53] we found out you're not just a regular bartender.
  descobrimos que você não é apenas um bartender comum.

[00:56] Indeed...
  De fato...

[00:57] I go for the extra mile here,
  Eu me esforço aqui,

[01:00] I love my job, I wear the bartender's uniform,
  Eu amo meu trabalho, eu visto o uniforme de bartender,

[01:03] I speak the same bartender lingo
  Eu falo a mesma gíria de bartender

[01:06] of Anwar Okasha's masterpiece!
  da obra-prima de Anwar Okasha!

[01:09] This is what drew our attention to you.
  Foi isso que chamou sua atenção para você.

[01:12] You're a special man, Sayed,
  Você é um homem especial, Sayed,

[01:14] and I'm here to give you a peace of mind,
  e estou aqui para lhe dar paz de espírito,

[01:17] every moment you felt doubtful or hesitant
  cada momento em que se sentiu duvidoso ou hesitante

[01:20] throughout your entire life,
  ao longo de toda a sua vida,

[01:22] they were mere passing moments in your true life path
  foram meros momentos passageiros em seu verdadeiro caminho de vida

[01:24] leading up to your ultimate noble goal,
  levando ao seu objetivo nobre final,

[01:29] all this so you'd know your true hidden value
  tudo isso para que você conhecesse seu verdadeiro valor oculto

[01:33] to fight off rebel extraterrestrial creatures.
  para lutar contra criaturas extraterrestres rebeldes.

[01:40] I have been waiting all my life to hear those words, sir.
  Esperei a vida toda para ouvir essas palavras, senhor.

[01:44] Wait here!
  Espere aqui!

[01:45] Mr. Hanteera!
  Senhor Hanteera!

[01:47] I'm quitting because I'm a special man!
  Estou me demitindo porque sou um homem especial!

[01:51] I'm not a regular bartender!
  Eu não sou um bartender comum!

[01:52] What are you talking about, Sayed?
  Do que você está falando, Sayed?

[01:55] Wait! Calm down!
  Espere! Acalme-se!

[02:03] So, when will we start saving the planet, sir?
  Então, quando começaremos a salvar o planeta, senhor?

[02:07] I'm ready.
  Estou pronto.

[02:10] Unfortunately, Sayed, it seems there has been a mistake.
  Infelizmente, Sayed, parece que houve um engano.

[02:14] Apparently you're not the person
  Aparentemente você não é a pessoa

[02:17] who is wanted for the mission.
  que é procurada para a missão.

[02:20] What does this mean, sir?
  O que isso significa, senhor?

[02:23] I'm not a special man?
  Eu não sou um homem especial?

[02:24] Not at all, Sayed, you're an insect
  De forma alguma, Sayed, você é um inseto

[02:28] or maybe even less significant.
  ou talvez até menos significativo.

[02:36] I have just one question for you, sir.
  Tenho apenas uma pergunta para você, senhor.

[02:42] What tea do you want?
  Que chá você quer?

[02:49] Hello my dear viewers and welcome to a new episode of El Daheeh.
  Olá, meus queridos espectadores, e bem-vindos a um novo episódio de El Daheeh.

[02:52] Let's head to July 1st, 2021,
  Vamos para 1º de julho de 2021,

[02:56] when the Chinese President delivered a historic speech in Tiananmen Square.
  quando o Presidente chinês fez um discurso histórico na Praça da Paz Celestial.

[03:00] Chinese President Xi Jinping stood before the crowd
  O Presidente chinês Xi Jinping ficou diante da multidão

[03:03] to mark the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party.
  para marcar o 100º aniversário do Partido Comunista Chinês.

[03:10] You may imagine that such a great president like him, when he makes a speech, would talk about the achievements, the victories, and glorious moments from the past.
  Você pode imaginar que um grande presidente como ele, quando faz um discurso, falaria sobre as conquistas, as vitórias e os momentos gloriosos do passado.

[03:22] There will be a celebration.
  Haverá uma celebração.

[03:23] And a 100th anniversary makes great content for celebration.
  E um aniversário de 100 anos oferece ótimo conteúdo para celebração.

[03:27] But in that speech, he reopened an old wound and painful events.
  Mas naquele discurso, ele reabriu uma velha ferida e eventos dolorosos.

[03:33] He reminded every Chinese citizen of the memory of a painful chapter.
  Ele lembrou a cada cidadão chinês a memória de um capítulo doloroso.

[03:36] A past full of violation, occupation, and humiliation.
  Um passado cheio de violação, ocupação e humilhação.

[03:39] He says, "The era in which China oppression has ended forever.
  Ele diz: "A era em que a opressão da China acabou para sempre.

[03:45] Do you hear me, Ivanka’s father?"
  Você me ouve, pai da Ivanka?"

[03:48] International politics is a bit confusing.
  A política internacional é um pouco confusa.

[03:49] See who’s yelling at whom?
  Veja quem está gritando com quem?

[03:52] One side is dying to reach an island, and the other side is trying hard not to go there.
  Um lado está morrendo de vontade de chegar a uma ilha, e o outro lado está se esforçando muito para não ir para lá.

[03:54] Thank God I’ve never set foot on any island.
  Graças a Deus eu nunca pisei em nenhuma ilha.

[03:57] His speech was directed at the Chinese people, and at any foreign power thinking of humiliating China again.
  Seu discurso foi direcionado ao povo chinês e a qualquer potência estrangeira que pense em humilhar a China novamente.

[04:07] "Try it, and your head will be crushed, your blood spilled against a solid wall."
  "Tente, e sua cabeça será esmagada, seu sangue derramado contra uma parede sólida."

[04:11] A wall made of 1.4 billion Chinese people.
  Uma muralha feita de 1,4 bilhão de chineses.

[04:14] Xi did not mean an old battle
  Xi não quis dizer uma antiga batalha

[04:20] or a simple historical era,
  ou uma simples era histórica,

[04:24] but a whole century.
  mas um século inteiro.

[04:27] In which China was humiliated, and its sovereignty was destroyed.
  No qual a China foi humilhada e sua soberania destruída.

[04:30] A century called the Century of Humiliation.
  Um século chamado o Século da Humilhação.

[04:34] Understanding that century helps you understand China’s history,
  Compreender esse século ajuda a entender a história da China,

[04:37] and how both the Chinese people and their leaders think.
  e como pensam tanto o povo chinês quanto seus líderes.

[04:41] The Century of Humiliation is a deep wound in the Chinese memory
  O Século da Humilhação é uma ferida profunda na memória chinesa

[04:44] that makes the legitimacy of every Chinese leader,
  que faz a legitimidade de todo líder chinês,

[04:46] from Mao to Xi, rest on one promise to the people.
  de Mao a Xi, repousar sobre uma promessa ao povo.

[04:51] That the Century of Humiliation will never return.
  Que o Século da Humilhação nunca retornará.

[04:54] This wound, and this promise, are the fuel that created the Chinese dragon
  Essa ferida, e essa promessa, são o combustível que criou o dragão chinês

[04:58] now competing with the United States over world leadership.
  agora competindo com os Estados Unidos pela liderança mundial.

[05:01] And who knows where things will be by the time this episode drops.
  E quem sabe onde as coisas estarão quando este episódio for lançado.

[05:04] People are sitting there hitting refresh on the news every two seconds.
  As pessoas estão sentadas lá, atualizando as notícias a cada dois segundos.

[05:07] I don’t usually take you this deep into history,
  Eu normalmente não levo vocês tão fundo na história,

[05:12] But we need to go back to the 17th and 18th centuries.
  Mas precisamos voltar aos séculos 17 e 18.

[05:16] What?! That’s not history anymore, that’s archived content.
  O quê?! Isso não é mais história, isso é conteúdo arquivado.

[05:20] But the story is about China, so we’re going all the way back.
  Mas a história é sobre a China, então vamos voltar totalmente.

[05:22] During that period, China was a powerful empire under the Qing dynasty.
  Durante esse período, a China era um império poderoso sob a dinastia Qing.

[05:27] It was a state rich in science and the arts,
  Era um estado rico em ciência e artes,

[05:32] with an economy built on agriculture and thriving traditional crafts.
  com uma economia baseada na agricultura e em prósperos ofícios tradicionais.

[05:37] They exported tea, silk, and porcelain to the rest of the world.
  Eles exportavam chá, seda e porcelana para o resto do mundo.

[05:43] China was living in near-total self-sufficiency.
  A China vivia em autossuficiência quase total.

[05:46] Its rulers barely needed the outside world at all.
  Seus governantes mal precisavam do mundo exterior.

[05:50] We don’t need anything from you.
  Não precisamos de nada de vocês.

[05:51] We’re self-sufficient, prosperous, and perfectly fine on our own.
  Somos autossuficientes, prósperos e estamos perfeitamente bem sozinhos.

[05:54] Our resources are so abundant, we export them to the world.
  Nossos recursos são tão abundantes que os exportamos para o mundo.

[05:56] To the point that China became known as the Heavenly Empire.
  A ponto de a China se tornar conhecida como o Império Celestial.

[05:59] Meaning the center of civilization itself,
  Significando o centro da própria civilização,

[06:01] while every other nation simply revolved around it.
  enquanto todas as outras nações simplesmente giravam em torno dela.

[06:04] They looked at Westerners, colonizers and occupiers,
  Eles olhavam para os ocidentais, colonizadores e ocupantes,

[06:10] as more than just outsiders or enemies.
  como mais do que apenas estrangeiros ou inimigos.

[06:13] To them, they were barbarians.
  Para eles, eles eram bárbaros.

[06:15] Savages trying to act superior to them.
  Selvagens tentando agir de forma superior a eles.

[06:18] In the late 18th century, Britain sent a mission led by Lord Macartney to China.
  No final do século 18, a Grã-Bretanha enviou uma missão liderada por Lorde Macartney à China.

[06:23] They hoped to open the door
  Eles esperavam abrir a porta

[06:26] for trade relations with the Chinese Empire.
  para relações comerciais com o Império Chinês.

[06:31] But Emperor Qianlong rejected their request,
  Mas o Imperador Qianlong rejeitou o pedido deles,

[06:36] and sent a message to the King of Britain saying,
  e enviou uma mensagem ao Rei da Grã-Bretanha dizendo,

[06:38] "The Heavenly Empire possesses everything in abundance,
  "O Império Celestial possui tudo em abundância,

[06:41] and has no need to import products from the barbarians beyond its borders."
  e não tem necessidade de importar produtos dos bárbaros além de suas fronteiras."

[06:46] Here, China adopted a policy of self-sufficiency,
  Aqui, a China adotou uma política de autossuficiência,

[06:51] and believed that dealing with foreigners had to remain limited.
  e acreditava que lidar com estrangeiros tinha que permanecer limitado.

[06:55] Foreign merchants were only allowed to trade through a single port.
  Mercadores estrangeiros só tinham permissão para negociar através de um único porto.

[06:59] Canton, now known as Guangzhou,
  Cantão, agora conhecida como Guangzhou,

[07:01] and even that was under strict supervision.
  e mesmo assim estava sob estrita supervisão.

[07:05] So Britain sends what is basically a friend request,
  Então a Grã-Bretanha envia o que é basicamente um pedido de amizade,

[07:07] thinking of itself as a global empire.
  pensando em si mesma como um império global.

[07:09] The whole world is saying, "Let’s trade, let’s do business together,"
  O mundo inteiro está dizendo: "Vamos negociar, vamos fazer negócios juntos",

[07:12] and the Chinese emperor replies: No.
  e o imperador chinês responde: Não.

[07:14] Not only does he reject you, he also looks down on you.
  Não só ele te rejeita, como também te despreza.

[07:16] The British government’s real problem was its own people.
  O verdadeiro problema do governo britânico eram seus próprios cidadãos.

[07:18] People in Britain loved tea and Chinese products.
  As pessoas na Grã-Bretanha amavam chá e produtos chineses.

[07:20] So demand in Britain kept rising,
  Assim, a demanda na Grã-Bretanha continuou a aumentar,

[07:23] while China wasn’t buying anything from them in return.
  enquanto a China não comprava nada deles em troca.

[07:26] Come on, help me help you.
  Vamos lá, ajude-me a te ajudar.

[07:27] You give me tea, I’ll give you biscuits.
  Você me dá chá, eu te dou biscoitos.

[07:29] Let’s both enjoy it a bit.
  Vamos aproveitar um pouco.

[07:30] I call that snack diplomacy.
  Eu chamo isso de diplomacia de lanche.

[07:32] But China wasn’t accepting other products
  Mas a China não aceitava outros produtos

[07:34] in exchange for what it sold to countries like Britain.
  em troca do que vendia para países como a Grã-Bretanha.

[07:36] It only accepted silver.
  Aceitava apenas prata.

[07:37] I want cash only. No bartering.
  Quero apenas dinheiro. Sem trocas.

[07:40] Over time, the British treasury began to run dry,
  Com o tempo, o tesouro britânico começou a secar,

[07:42] as silver kept flowing out to China.
  enquanto a prata continuava fluindo para a China.

[07:44] That was when Britain started pressuring the British East India Company
  Foi quando a Grã-Bretanha começou a pressionar a Companhia Britânica das Índias Orientais

[07:47] to come up with a product the Chinese would want to buy.
  a criar um produto que os chineses quisessem comprar.

[07:51] So they could finally recover all that silver again.
  Para que pudessem finalmente recuperar toda aquela prata novamente.

[07:53] As you already know from this show,
  Como você já sabe deste programa,

[07:54] the moment you hear "East India Company," get worried.
  no momento em que você ouve "Companhia das Índias Orientais", preocupe-se.

[07:57] You know occupation, exploitation, and no respect for human life are coming.
  Você sabe que ocupação, exploração e desrespeito pela vida humana estão chegando.

[08:01] It was a massive corporation, practically a state of its own,
  Era uma corporação massiva, praticamente um estado próprio,

[08:04] ruling India for Britain.
  governando a Índia para a Grã-Bretanha.

[08:06] So the company kept thinking, "How do we get the Chinese hooked?"
  Então a empresa continuou pensando: "Como podemos viciar os chineses?"

[08:09] Until they finally came up with a magical product.
  Até que finalmente criaram um produto mágico.

[08:11] A product that wouldn’t just get China’s tea,
  Um produto que não apenas obteria o chá da China,

[08:14] but to give up their entire homeland as well.
  mas faria com que eles desistissem de toda a sua pátria também.

[08:15] What was that product, Abo Hmeed? Social Media?
  Qual era esse produto, Abo Hmeed? Mídias sociais?

[08:17] Opium, my friend.
  Ópio, meu amigo.

[08:20] Drugs?!
  Drogas?!

[08:20] Yes.
  Sim.

[08:22] For the Chinese people?
  Para o povo chinês?

[08:23] Yep.
  Sim.

[08:23] And Britain actually did that to China?
  E a Grã-Bretanha realmente fez isso com a China?

[08:25] I’m just as shocked as you are.
  Estou tão chocado quanto você.

[08:26] The expansionist, colonial, racist British Empire? Really?
  O expansionista, colonial, racista Império Britânico? Sério?

[08:32] Opium had already existed in China for centuries.
  O ópio já existia na China há séculos.

[08:35] It was used medicinally to treat illnesses like intestinal problems.
  Era usado medicinalmente para tratar doenças como problemas intestinais.

[08:40] The problem began when smoking pure opium spread among laborers.
  O problema começou quando o fumo de ópio puro se espalhou entre os trabalhadores.

[08:46] They were working under intense pressure,
  Eles estavam trabalhando sob intensa pressão,

[08:49] so workers used opium to ease stress and daily exhaustion.
  então os trabalhadores usavam ópio para aliviar o estresse e o cansaço diário.

[08:55] Basically, the same reasons people abuse it today.
  Basicamente, as mesmas razões pelas quais as pessoas o abusam hoje.

[08:59] Of course, opium causes severe addiction and can even be deadly.
  Claro, o ópio causa dependência severa e pode até ser mortal.

[09:05] That’s when Britain got to work.
  Foi quando a Grã-Bretanha entrou em ação.

[09:07] They started bringing opium from India and selling it in China.
  Eles começaram a trazer ópio da Índia e a vendê-lo na China.

[09:10] That way, their colonies in India profited because the opium was being sold,
  Dessa forma, suas colônias na Índia lucraram porque o ópio estava sendo vendido,

[09:13] and the Chinese accepted opium as a substitute commodity in trade.
  e os chineses aceitaram o ópio como uma mercadoria substituta no comércio.

[09:17] So India was drained, the Chinese became addicted, and the silver finally returned to Britain.
  Assim, a Índia foi drenada, os chineses se tornaram viciados e a prata finalmente retornou à Grã-Bretanha.

[09:22] Opium spread through every level of Chinese society, from farmers all the way to government officials and the imperial court.
  O ópio se espalhou por todos os níveis da sociedade chinesa, desde agricultores até funcionários do governo e a corte imperial.

[09:27] In 1838 alone, China was flooded with opium.
  Somente em 1838, a China foi inundada com ópio.

[09:32] Nearly 40,000 chests entered the country, which meant more than 2.5 million kilos of opium.
  Quase 40.000 baús entraram no país, o que significava mais de 2,5 milhões de quilos de ópio.

[09:37] While young people were getting completely hooked, the Chinese government suddenly woke up to the disaster.
  Enquanto os jovens estavam completamente viciados, o governo chinês de repente acordou para o desastre.

[09:44] Silver was leaving the country, and people stopped working.
  A prata estava saindo do país e as pessoas pararam de trabalhar.

[09:47] They needed rehab clinics.
  Eles precisavam de clínicas de reabilitação.

[09:48] That was when the government began taking gradual measures.
  Foi quando o governo começou a tomar medidas graduais.

[09:51] It started with awareness campaigns warning people about the dangers of opium.
  Começou com campanhas de conscientização alertando as pessoas sobre os perigos do ópio.

[09:55] Later, they opened rehabilitation centers to treat addicts, banned opium imports, and arrested any Chinese trader caught with opium.
  Mais tarde, eles abriram centros de reabilitação para tratar viciados, proibiram as importações de ópio e prenderam qualquer comerciante chinês pego com ópio.

[10:01] But none of it worked.
  Mas nada disso funcionou.

[10:03] So the emperor decided to send a strict commissioner named Lin Zexu.
  Então o imperador decidiu enviar um comissário rigoroso chamado Lin Zexu.

[10:08] In 1839, he was sent by imperial order to solve the crisis at its roots.
  Em 1839, ele foi enviado por ordem imperial para resolver a crise em suas raízes.

[10:13] He surrounded the British merchants at the port of Canton, then confiscated and destroyed more than 20,000 chests of opium.
  Ele cercou os comerciantes britânicos no porto de Cantão, então confiscou e destruiu mais de 20.000 baús de ópio.

[10:21] The British merchants lost their minds, "What are you doing?!"
  Os comerciantes britânicos perderam a cabeça: "O que vocês estão fazendo?!"

[10:23] Meanwhile, the Chinese were the real victims here, but anyway…
  Enquanto isso, os chineses eram as verdadeiras vítimas aqui, mas enfim…

[10:26] British merchants called on London to intervene militarily.
  Comerciantes britânicos pediram a Londres que interviesse militarmente.

[10:28] "What happened is unacceptable. We want compensation for these losses."
  "O que aconteceu é inaceitável. Queremos compensação por essas perdas."

[10:31] The British Parliament wasted no time.
  O Parlamento Britânico não perdeu tempo.

[10:33] London erupted against China.
  Londres explodiu contra a China.

[10:35] "These arrogant Chinese people who refuse to buy our opium need to be taught a lesson and forced to buy from us again."
  "Esses chineses arrogantes que se recusam a comprar nosso ópio precisam aprender uma lição e ser forçados a comprar de nós novamente."

[10:42] In June 1840, Britain sent a military force of 16 warships and 4,000 soldiers to retaliate.
  Em junho de 1840, a Grã-Bretanha enviou uma força militar de 16 navios de guerra e 4.000 soldados para retaliar.

[10:51] This is where I officially welcome you to the beginning of the First Opium War.
  É aqui que dou as boas-vindas oficiais ao início da Primeira Guerra do Ópio.

[10:57] The British occupied ports like the port of Hong Kong.
  Os britânicos ocuparam portos como o porto de Hong Kong.

[11:00] Then in 1841, 10,000 British troops occupied Shanghai and Nanjing.
  Então, em 1841, 10.000 soldados britânicos ocuparam Xangai e Nanjing.

[11:05] The British navy was equipped with modern weapons, steamships, and advanced artillery.
  A marinha britânica estava equipada com armas modernas, navios a vapor e artilharia avançada.

[11:10] An overwhelming force against a Chinese army using outdated weapons.
  Uma força avassaladora contra um exército chinês usando armas desatualizadas.

[11:15] It was the British Empire’s army steamrolling them.
  Foi o exército do Império Britânico passando por cima deles.

[11:17] The decisive moment came when British steamships…
  O momento decisivo chegou quando os navios a vapor britânicos…

[11:19] managed to sail upstream on the Yangtze River.
  conseguiram navegar rio acima no Rio Yangtze.

[11:22] Then they threatened the Grand Canal, which carried rice supplies to Beijing.
  Então eles ameaçaram o Grande Canal, que transportava suprimentos de arroz para Pequim.

[11:27] And that created a massive crisis in China.
  E isso criou uma crise massiva na China.

[11:30] Imagine someone cutting off our national supply of bread.
  Imagine alguém cortando nosso suprimento nacional de pão.

[11:32] "Stop exaggerating things just to make the episode more dramatic."
  "Pare de exagerar as coisas só para tornar o episódio mais dramático."

[11:35] I’m not exaggerating.
  Eu não estou exagerando.

[11:35] After that, China surrendered and was forced to sign the Treaty of Nanjing in 1842.
  Depois disso, a China se rendeu e foi forçada a assinar o Tratado de Nanquim em 1842.

[11:42] That treaty marked the beginning of a series of humiliating agreements.
  Esse tratado marcou o início de uma série de acordos humilhantes.

[11:48] Treaties that stripped China of control over its land, people, and resources.
  Tratados que despojaram a China do controle sobre sua terra, povo e recursos.

[11:52] First, China had to pay Britain for the cost of the war.
  Primeiro, a China teve que pagar à Grã-Bretanha o custo da guerra.

[11:55] "What, you think moving ships and armies is free?"
  "O quê, você acha que mover navios e exércitos é de graça?"

[11:58] China also had to surrender Hong Kong Island,
  A China também teve que ceder a Ilha de Hong Kong,

[12:00] open five ports to British merchants,
  abrir cinco portos para mercadores britânicos,

[12:03] and grant foreigners special privileges inside China.
  e conceder aos estrangeiros privilégios especiais dentro da China.

[12:05] Privileges that meant foreigners were no longer subject to Chinese law.
  Privilégios que significavam que os estrangeiros não estavam mais sujeitos à lei chinesa.

[12:09] "The Chinese law says this is illegal."
  "A lei chinesa diz que isso é ilegal."

[12:09] "That law doesn’t apply to me."
  "Essa lei não se aplica a mim."

[12:12] Two years later, France signed a similar treaty
  Dois anos depois, a França assinou um tratado semelhante

[12:14] that also allowed it to spread Christianity freely in China.
  que também permitiu que ela espalhasse o Cristianismo livremente na China.

[12:18] U.S. saw everyone taking a piece of the pie, so it jumped in too.
  Os EUA viram todos pegando um pedaço do bolo, então eles também entraram.

[12:21] It came in trying to secure the same privileges for itself.
  Entrou tentando garantir os mesmos privilégios para si.

[12:23] Everybody’s making China sign treaties anyway.
  Todo mundo está fazendo a China assinar tratados de qualquer maneira.

[12:27] You might think the West was satisfied at that point.
  Você pode pensar que o Ocidente estava satisfeito naquele momento.

[12:29] But no, they still wanted even more concessions.
  Mas não, eles ainda queriam ainda mais concessões.

[12:32] In the 1850s, during the peak of European colonial expansion around the world, Britain wanted to legalize the opium trade and establish an embassy in Beijing.
  Na década de 1850, durante o auge da expansão colonial europeia ao redor do mundo, a Grã-Bretanha queria legalizar o comércio de ópio e estabelecer uma embaixada em Pequim.

[12:42] In 1856, Chinese authorities in Canton stopped a merchant ship called The Arrow, claiming it was smuggling goods, especially since its registration had expired.
  Em 1856, as autoridades chinesas em Cantão pararam um navio mercante chamado The Arrow, alegando que estava contrabandeando mercadorias, especialmente porque seu registro havia expirado.

[12:53] China stood up to the British Empire and said no.
  A China enfrentou o Império Britânico e disse não.

[12:56] According to the British version, the Chinese even lowered the British flag.
  De acordo com a versão britânica, os chineses até baixaram a bandeira britânica.

[13:00] So the British, led by Consul Harry Parkes, demanded an official apology for insulting the British flag, along with the release of the crew.
  Então os britânicos, liderados pelo Cônsul Harry Parkes, exigiram um pedido oficial de desculpas por insultar a bandeira britânica, juntamente com a libertação da tripulação.

[13:08] China refused.
  A China recusou.

[13:10] Britain used the incident as an excuse to launch the Second Opium War.
  A Grã-Bretanha usou o incidente como desculpa para lançar a Segunda Guerra do Ópio.

[13:15] France saw the whole thing heating up and thought, "Why miss out?"
  A França viu a situação esquentar e pensou: "Por que ficar de fora?"

[13:17] So it joined Britain, claiming it was avenging a murdered French missionary.
  Então se juntou à Grã-Bretanha, alegando que estava vingando um missionário francês assassinado.

[13:23] Look at the golden age of colonialism.
  Olhe para a era de ouro do colonialismo.

[13:25] Britain looted in the name of free trade, while France looted in the name of religious freedom.
  A Grã-Bretanha saqueou em nome do livre comércio, enquanto a França saqueou em nome da liberdade religiosa.

[13:30] Now they don’t even bother with excuses.
  Agora eles nem se dão ao trabalho de dar desculpas.

[13:32] In response to Britain and France, the Chinese arrested a British and French diplomatic delegation in Beijing.
  Em resposta à Grã-Bretanha e à França, os chineses prenderam uma delegação diplomática britânica e francesa em Pequim.

[13:38] Then China made the mistake everyone was waiting for them to make.
  Então a China cometeu o erro que todos estavam esperando que cometessem.

[13:42] They killed 20 members of the delegation.
  Eles mataram 20 membros da delegação.

[13:44] The Western response was brutal.
  A resposta ocidental foi brutal.

[13:46] British and French forces destroyed the Taku Forts using modern weapons that China still didn’t possess.
  Forças britânicas e francesas destruíram os Fortes Taku usando armas modernas que a China ainda não possuía.

[13:52] Then the troops kept advancing until they reached Beijing itself.
  Então as tropas continuaram avançando até chegarem à própria Pequim.

[13:55] Emperor Xianfeng fled the capital.
  O Imperador Xianfeng fugiu da capital.

[13:58] At that point, the Chinese government surrendered unconditionally and agreed to all demands.
  Nesse ponto, o governo chinês se rendeu incondicionalmente e concordou com todas as exigências.

[14:03] But the British High Commissioner still wasn’t satisfied.
  Mas o Alto Comissário britânico ainda não estava satisfeito.

[14:10] He ordered 3,500 British and French soldiers to surround the imperial Summer Palace, Yuanming Yuan.
  Ele ordenou que 3.500 soldados britânicos e franceses cercassem o palácio imperial de verão, Yuanming Yuan.

[14:17] The palace was an architectural masterpiece, built over 150 years with enormous wealth and unimaginable effort.
  O palácio era uma obra-prima arquitetônica, construído ao longo de mais de 150 anos com enorme riqueza e esforço inimaginável.

[14:24] European troops entered the palace,
  Tropas europeias entraram no palácio,

[14:26] looted its priceless treasures, and then burned it to the ground.
  saquearam seus tesouros inestimáveis e depois a incendiaram.

[14:30] In three days, they destroyed what had taken a century and a half to build.
  Em três dias, destruíram o que levou um século e meio para ser construído.

[14:34] After the destruction, the defeat, and the emperor’s escape,
  Após a destruição, a derrota e a fuga do imperador,

[14:37] Britain seized the emperor’s brother, Prince Kung,
  a Grã-Bretanha apreendeu o irmão do imperador, o Príncipe Kung,

[14:39] and forced him to officially sign the surrender.
  e o forçou a assinar oficialmente a rendição.

[14:41] That was when China signed the Convention of Beijing in 1860.
  Foi quando a China assinou a Convenção de Pequim em 1860.

[14:45] The agreement ended the Second Opium War,
  O acordo encerrou a Segunda Guerra do Ópio,

[14:47] but under even more humiliating conditions.
  mas sob condições ainda mais humilhantes.

[14:49] Including officially legalizing opium, opening more ports,
  Incluindo a legalização oficial do ópio, a abertura de mais portos,

[14:52] lowering tariffs on European goods,
  a redução de tarifas sobre bens europeus,

[14:56] and allowing foreign missionaries to travel freely anywhere in China.
  e a permissão para missionários estrangeiros viajarem livremente por toda a China.

[15:00] The treaty was a massive shock to an empire
  O tratado foi um choque massivo para um império

[15:03] that had believed for centuries that it was a Heavenly Empire
  que acreditou por séculos ser um Império Celestial

[15:07] no force on earth could defeat.
  que nenhuma força na Terra poderia derrotar.

[15:09] So far, I’ve only talked about the blows China took from outside.
  Até agora, falei apenas sobre os golpes que a China sofreu de fora.

[15:14] But I still haven’t told you about the deeper wound coming from within.
  Mas ainda não falei sobre a ferida mais profunda vinda de dentro.

[15:16] The situation inside China was far worse.
  A situação dentro da China era muito pior.

[15:19] China’s population exploded from 100 million in the early 18th century
  A população da China explodiu de 100 milhões no início do século XVIII

[15:24] to more than 400 million by the 19th century.
  para mais de 400 milhões no século XIX.

[15:29] In just one century, the population multiplied by 4.
  Em apenas um século, a população multiplicou por 4.

[15:31] Somehow, they kept going.
  De alguma forma, eles continuaram.

[15:32] Over the next 200 years, they turned those 400 million into a billion.
  Nos próximos 200 anos, eles transformaram esses 400 milhões em um bilhão.

[15:37] That massive population growth, combined with widespread corruption, left the country unable to feed its own people.
  Esse crescimento populacional massivo, combinado com corrupção generalizada, deixou o país incapaz de alimentar seu próprio povo.

[15:42] In the 1840s, two major famines struck China and killed millions.
  Na década de 1840, duas grandes fomes atingiram a China e mataram milhões.

[15:46] Society started falling apart, and people grew furious at the government’s neglect.
  A sociedade começou a desmoronar, e as pessoas ficaram furiosas com a negligência do governo.

[15:49] That anger became even stronger because of Chinese spiritual beliefs.
  Essa raiva se tornou ainda mais forte por causa das crenças espirituais chinesas.

[15:54] Confucianism wasn’t just a religion.
  O confucionismo não era apenas uma religião.

[15:56] It was the operating system of society itself.
  Era o sistema operacional da própria sociedade.

[16:00] It defined the relationship between a son and his father, a wife and her husband, and citizens and the emperor.
  Definia a relação entre um filho e seu pai, uma esposa e seu marido, e cidadãos e o imperador.

[16:05] It taught that society was one big family, and the emperor was the father.
  Ensinava que a sociedade era uma grande família, e o imperador era o pai.

[16:09] Not a father who rules through force, but one who leads by moral example and takes care of his people.
  Não um pai que governa pela força, mas um que lidera pelo exemplo moral e cuida de seu povo.

[16:15] So when that father, that supposed moral role model, allowed millions of his people to die because of corruption, people no longer blamed just corrupt officials or the emperor.
  Então, quando esse pai, esse suposto modelo moral, permitiu que milhões de seu povo morressem por causa da corrupção, as pessoas não culparam mais apenas os oficiais corruptos ou o imperador.

[16:25] In their eyes, the entire system had lost legitimacy.
  Aos olhos deles, todo o sistema havia perdido a legitimidade.

[16:28] These crises also reopened a deeper wound inside China: ethnicity.
  Essas crises também reabriram uma ferida mais profunda dentro da China: a etnia.

[16:33] Dear viewer, allow me to surprise you.
  Prezado espectador, permita-me surpreendê-lo.

[16:34] "The moment you ask for permission, it stops being a surprise."
  "No momento em que você pede permissão, deixa de ser uma surpresa."

[16:38] So here’s the surprise: China is not one single ethnic group.
  Então, aqui está a surpresa: a China não é um único grupo étnico.

[16:41] It’s a mix of different ethnicities, the largest being the Han.
  É uma mistura de diferentes etnias, sendo os Han a maior delas.

[16:45] Ironically, the ruling Qing dynasty wasn’t Han at all.
  Ironicamente, a dinastia Qing governante não era Han.

[16:51] They belonged to another ethnic minority known as the Manchus.
  Eles pertenciam a outra minoria étnica conhecida como Manchus.

[16:54] As long as the country was strong and wealthy, people tolerated Manchu rule.
  Enquanto o país era forte e rico, as pessoas toleravam o domínio Manchu.

[16:59] As long as the team keeps winning, nobody complains about management.
  Enquanto o time continuar ganhando, ninguém reclama da gerência.

[17:02] But once the losses start piling up, and the team drops in the standings,
  Mas assim que as perdas começam a se acumular, e o time cai na classificação,

[17:05] they want to fire someone.
  eles querem demitir alguém.

[17:07] Honestly, the Manchus had kept things running for a long time.
  Honestamente, os Manchus mantiveram as coisas funcionando por muito tempo.

[17:09] But once defeats against foreign powers increased and famines kept repeating,
  Mas assim que as derrotas contra potências estrangeiras aumentaram e as fomes se repetiram,

[17:13] the Han majority started feeling that they were ruled by outsiders.
  a maioria Han começou a sentir que estava sendo governada por estrangeiros.

[17:18] That the Manchu rulers were exploiting them,
  Que os governantes Manchus estavam explorando-os,

[17:20] even though they were the minority and not one of them.
  mesmo sendo a minoria e não um deles.

[17:22] The anger was enormous, just waiting for a spark.
  A raiva era enorme, apenas esperando por uma faísca.

[17:25] And that spark didn’t come from a general or a brilliant politician.
  E essa faísca não veio de um general ou de um político brilhante.

[17:28] It came from a simple young man who kept failing his exams.
  Veio de um jovem simples que continuava reprovando em seus exames.

[17:31] Be careful with students who keep failing exams.
  Tenha cuidado com alunos que continuam reprovando em exames.

[17:34] Confucianism was the foundation of Chinese society.
  O confucionismo foi a base da sociedade chinesa.

[17:38] The path out of poverty and into power wasn’t through the sword.
  O caminho para sair da pobreza e alcançar o poder não era através da espada.

[17:42] you didn’t need to become a great warrior.
  você não precisava se tornar um grande guerreiro.

[17:44] You needed high scores on brutally difficult state exams
  Você precisava de notas altas em exames estaduais brutalmente difíceis

[17:48] known as the Imperial Examinations.
  conhecidos como os Exames Imperiais.

[17:51] They were built around the teachings of Confucius.
  Eles foram construídos em torno dos ensinamentos de Confúcio.

[17:53] In the middle of all this chaos, a young man named Hong Xiuquan appeared.
  No meio de todo esse caos, apareceu um jovem chamado Hong Xiuquan.

[17:57] Sincere apologies to all Chinese speakers.
  Sinceras desculpas a todos os falantes de chinês.

[18:01] This young man, born out of suffering,
  Este jovem, nascido do sofrimento,

[18:05] belonged to the Hakka people, a subgroup of the Han Chinese.
  pertencia ao povo Hakka, um subgrupo dos chineses Han.

[18:10] He took the imperial exams and failed.
  Ele fez os exames imperiais e falhou.

[18:15] Then he converted to Christianity, and things escalated pretty quickly.
  Então ele se converteu ao cristianismo, e as coisas escalaram muito rapidamente.

[18:20] He claimed to be the brother of Jesus Christ.
  Ele alegou ser o irmão de Jesus Cristo.

[18:23] Then he began preaching Christianity
  Então ele começou a pregar o cristianismo

[18:25] and gathered followers from his ethnic group,
  e reuniu seguidores de seu grupo étnico,

[18:28] who felt marginalized despite being the majority.
  que se sentiam marginalizados apesar de serem a maioria.

[18:32] In 1850, Hong ignited the Taiping Rebellion,
  Em 1850, Hong iniciou a Rebelião Taiping,

[18:35] which became one of the bloodiest civil wars in human history.
  o que se tornou uma das guerras civis mais sangrentas da história humana.

[18:41] Hong and his followers adopted radical ideas that threatened the old order,
  Hong e seus seguidores adotaram ideias radicais que ameaçaram a velha ordem,

[18:45] like redistributing land
  como a redistribuição de terras

[18:47] and equality between men and women.
  e a igualdade entre homens e mulheres.

[18:48] They also wanted to ban slavery, prostitution,
  Eles também queriam proibir a escravidão, a prostituição,

[18:51] opium, alcohol, and tobacco.
  o ópio, o álcool e o tabaco.

[18:54] Over time, Hong’s followers turned into an army of zealots.
  Com o tempo, os seguidores de Hong se transformaram em um exército de zelotas.

[18:57] Hundreds of thousands of fighters driven by blind conviction and total devotion.
  Centenas de milhares de combatentes impulsionados por convicção cega e devoção total.

[19:02] They managed to capture major Chinese cities, including Nanjing,
  Eles conseguiram capturar importantes cidades chinesas, incluindo Nanjing,

[19:07] where they established the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.
  onde estabeleceram o Reino Celestial Taiping.

[19:09] Now China was facing a Christian state inside its own borders,
  Agora a China enfrentava um estado cristão dentro de suas próprias fronteiras,

[19:13] one that threatened to overthrow the Qing dynasty entirely.
  um que ameaçava derrubar completamente a dinastia Qing.

[19:16] The rebels became overconfident after their victories in the south,
  Os rebeldes se tornaram excessivamente confiantes após suas vitórias no sul,

[19:19] so they launched a military campaign
  então eles lançaram uma campanha militar

[19:25] to capture Beijing in the north.
  para capturar Pequim no norte.

[19:28] But that move was far too ambitious.
  Mas essa jogada foi ambiciosa demais.

[19:30] Their supply lines collapsed,
  Suas linhas de suprimento colapsaram,

[19:32] and the imperial army managed to hunt them down.
  e o exército imperial conseguiu caçá-los.

[19:35] As they gained military victories, their religious extremism also intensified.
  À medida que obtinham vitórias militares, seu extremismo religioso também se intensificou.

[19:40] They tried to erase traditional Confucian Chinese culture,
  Eles tentaram apagar a cultura tradicional chinesa confucionista,

[19:44] which was the foundation of Chinese society.
  que era a base da sociedade chinesa.

[19:46] Hong and his followers burned temples
  Hong e seus seguidores queimaram templos

[19:49] and destroyed the books of Confucius.
  e destruíram os livros de Confúcio.

[19:51] That terrified many citizens and elites, who feared for their cultural identity.
  Isso aterrorizou muitos cidadãos e elites, que temiam por sua identidade cultural.

[19:56] So they opened their treasuries
  Então eles abriram seus tesouros

[19:59] and raised forces to defend the traditional order.
  e reuniram forças para defender a ordem tradicional.

[20:05] I have a question.
  Tenho uma pergunta.

[20:05] Go ahead.
  Prossiga.

[20:07] You said this man was leading a Christian rebellion,
  Você disse que este homem estava liderando uma rebelião cristã,

[20:13] and we know European powers were obsessed with Christianity,
  e sabemos que as potências europeias eram obcecadas pelo cristianismo,

[20:16] and that the French were sending missionaries to China.
  e que os franceses estavam enviando missionários para a China.

[20:19] So why didn’t foreign powers exploit…
  Então, por que as potências estrangeiras não exploraram...

[20:22] this rebellion for colonial and religious purposes?
  esta rebelião para fins coloniais e religiosos?

[20:26] Honestly, it feels like a perfect own goal.
  Honestamente, parece um autogol perfeito.

[20:29] That’s a fair point.
  Esse é um ponto justo.

[20:31] At first, Western powers just watched.
  No início, as potências ocidentais apenas observaram.

[20:32] But over time, they realized the rebels were becoming a threat,
  Mas com o tempo, eles perceberam que os rebeldes estavam se tornando uma ameaça,

[20:35] maybe even more dangerous than the old regime.

[20:37] It wasn’t really about religion.

[20:40] It was about opium.

[20:42] The West had just signed massive trade deals with China

[20:45] and was making huge profits from them.

[20:47] Then suddenly, once the Taiping rebels appeared,

[20:50] the opium trade was threatened, along with major trade cities like Shanghai.

[20:54] So the West basically told China, "You know what?

[20:57] Forget the missionaries. Bring back the old Confucian days.

[21:01] Call it Christianity, ban alcohol, do whatever you want.

[21:04] Just don’t mess with business."

[21:06] The West began helping the Chinese Empire restore the old Confucian order.

[21:11] China turned into a massive bloodbath between the Christian Taiping state

[21:15] and the Chinese Empire, backed by Western powers.

[21:19] Usually when we hear about wars, especially world wars,

[21:23] we hear numbers in the millions or tens of millions.

[21:27] But China had this civil war that almost nobody talks about.

[21:31] Normally, news about wars sounds like: hundreds dead, thousands wounded,

[21:35] and politicians arguing on TV.

[21:37] Meanwhile, China was trapped…

[21:40] in a full-scale civil war

[21:45] that killed somewhere between 20 and 30 million people.

[21:50] Possibly more deaths than World War I itself.

[21:55] The conflict lasted until 1864,

[21:59] when the empire finally managed to crush the rebellion.

[22:02] Just like that, China returned to Confucianism,

[22:04] with help from the Christian West.

[22:07] After all these disasters, China’s rulers realized they needed to wake up.

[22:13] "We need motivational speeches, dramatic videos and emotional music.

[22:19] We need reforms to save this country."

[22:22] So they launched the Self-Strengthening Movement.

[22:25] They brought in foreign experts to train the army,

[22:29] started spending heavily on military development,

[22:32] and built modern naval arsenals.

[22:34] But unfortunately, those reforms weren’t very effective.

[22:36] They faced fierce resistance inside China,

[22:39] especially from conservatives who wanted things to stay the same.

[22:42] Despite all the modernization attempts,

[22:44] the Chinese navy remained divided into four fleets.

[22:46] Each fleet controlled its own ships independently.

[22:48] During war, they operated like 4 separate navies, not one unified force.

[22:53] You might think splitting the military four ways was smart.

[22:55] But no, it was like splitting a national team into four teams,

[22:58] unable to form one large fleet.

[23:00] While China struggled with reforms,

[23:03] neighboring Japan was undergoing a full-scale modernization revolution

[23:10] known as the Meiji Restoration,

[23:11] which we discussed in the Samurai episode.

[23:13] But Japan did it right.

[23:14] They cleared conservative opposition out of the way.

[23:17] Then they launched major industrial and economic reforms.

[23:22] Thanks to those reforms,

[23:24] Japan transformed from a feudal state into a modern industrial power

[23:27] in just one generation.

[23:29] In less than 50 years, It became a colonial power.

[23:33] The huge gap between the two countries became clear

[23:36] during the First Sino-Japanese War in 1894.

[23:41] At the time, everyone expected China to win,

[23:44] because of its Western-trained army

[23:47] and the weapons it was buying.

[23:49] But on the battlefield, the situation was disastrous.

[23:52] The Chinese military's modernization was slow.

[23:55] Even its tactics were badly outdated.

[23:58] Corruption had consumed the military institution.

[24:00] Some officers were collecting salaries for soldiers who didn’t even exist.

[24:06] Whenever a general came to inspect them,

[24:09] they dressed up homeless people as soldiers.

[24:12] On top of that, opium addiction had spread among Chinese troops.

[24:18] The result was that Japan crushed the Chinese army.

[24:22] China went back to its old habit:

[24:24] signing a humiliating peace treaty with Japan.

[24:29] In 1895, China ceded Taiwan

[24:35] and lost its influence over Korea.

[24:39] Whoever said Asia isn't a continent, it's a burden, was onto something.

[24:43] This humiliation was worse than anything before.

[24:48] Because this time, they'd been defeated by Japan,

[24:50] a country they'd considered inferior for centuries.

[24:55] The defeat made Chinese intellectuals feel the system was broken.

[25:00] "We're losing to the West and to Japan!"

[25:02] Thinkers like Yan Fu and Liang Qichao emerged.

[25:04] They studied Western books and translated them

[25:07] to understand the reason for the defeat.

[25:09] Qichao later wrote that the secret of the West's success…

[25:13] was that it didn't avoid conflict and embraced competition,

[25:18] while China leaned toward stability and peace.

[25:21] Chinese intellectuals realized the modern world was a jungle,

[25:24] and everyone was fighting to survive.

[25:25] The wheel of history isn't driven by peace,

[25:28] and history doesn't remember the morally righteous.

[25:30] "We need to be a little tougher."

[25:33] Just as intellectuals felt the world was a jungle,

[25:35] ordinary people felt they were the prey.

[25:37] Not just because of the defeats, the concessions,

[25:40] or the country's exploitation by larger empires.

[25:44] But also because people felt their identity was being erased.

[25:49] Foreigners walked through China's streets as if they owned the place,

[25:52] with their own laws and courts.

[25:57] Christian missionaries were meddling in every aspect of Chinese daily life,

[26:01] while attacking Confucian values.

[26:03] China was slipping away from the Chinese.

[26:05] As natural disasters increased, like famines and droughts,

[26:08] the people looked for a scapegoat to pin their suffering on.

[26:11] They blamed foreigners for bringing bad luck and destruction.

[26:14] So the solution wasn’t just political, it was also spiritual.

[26:19] That solution appeared in a secret society

[26:21] that began operating in northern China:

[26:23] the Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists.

[26:26] Foreigners called them the Boxers,

[26:28] because they practiced local martial arts.

[26:30] The Boxers were farmers, workers, and unemployed youth,

[26:36] people who had simply had enough.

[26:37] And because desperation makes people believe in miracles,

[26:43] they held a belief:

[26:44] that practicing martial arts, along with spiritual rituals,

[26:48] would make them bulletproof against Western weapons.

[26:50] "Toughen your body and pretend bullets don’t exist."

[26:52] They believed their swords could defeat foreign rifles.

[26:58] The Boxers’ slogan was clear:

[26:59] "Support the Qing dynasty, and resist the foreigners.

[27:02] We stand for our rule."

[27:03] In 1899, they started acting on the ground with extreme violence.

[27:07] They attacked churches and railway lines built by foreigners,

[27:10] and killed many Western missionaries.

[27:13] They also killed thousands of Chinese who had converted to Christianity,

[27:17] considering them traitors and agents of the West.

[27:21] The movement spread quickly, and public anger became overwhelming.

[27:25] The Empress Dowager Cixi,

[27:28] who had become regent after her husband, the emperor, died,

[27:30] was monitoring public opinion.

[27:33] She found that sentiment had shifted in favor of the Boxers.

[27:36] Since she ruled China from behind the scenes,

[27:38] in June 1900, she officially declared imperial support for the Boxers.

[27:43] The Boxers were now backed by the Imperial Chinese Army.

[27:47] They entered Beijing and laid siege to the diplomatic quarter

[27:51] where the foreign embassies were.

[27:52] They kept foreign nationals and thousands of Chinese Christians under siege.

[27:56] At that point, the colonial powers said, "Let’s put our differences aside.

[28:00] We’re all exploiting, occupying, and stealing together anyway."

[28:04] The colonial powers were just watching.

[28:07] And as colonial empires, they naturally had conflicting interests.

[28:10] So they decided to set those differences aside and unite to stop China.

[28:16] Eight countries: Britain, France, the US, Russia, Germany, Japan,

[28:21] Italy, and Austria.

[28:23] The First World War lineup… all teaming up!

[28:25] Imagine the Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers, and Mets

[28:28] joining forces on one team, bringing in Pep Guardiola…

[28:32] just to beat a local high school squad.

[28:34] The alliance was called the Eight-Nation Alliance.

[28:37] They sent a joint force of 50,000 soldiers to Beijing.

[28:41] At that point, the Boxers talk and their spiritual beliefs

[28:43] couldn’t stand against modern guns and artillery.

[28:46] The alliance forces crushed both the Boxers and the Chinese army.

[28:52] They entered Beijing and lifted the siege on the diplomatic quarter.

[28:55] For the second time, the capital suffered brutal destruction and burning.

[28:58] Events that reminded the Chinese of the past.

[29:00] In September 1901, the victorious powers forced China to sign a document

[29:05] called the Boxer Protocol.

[29:07] -"Was it a regular one, or humiliating?" -It was next-level humiliation.

[29:12] A treaty that was basically an economic death sentence for China.

[29:15] The foreign powers imposed an astronomical fine on China:

[29:19] 450 million taels of silver,

[29:23] more than double the Chinese government’s annual revenue at the time,

[29:29] with compound interest.

[29:31] Generations in China would keep paying this debt

[29:34] until the final installment in 1940.

[29:38] The protocol also banned China from importing weapons for two years.

[29:42] And allowed foreign powers to station permanent troops in Beijing

[29:47] to protect their embassies.

[29:50] China signed treaties that made Versailles look mild.

[29:54] China had become occupied, stripped of sovereignty, and deeply in debt.

[29:58] The people completely lost hope in the Manchu rulers.

[30:04] "As long as this dynasty rules us, we’ll never see a revival."

[30:08] In 1911, the final blow hit the Qing dynasty.

[30:14] This time, it wasn’t just peasants anymore.

[30:16] Even the Chinese army joined in.

[30:17] The uprising spread like wildfire and turned into the Xinhai Revolution.

[30:22] A revolution backed by a wide coalition of revolutionary groups

[30:24] and rebellious provinces, led by Dr. Sun Yat-sen.

[30:29] He understood the intellectuals and realized:

[30:31] "To survive in this harsh world, China had to let go of its illusions.

[30:36] The old imperial system has ended.

[30:39] The state was no longer a private estate owned by a ruling dynasty,

[30:42] and the people could no longer be split into separate factions and ethnic groups.

[30:45] China had to become a nation-state:

[30:49] one people, one identity,

[30:52] able to unite, face the West, and stand up to Japan."

[30:55] To make this happen, a reform program was needed.

[30:58] Dr. Sun called it the Three Principles of the People.

[31:01] First: nationalism, to unify and liberate China.

[31:04] Second: democracy, to let the people rule.

[31:06] Third: people’s livelihood, to improve the economy and living standards.

[31:10] In February 1912, we see the final scene of the Chinese imperial story.

[31:15] The main character: the child emperor Puyi,

[31:18] only six years old, forced to abdicate the throne.

[31:23] We covered his story before.

[31:25] It was an incredible episode called The Last Emperor, highly recommended.

[31:28] That moment of abdication…

[31:31] marked the end of over 2,000 years of imperial rule in China

[31:37] and the beginning of the Republic of China.

[31:41] The revolutionaries,

[31:42] led by Sun Yat-sen, reached an agreement with the Chinese army commander.

[31:46] Once Emperor Puyi was removed,

[31:49] the revolutionaries would lay down their arms,

[31:53] and Yuan, the army commander, would become the first president…

[31:56] of the new democratic republic.

[31:58] With the start of a new era, Sun Yat-sen and his allies

[32:01] decided to play modern politics.

[32:03] They founded a political party called the Kuomintang,

[32:06] the Chinese Nationalist Party.

[32:08] They also called for a parliament, the National Assembly.

[32:11] When elections were held, the Kuomintang won by a landslide.

[32:17] But Yuan Shikai was a military man,

[32:19] used to giving orders and having them obeyed.

[32:21] He didn’t like democracy, or a ruling party,

[32:24] or a parliament that could hold him accountable.

[32:26] So he turned the tables on everyone.

[32:28] He banned the Kuomintang and dissolved the National Assembly.

[32:35] In 1915, he declared himself emperor.

[32:38] "Is that just grabbing power?"

[32:40] No… that was domination.

[32:42] That period opened the gates of hell.

[32:44] Protests broke out everywhere.

[32:47] After about a year, Yuan Shikai was forced to resign.

[32:51] He failed to fully seize power and died shortly after.

[32:54] The country then fell into chaos,

[32:56] known in history as the Warlord Era.

[32:59] The central government lost all control.

[33:01] Each military leader took a province

[33:04] and ruled it like his own private estate.

[33:06] These warlords needed funding to arm themselves,

[33:09] so they started printing money wildly,

[33:12] triggering massive inflation, and raising taxes

[33:18] until the Chinese economy collapsed.

[33:21] Food became expensive, famines became normal,

[33:24] and bandit gangs spread everywhere.

[33:26] The ordinary Chinese citizen paid the price.

[33:29] Life expectancy in China fell to around 30 years.

[33:33] To grasp the scale of the tragedy,

[33:34] life expectancy in Japan at the time was 40 years,

[33:37] and in Britain 52 years.

[33:39] In the middle of all this chaos, a small war broke out.

[33:44] At least, small for China… it was called World War I.

[33:47] China didn't send armies to fight in Europe.

[33:49] Instead, it sent the Chinese Labor Corps.

[33:51] More than 100,000 workers dug trenches and repaired roads for the Allies,

[33:58] for very low wages.

[33:59] That was China's role in World War I.

[34:01] The Chinese hoped the Western powers

[34:05] would appreciate their contribution after the war

[34:09] and abolish the unequal treaties they had been living under.

[34:13] But the opposite happened.

[34:17] The great powers signed the Treaty of Versailles

[34:20] and handed Chinese territory to Japan.

[34:23] The Chinese were furious.

[34:25] "We helped you, and instead of leaving us alone,

[34:27] you gave our land to Japan?"

[34:29] Mass protests broke out, known as the May Fourth Movement.

[34:32] The Chinese boycotted Japanese goods, burned them in the streets,

[34:35] and attacked officials homes.

[34:36] Out of that revolution and frustration,

[34:38] the force that would reshape China for generations was born in 1921:

[34:44] the Chinese Communist Party.

[34:51] Meanwhile in the south,

[34:53] Sun Yat-sen, the man behind the Three Principles,

[34:59] was trying to reunite the country

[35:03] and rebuild the party to unify China once again.

[35:06] But that ambition wasn't the only one in play.

[35:08] Another ambition was coming from the north:

[35:11] The Soviet Union.

[35:13] The Soviets saw an opportunity to build influence in Asia.

[35:19] So they decided to support him with money, weapons, and advisers.

[35:25] They asked him to ally with the newly founded Chinese Communist Party.

[35:28] But in 1925, Sun Yat-sen died.

[35:32] After his death, the game of thrones began.

[35:36] Eventually, the Chinese Nationalist Party, led by officer Chiang Kai-shek,

[35:42] launched a massive military campaign to unify China and eliminate the warlords.

[35:46] And he actually succeeded, capturing major cities like Nanjing and Shanghai.

[35:52] Even though the plan was for the Nationalists and Communists to unite,

[35:57] with Soviet backing.

[35:59] "Let's all come together and rebuild China."

[36:02] But Chiang didn't trust the Communists

[36:07] and decided to get rid of them.

[36:10] And that's where the story of Taiwan begins.

[36:13] Chiang Kai-shek began forming alliances.

[36:14] One of them was with Green Gang.

[36:16] "Let's brainstorm ways to drive the Communists out of the city."

[36:20] With the Green Gang's help,

[36:22] Chiang carried out a massacre that killed thousands of Chinese.

[36:25] Some were even beheaded in the streets.

[36:29] The alliance collapsed completely.

[36:33] Naturally, the Communists saw red.

[36:35] And the country stood on the brink of a devastating civil war.

[36:39] Meanwhile, the situation in Japan was perfect.

[36:43] While China was falling apart, Japan kept growing stronger.

[36:48] Japan viewed China as a target.

[36:51] It saw it as a source of raw materials.

[36:56] "If we're going to build a great Japanese Empire, we'll need China.

[37:01] Especially after being hit hard by the Great Depression,

[37:04] which didn't just affect America, but the entire world."

[37:07] Japan set its sights on Manchuria, in northern China.

[37:13] In 1931, the Japanese staged a fake railway explosion in Manchuria.

[37:20] As if it were their Trojan horse into China.

[37:22] They used the explosion as a pretext to occupy it.

[37:24] And to make it look legitimate to the world,

[37:26] they brought in China's last emperor,

[37:31] the one with imperial legitimacy from the dynasty that had ruled China.

[37:35] As I told you, the imperial system had ruled China for over 2,000 years.

[37:39] So Japan thought, why not bring him back

[37:41] and make him the figurehead ruler of a new state they created in Manchuria,

[37:44] called Manchukuo.

[37:46] As expected, he wasn’t really in charge, as we mentioned in his episode.

[37:49] The Japanese were the real rulers.

[37:51] They ruled the region with an iron fist

[37:53] and turned it into a giant laboratory.

[37:55] In 1932, the Japanese army established a secret

[37:59] biological and medical research unit led by surgeon Shiro Ishii.

[38:02] Its official name was the Epidemic Prevention Laboratory.

[38:07] "Come to us, and we'll protect you from epidemics."

[38:11] But what happened inside was worse than any horror film.

[38:14] They brought in Chinese prisoners and civilians

[38:16] and used them in experiments to test new weapons.

[38:19] They burned them with flamethrowers

[38:20] and exposed them to subzero temperatures.

[38:23] To find the threshold of human endurance.

[38:27] To see how much a person could withstand.

[38:28] They studied frostbite.

[38:32] Japan wanted to learn how to treat its soldiers.

[38:35] There were also experiments with diseases like plague and cholera.

[38:38] They infected Chinese subjects with these deadly diseases

[38:42] to study them.

[38:45] Even pregnant women were not spared.

[38:47] Estimates suggest around 300,000 people died

[38:50] because of this human slaughterhouse.

[38:52] Many of their experiments and weapons

[38:54] were built on the bodies of more than a quarter million Chinese.

[38:57] The real disaster was that Chiang, who was supposed to defend the country,

[39:00] wasn't ready to go to war with Japan.

[39:02] He naively believed the League of Nations

[39:06] would step in.

[39:10] "The countries sanctioning us will surely sanction our attackers.

[39:13] They should unite and stand up to Japan."

[39:18] But as you'd expect, all they did was issue threats.

[39:21] Though, to be fair, they expressed very serious concern.

[39:25] China found itself alone.

[39:26] Chiang also believed the country needed fixing at home

[39:30] before confronting threats abroad.

[39:32] So for him, the top priority was eliminating the Communists.

[39:35] "We need a united front at home before we can face Japan."

[39:38] So he ordered his forces to withdraw and avoid fighting the Japanese.

[39:42] Then he turned his army against the Communists.

[39:45] The Communists found themselves completely cornered.

[39:48] In 1934, they were forced to flee on an epic journey

[39:51] history would remember as the Long March.

[39:54] 86,000 soldiers crossed deadly mountains and brutal terrain,

[39:58] including Yan'an and Tibet, under constant attack.

[40:02] By the time they finally reached Yan'an in the north,

[40:05] their numbers had fallen.

[40:07] Party membership dropped from 300,000 to just 40,000.

[40:11] Their army reduced to a few thousand soldiers.

[40:13] "So tell me, will the Chinese Communist Party survive?

[40:17] A few thousand soldiers in a country this huge are basically nothing."

[40:20] Trust me,

[40:21] the Chinese Communist Party will be fine. Its opponents should worry.

[40:24] No spoilers, but it outlasted the Soviet Union by decades.

[40:27] The Communist Manifesto worked better in China than in Russia.

[40:30] Despite its devastating losses, the Long March elevated a very important figure:

[40:37] Mao Zedong.

[40:39] The man who emerged as the undisputed leader of the Chinese Communist Party.

[40:42] He pushed a theory that revolution in China

[40:45] had to rest on the shoulders of peasants, not workers, as the Soviet Union argued.

[40:51] China was in pieces.

[40:53] A Nationalist government struggling to hold control,

[40:56] Communists recovering in the countryside and mountains,

[40:59] and warlords still wielding influence.

[41:03] Meanwhile, Japan watched happily,

[41:07] preparing a nightmare that would make the rest look like a warm-up.

[41:11] Let's head to Manchuria in late 1936.

[41:16] "Why? I'm not going there with you!"

[41:18] I'm taking you to meet the ruler of Manchuria, the Chinese general Zhang.

[41:21] "Couldn't you at least tell me to dress better?"

[41:24] Well, Japan had driven him out,

[41:25] but I want to show you something specific.

[41:27] Before Japan expelled him, he had invited Officer Kai-shek,

[41:31] the Nationalist leader who was fighting the Communists,

[41:34] to Xi'an to discuss military plans.

[41:38] But when he arrived, the general's forces arrested him

[41:43] and, at gunpoint, forced him to end the civil war immediately

[41:46] and form an alliance with his Communist enemies

[41:49] to confront the Japanese threat.

[41:52] The incident would become known as the Xi'an Incident,

[41:55] named after the city where he was captured.

[41:56] It led to the formation of a Chinese united front against Japan.

[42:01] Even though the alliance came at the last minute,

[42:03] Japan grew concerned.

[42:05] "So now you unite while I’m at the border ready to move in?!"

[42:08] Japan decided to strike first.

[42:11] So in July 1937, Japan invaded China with its full force.

[42:16] And the Second Sino-Japanese War began.

[42:19] The officer Kai-shek finally decided to face them.

[42:22] He sent his best troops, trained and armed by German advisers,

[42:26] to defend Shanghai.

[42:28] But the battle turned into a massacre.

[42:31] The city was devastated by air and naval bombardment.

[42:34] The Chinese stood their ground, but lost 60% of their elite forces.

[42:39] Half the officers who had graduated from military academies died there.

[42:42] With Shanghai's fall, the road lay open for the Japanese army.

[42:49] Japan marched into Nanjing, China's capital.

[42:53] In December 1937, Japanese forces committed

[42:55] one of history's worst massacres.

[42:57] Prince Asaka, commander of the Japanese forces, issued a simple order,

[43:01] "Take no prisoners alive."

[43:03] Japanese soldiers descended into a frenzy.

[43:05] They buried thousands of Chinese alive.

[43:08] They killed children

[43:09] and carried out systematic mass rape against tens of thousands of women.

[43:16] Japanese newspapers proudly published stories

[43:19] about contests between Japanese officers.

[43:21] A competition to see who could behead more Chinese, faster, with a samurai sword.

[43:26] Within weeks, the city became an open graveyard.

[43:30] Two hundred thousand people were slaughtered in cold blood.

[43:33] Kai-shek was in despair.

[43:37] Many soldiers had died in Shanghai.

[43:38] And civilians had been killed, raped, and abused in Nanjing.

[43:43] "How do I stop an army this brutal?"

[43:46] He made a strategic decision, but one that proved disastrous for his people.

[43:51] In June 1938, he ordered his forces

[43:54] to destroy the dikes holding back the Yellow River.

[43:58] The decision slowed the Japanese advance for months

[44:02] and killed thousands of Japanese soldiers.

[44:05] That was good news for the Chinese.

[44:06] But unfortunately, it also created a man-made flood.

[44:11] Around 800,000 Chinese died

[44:17] because of the flooding.

[44:18] And four million lost their homes and land.

[44:24] They became refugees, slowly dying from hunger and disease

[44:28] spreading through the swamps left behind by the flood.

[44:34] As you can see, the war was massive, the country was burning,

[44:37] the Japanese were advancing, and the Chinese were dying.

[44:42] Remember a key rule of international politics:

[44:46] When conflict breaks out, don't just look at the sides.

[44:49] Ask who benefits.

[44:50] The sides in this war were obvious.

[44:53] Mao was watching from afar, and enjoying it.

[44:56] The Japanese were bogged down, the Nationalists were bleeding,

[44:59] so the time had come for the Communists.

[45:01] Led by Mao, the Communists took advantage of Chiang's battered forces.

[45:07] Operating from their northern base, they fought using guerrilla tactics.

[45:10] They began winning the peasants loyalty, which swelled their ranks.

[45:13] In 1940, the Communists launched a surprise attack

[45:17] on Japanese supply lines, known as the Hundred Regiments Offensive.

[45:21] They destroyed railways, blew up bridges,

[45:24] and killed thousands of Japanese soldiers.

[45:26] Of course, Japan didn't stay silent.

[45:28] The response was brutal.

[45:31] They adopted the Three Alls Policy.

[45:36] A policy that killed 2.5 million people.

[45:41] Northern China was drowning in blood.

[45:45] The nightmare continued until 1945.

[45:48] More specifically, when Oppenheimer handed Truman

[45:52] the atomic bomb, and Truman dropped it on Japan.

[45:58] America broke Japan's back.

[45:59] The Soviet Union seized the opportunity

[46:01] and sent an army into Manchuria, taking it from Japan.

[46:04] They also captured the emperor, Puyi.

[46:06] In September that same year, Japan officially surrendered.

[46:09] And World War II ended.

[46:12] The countries fighting the Axis Powers could claim victory.

[46:17] China's greatest enemy came out of the war wounded,

[46:20] but China came out a corpse.

[46:23] Yes, Japan was hit with atomic bombs,

[46:24] but more than 20 million Chinese died during World War II,

[46:28] from battles, massacres, famine,

[46:30] and an economy already in ruins.

[46:33] But as soon as the Japanese withdrew,

[46:37] the conflict between the Nationalists and Communists resumed.

[46:42] The civil war, which had only paused, was back on.

[46:46] But this time, the Communists were much stronger.

[46:48] Backed by millions of frustrated peasants,

[46:51] they defeated Kai-shek's forces,

[46:54] forcing him to flee with his government to the island of Taiwan.

[47:00] On October 1, 1949, Mao stood in Tiananmen Square in Beijing

[47:05] and declared the founding of the People's Republic of China,

[47:09] uniting all ethnic groups as one people against foreign interference.

[47:15] That moment wasn't just a change of government.

[47:18] It was the closing of a long, dark chapter.

[47:22] A massive ledger of humiliation.

[47:25] It was the day China set a golden rule it still follows:

[47:29] "We won't join hands with any country unless it treats us as an equal partner."

[47:35] Because China had just emerged from a century of humiliation,

[47:39] they were convinced that military weakness had caused it all.

[47:43] So when the Korean War broke out in 1950,

[47:46] and UN forces reached China's border,

[47:48] the Chinese leadership saw it as an existential threat.

[47:51] They entered the war under the name the People's Volunteer Army.

[47:55] Hundreds of thousands crossed to fight the world's strongest armies.

[48:00] It was a brutal, costly war, but it sent a message about the new China.

[48:04] A China that defended its borders and signed no humiliating treaties.

[48:07] A country that might be poor, but could fight.

[48:10] The war taught China's leaders another lesson:

[48:13] "In the modern age, military power isn't just about troop numbers.

[48:15] Real power is technology."

[48:17] The pinnacle of technology was the nuclear weapon.

[48:19] China launched its nuclear program in the 1950s.

[48:22] Then, in 1964, it built its first bomb and joined the nuclear club.

[48:27] That's the club where you show up with enriched uranium,

[48:30] and suddenly nobody wants to pick a fight with you.

[48:33] China stayed on that path through the 1960s and 1970s.

[48:36] And we start to see a more unified, controlled state.

[48:39] Different ethnic groups and regions now existed under one state.

[48:42] But it was still a poor country.

[48:44] Mao's economic experiments,

[48:46] like the Great Leap Forward, ended in disaster.

[48:49] After Mao's death in 1976, a new leader emerged,

[48:53] one who would play a major role in shaping modern China:

[48:57] Deng Xiaoping.

[48:59] The man half the audience thinks is North Korea's Kim.

[49:02] No, El Daheeh has standards.

[49:03] Honestly, he and Saad El Soghayar were my top picks.

[49:06] El Daheeeh!

[49:09] Deng Xiaoping was an extremely important figure.

[49:11] He didn't support everything Mao had done.

[49:13] He argued that the economy didn't need to be 100% socialist.

[49:17] What mattered was serving the people.

[49:19] From there, he coined the idea of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

[49:23] He pointed to Lenin's New Economic Policy of 1921,

[49:27] which allowed things like private ownership and free trade.

[49:31] "That was Lenin's proposal."

[49:33] And so what…

[49:36] Deng believed that for China to advance and achieve socialism,

[49:39] it had to close the gap with the capitalist West.

[49:41] He didn't want socialism to be hell and capitalism heaven.

[49:44] So he believed China needed to strengthen its economy

[49:47] by adopting some capitalist elements and engaging with the global economy.

[49:52] China opened its doors to foreign investment,

[49:57] imports, and exports, and built industrial zones.

[50:00] Gradually, it became the world's factory.

[50:03] The three famous words known to consumers everywhere appeared:

[50:07] "Made in China."

[50:08] The policy we still see today.

[50:10] Government control over banking, key industries, and land,

[50:14] so it can make decisions for everyone's benefit.

[50:18] That was Deng's vision.

[50:20] At the same time, the system allows and even encourages private ownership.

[50:24] "Make a product, it's yours.

[50:25] As long as you stay out of strategic sectors, own whatever you want."

[50:29] Today, some strategic sectors can even be run by private companies.

[50:33] But they remain under government oversight.

[50:34] Companies like Alibaba and Baidu have shareholders,

[50:40] but when the government steps in, they don't get much say.

[50:46] Also this philosophy reflected in China's structure and domestic policy

[50:49] through the principle of One Country, Two Systems.

[50:53] Under it, regions like Hong Kong and Macau

[50:58] kept their capitalist systems under the leadership of the communist government.

[51:01] "Diplomatically and militarily, I'm part of China.

[51:04] But economically, I have my own currency.

[51:05] And I run my economy differently from China."

[51:09] They even tailored the political system to fit their model.

[51:12] Contrary to what many believe, China has nine political parties.

[51:18] The Chinese Communist Party is the ruling party.

[51:22] "So there are 8 parties in opposition?"

[51:23] No. China has no opposition.

[51:25] The other parties don't compete for power as they do in Western democracies.

[51:29] They help govern the country under the leadership of the ruling party.

[51:32] So there are nine parties, but one direction.

[51:34] Many people may disagree with this system,

[51:37] and many may support it.

[51:39] But what can't be denied is that this system

[51:42] transformed a country exhausted by war, colonialism,

[51:47] humiliation, disease, and famine.

[51:50] It's a system that lifted 800 million people out of poverty.

[51:55] A country that, 60 or 70 years ago, just wanted a voice in Asia

[51:58] is now America's main rival for global leadership.

[52:01] The country whose ports were once bombarded by Western fleets

[52:04] now has one of the world's largest and strongest militaries.

[52:07] The Century of Humiliation ended,

[52:10] leaving behind a wounded people determined to overcome it.

[52:13] A people who learned the hard way

[52:15] that weakness in this world means extinction.

[52:18] The Century of Humiliation isn't just a page in a history book.

[52:22] It's the driving force behind China's domestic and foreign policy.

[52:26] When Xi Jinping speaks, he reminds his people of the past.

[52:30] The Chinese Communist Party built its legitimacy on…

[52:34] the idea that it was the savior that restored China's dignity

[52:38] after more than a century of humiliation.

[52:40] Even in one of its toughest moments,

[52:42] when protests broke out in Tiananmen Square in 1989,

[52:45] the Party felt the people slipping away from it.

[52:48] So it launched the Patriotic Education.

[52:50] A Campaign to remind new generations of the humiliations and massacres.

[52:55] That's why behind every decision China makes today,

[52:57] every factory it builds, every technology it develops,

[53:00] every hard-line stance on Taiwan or the trade war with America,

[53:03] there's a voice in the Chinese subconscious saying:

[53:06] "We will never kneel.

[53:07] We'll never let a foreign power humiliate us again."

[53:11] Don’t forget to watch the new episodes and the old ones.

[53:14] Check the sources below and subscribe if you're on YouTube.

[53:17] Do you know why the Chinese don't feel pain?

[53:20] Because they have Ping.

[53:23] That’s communist comedy. You’re getting cheap with the jokes.