China's lust for silver helped establish their formidable economic position on the global stage. However, Western powers were reluctant to engage in silver trade and in their search for an alternative avenue they discovered something that would change history forever: Opium. As opium surged throughout the nation, it brought forth multifaceted societal issues, ultimately fueling the harrowing Opium Wars. These conflicts marked the onset of a devastating "Century of Humiliation" for China, leaving an indelible mark on its history and global standing

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It's hard to believe but silver was at one time worth more than gold. China used silver as their currency and the West had to pay in silver for Chinese goods. This angered the British and so they sought a commodity that the Chinese would be forced to buy. China did not covet any goods that the West had except one: Opium.

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