China was being run under a despotic system with absolute power being granted to the Emperor. The Mandarins and great officers of state were also selected solely by the Emperor, creating a governing class that would use any unscrupulous means and endeavours to get themselves enrolled among the favoured few. Their chief characteristics are treachery and duplicity, receiving bribes and cheating those that dealt with them. The Chinese people were prohibited from travelling and were unaware of improved conditions in other countries.

Various rebellions took place and at this time there was civil war.

In 1834 the exclusive privileges of the East India Company were abolished and China was opened to free trade. A number of ships left Canton with cargoes of tea for England. The British Government appointed 3 superintendents at Canton but the Chinese government refused to recognise the new trade with foreigners, resulting in various interruptions.

By 1838 further disagreements came about because of the smuggling of Opium. The English ships trading in Opium were ordered out of Canton river but matters came to a crisis when a smuggler was strangled in front of the English factories. In March 1839 the Chinese troops effectively cut off the English factories and forcibly compelled them to deliver the 20,283 chests of Opium, which were then destroyed. War was then declared by England and the coats of China were blockaded.

A peace was concluded at Nankin in 1842 and HONG KONG was ceded to the British.

This was the position at the time when Thomas Allom visited China, prompting him to produce the China Illustrated as a series of views displaying the Scenery, Architecture and Social Habits. Printed in London between 1843 and 1847 on steel engraved plates of the highest quality.