by WeChat official account "ObservingfromIoM" 28-05-2024
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After a period of waiting, I was fortunate to have a face-to-face discussion with Ms. Clague, the Media Director of Manx National Heritage. One of the main topics of our discussion was a special exhibit in the museum: a dragon flag from the Qing Dynasty's Eight Banners Army of China. The rich historical stories behind this dragon flag piqued our keen interest.
Origin of the Dragon Flag
This dragon flag is displayed in a relatively obscure corner of the War Gallery. Due to its large size, it can only be hung high in the corner. The flag is not only brightly colored but also features a majestic dragon pattern with sharp claws and a commanding presence, seemingly narrating tales from the past. The plaque briefly explains its origin: around 1860, during the Second Opium War, a Manx soldier named Edward Callister defeated five Chinese soldiers and captured this dragon flag. Callister refused to sell it to his officer and brought it back to the Isle of Man.
According to Ms. Clague’s follow-up correspondence, Edward Callister was from the Isle of Man, and this flag was likely captured during the Battle of Taku Forts. The Battle of Taku Forts was a significant battle in the Second Opium War, occurring in 1860 when the Anglo-French forces captured the Taku Forts, opening the way to Beijing. Upon returning to his ship, the HMS Encounter, Callister was offered £5 by some officers to buy the flag, but he refused.
Upon his return to the Isle of Man, Callister gave the flag to his sister. Edward died in 1900 and was buried in Onchan, a residential area near the capital, Douglas. His sister died in 1920 and donated the flag to the Manx Museum. It wasn't until 2018 that the flag was restored and displayed in the newly opened War Gallery.
Edward Callister's Background
To better understand this soldier's background, we consulted baptism and census records. We deduced that Edward Callister was baptized in 1833 in Rushen Parish. Rushen Parish, located in the southern part of the Isle of Man, is historically significant, known for its beautiful rural landscape and ancient churches.
While reviewing census records, we stumbled upon a 1911 census record showing a Chinese family named Wong living in Onchan and running a laundry business. Given the lower population density of that time compared to now, it is entirely possible that Edward or his sister might have frequented the Wong family's laundry shop. They might have had conversations about the war and the dragon flag, or perhaps they avoided the topic altogether, leaving us to imagine the connections from the traces of history.
Using multiple advanced data models, we arrived at a possible biography for Edward Callister:
- Born in 1833 in Rushen Parish, Isle of Man.
- Served in the 60th (Royal Rifles) Regiment of Foot.
- Stationed in India from 1853 to 1856.
- Participated in the Second Anglo-Burmese War (1852-1853) and the Indian Rebellion of 1857.
- Discharged from the army in 1860.
- Died in 1900.
Historical Background of the Second Opium War
The Second Opium War is known as the Second "Opium War" in China and the "Second China War" in Britain. The trigger for this war was the 1856 "Arrow Incident," where a Chinese vessel flying the British flag was searched by Qing government officials in Guangzhou, leading to a conflict between Britain and China.
For China, this war was a profound disaster, not only deepening the control of Western powers over China but also causing numerous social problems. Opium, a deadly drug imported from India, was rampant in China at that time, leading to significant societal issues. The Qing government repeatedly tried to ban the opium trade, but the British government, seeing it as a legitimate part of trade, was unwilling to forgo the enormous profits.
One of the main reasons for the war was Britain's desire to expand its trade in China, especially the opium trade. The outcome of the Second Opium War forced the Qing government to sign the Treaty of Tientsin and the Convention of Peking, further opening China's ports to foreign trade, allowing foreign missionaries to operate freely in China, and imposing large war indemnities. This war brought severe disaster to China, deepening Western powers' control over the country.
Western Perspective vs. Chinese Perspective
This war has vastly different historical interpretations in the West and China. In the Chinese historical view, the war was an aggressive invasion by Western powers to forcefully open China to the opium trade. In the West, there is a perspective that the war was a response to Chinese arrogance and the persecution of Westerners, somewhat justified as a necessary measure.
However, William Gladstone, the longest-serving Prime Minister in British history, explicitly opposed the war in a parliamentary debate on whether to go to war with China. He said:
“William Gladstone attacked this 'infamous and atrocious traffic':
I do not know how, or on what grounds, to describe a war more unjust in its origin, a war more calculated in its progress to cover this country with permanent disgrace. Our flag is hoisted to protect an infamous contraband traffic; if it were never hoisted except as a signal of justice, of honor, of benevolence, and of the desire to confer freedom upon all the nations of the world, it might be advanced at once to the very sun in heaven, and there, without blushing, take its station for ever.”
This account is from "The Opium War: Drugs, Dreams, and the Making of China" by Julia Lovell. This book is considered one of the classic Western works on the Opium Wars. If interested, it is highly recommended for reading. The book is available in Chinese under the title "The Opium War." Professor Lovell's cross-cultural ability and research depth are commendable, making her an authority on Chinese history.
Insights from Cultural Exchanges
This dragon flag has drifted from a fragment of history that is gradually fading away. As descendants of the opposing sides in the war, do we have different insights hundreds of years later? This piece of history is not just a special link between the Isle of Man and China; it is also an important opportunity for us to reflect on history and understand different cultures.
Although geographically distant, the Isle of Man and China have intersected in the river of history. This dragon flag is not just a war relic; it witnesses the intersections and conflicts of the two countries' histories. The dragon flag brought back by Edward Callister has become a symbol of cultural exchange and collision between the two cultures.
By delving into this history, we can see the significant differences in Western and Eastern perspectives and the different interpretations of the same event by different cultures. Living in a globalized world today, how to maintain our cultural characteristics while better integrating into the world is a question every country and individual needs to ponder.
Prospects for Future Cooperation
Ms. Clague mentioned in her letter that Curator Richardson is compiling a list of Chinese items in the museum's collection. We plan to conduct a series of joint studies with Manx National Heritage to explore the importance of historical artifacts in Sino-Western cultural exchanges. Through these historical artifacts, we hope to further understand and study the history of cultural exchanges between China and the West.
In the traces of history, we need to see not only past conflicts and opposition but also the possibilities of cooperation and understanding. By reflecting on history, we can better understand today's world and contribute to future peace and prosperity.
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Special thanks to Manx National Heritage, especially Ms. Clague, for their enthusiastic assistance and support. Additionally, thank you to Professor Julia Lovell for her book "The Opium War: Drugs, Dreams, and the Making of China," which provided valuable historical background and profound insights.