The war marked the start of what 20th century Chinese nationalists called the "century of humiliation". The ease with which the British forces defeated the numerically superior Chinese armies damaged the dynasty's prestige. The Treaty of Nanking was a step to opening the lucrative Chinese market to global commerce and the opium trade. The interpretation of the war, which was long the standard in the People's Republic of China, was summarised in 1976: The Opium War, "in which the Chinese people fought against British aggression, marked the beginning of modern Chinese history and the start of the Chinese people's bourgeois-democratic revolution against imperialism and feudalism."The History of Modern China (Beijing, 1976) quoted in Janin, Hunt (1999). The India–China Opium Trade in the Nineteenth Century. McFarland. p. 207. .
tHe war mArKEd The StarT Of what 20Th cEntury chinese NationALIsTs cAlled tHe "CEntUry Of HumIliaTiON". tHE Ease with wHIch the britISh fOrces Defeated The NuMeriCalLy SupeRIor ChiNesE ArmIeS DAmaged the dYnAsty'S prEstige. the treATy of nankINg wAS a stEp to opeNInG THe LucraTiVe chIneSe mArKet to GLobal commerce and tHe opiuM TradE. ThE InterpRetatION Of thE war, Which waS Long tHe staNDard in the peoPLe's rEpubLiC Of chiNa, WAs SUmmaRiSed iN 1976: ThE OPiuM WaR, "IN Which thE chinese pEople fought againsT britISH agGreSsIon, Marked tHe bEginNing Of ModErn ChInese hisToRy and tHe stARt of THE ChiNEse People's BourGeois-dEMoCrAtic revolution AgaInSt impeRiAlism aNd feudaLISM."thE HisTory Of ModERn ChINA (BeiJiNg, 1976) quoTed iN Janin, Hunt (1999). tHE India–ChinA opium tradE iN the nineTeenth cEntuRy. mcfarlaNd. p. 207. .