鸦片战争促成了中国的一大变局,即时人所说的“千古未有之变局”和“数千年未有之奇局”。古老的中华帝国经历其开天辟地以来最为惊心动魄的动荡和变迁。面对亘古未有的社会转型,晚清统治集团发生了激烈的分化、变化、不同的政治人物怀抱不同的心态,作出了不同的回应。赵慧峰撰 The Opium War brought about a major change in China, namely what people call “changes that have not happened in the past ages” and “surprises that have not existed for thousands of years.” The ancient Chinese empire experienced its most thrilling turmoil and change since its epoch. In the face of the unprecedented social transformation, the factionalized and changing factions of late Qing Dynasty ruling groups took different attitudes and made different responses. Zhao Huifen essays