1839, at the dawn of the first Opium War. An English merchant arrives in the restricted port of Canton, seeking to make his fortune trading opium. But the tide of addiction is decimating the Chinese population, and a young scholar accompanies his Mandarin master on a mission from the emperor to shut down the trade. Over the centuries China struggles to regain their ancient land and culture from the domination of the Western powers; the fortunes of members of Chinese, British, and American families rise and fall, and the tides of history bring to life the rich terrain of this vast and constantly evolving country.
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