The obverse of this medal features a portrait of Queen Victoria, who had been on the throne for less than a decade at the time and was only 24 years old. The depiction presents a youthful and slender likeness of the Queen, with the inscription “VICTORIA REGINA” (Queen Victoria) engraved on both sides of the bust. Upon close inspection, a faint engraver’s mark can be found beneath the Queen’s shoulder, identifying the name “William Wyon RA,” the chief engraver of the Royal Mint.

The reverse of the medal features a palm tree, beneath which lies a shield bearing the Royal Arms of the United Kingdom, along with cannon and various weapons. The upper edge is inscribed with the Latin phrase “ARMIS EXPOSCERE PACEM” (To seek peace by force). At the bottom, the inscription reads “CHINA” along with the year of the campaign, “1842.”

It is noteworthy that the original design for the reverse, created by William Wyon, depicted a lion, symbolising England, trampling a dragon, symbolising China. However, the British government deemed this imagery too offensive to China and ultimately opted for a version featuring a pile of weapons as the central motif.

The medal is suspended from a bar suspension that connects to a red ribbon with yellow stripes, allowing the recipient to wear it on their chest. The side of the medal features the recipient’s name and regimental number, engraved in accordance with military custom of the time. The inscription reads “WILLIAM BROWN, 49th REGIMENT FOOT.“ Decorative eight-pointed stars adorn either side of the engraving.

The 49th Hertfordshire Regiment of Foot, established in AD 1743, served as a main force during the First Opium War, participating in various battles from Canton to the Yangtze River region. On May 18, AD 1842, the regiment launched an assault from the right flank during the capture of a Joss House at Chapoo, encountering fierce resistance from Green Standard Army troops and local militias. This engagement resulted in the regiment’s heaviest casualties sustained during the war. Following the conclusion of the war, the regiment added a dragon and the inscription “CHINA” to its regimental crest as a decorative embellishment.

The First Opium War occurred from AD 1840 to AD 1842 and concluded with the signing of the Treaty of Nanking. The war was triggered in AD 1838 when Emperor Daoguang appointed Imperial Commissioner Lin Zexu to Guangzhou to enforce a ban on opium. Upon his arrival, Lin Zexu promptly destroyed over 20,000 chests of British-imported opium at Humen. This action provoked British discontent, leading to military actions against the Qing Dynasty in AD 1840, ultimately resulting in a British victory in AD 1842.

The Treaty of Nanking, signed after the First Opium War, was the first of the unequal treaties in modern Chinese history, marking the beginning of semi-colonialism in China. As a result, China lost its consular jurisdiction and tariff autonomy, most-favoured-nation status to foreign powers, established foreign concessions, and opened five ports: Shanghai, Ningbo, Xiamen, Fuzhou, and Guangzhou.

In AD 1843, the British government issued the China War Medal to honour soldiers who had distinguished themselves during the First Opium War. The design of this medal continued to be used for the Second Opium War, with the addition of six different clasps for the latter. Following the Boxer Rebellion, a new China War Medal was instituted by Britain, maintaining the reverse design and ribbon from the previous two medals, though the obverse featuring Queen Victoria’s portrait and the inscriptions were altered.