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 original nickel-silver bar suspension at the top of the medal is missing, replaced by a swivel scroll suspension with claw of the floral design first introduced by the British Army for the Sutlej Medal in AD 1846. This suspension supports a ribbon featuring a red background with yellow stripes, allowing the recipient to wear the medal on the 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 “DAVID GRAY. 26th REGIMENT OF FOOT“ Decorative eight-pointed stars adorn either side of the engraving.

The origins of the 26th Cameronian Regiment of Foot trace back to AD 1688, during the Glorious Revolution, when the Scottish Parliament raised forces in support of William III. During the First Opium War, the 26th Regiment distinguished itself as the only Scottish unit involved, participating in various campaigns from Canton to the Yangtze River region.

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.