In October 1860, at the culmination of the Second Opium War (1856-60), British and French troops looted and then burnt the imperial buildings in Yuanmingyuan (known to foreigners as the ‘Old Summer Palace’). Built by the early Qing emperors, Yuanmingyuan was their principal residence, a paradise on earth: beautiful, extravagant, utterly private and totally their own creation – unlike the Forbidden City that was inherited from the previous Ming dynasty. This widespread destruction of China’s most important complex of palaces, and the dispersal of the imperial art collection, is considered the greatest act of cultural vandalism in modern history. Over a million objects are estimated to have been looted from buildings in Yuanmingyuan, many of these are now scattered around the world, in private collections and public museums. As unlikely as it may seem, the Opium Wars were triggered by the British demand for Chinese tea that grew dramatically in the 19th century. To address the trade balance, the British sold opium to the Chinese in exchange.