History is better told by Britain than China, claims a mainland scholar of the Opium War.
Mao Haijian, a member of the Institute of Modern History Research in Beijing, says mainland accounts of the war tend towards exaggeration and outright lies.
The British version of the military exchange that cost China Hong Kong is much more reliable, according to his book, The Collapse of the Celestial Court.
He also says Britain's actions were ultimately beneficial as they helped bring about the end of a backward and closed China.
After examining imperial archives, Mr Mao says Qing dynasty officials persistently and deliberately sent false reports of encounters with the British, often claiming defeats as victories.
For instance, after the British had destroyed several of his forts, the commander of the Guangzhou garrison reported that his forces had killed 446 of the invading troops and were poised for complete victory.
And Mr Mao says the suicidal bravery of several Chinese commanders, often portrayed as acts of great patriotic self-sacrifice, were merely the result of ignorance of modern military tactics.
