At the beginning of the 20th century, China was still in the bitter aftermath of the Opium War, facing unprecedented troubles within and without. Europe, meanwhile, was hesitant, frightened after the First World War, trying to heal its wounds.
二十世紀初年，中國仍苦於鴉片戰爭以來，未嘗稍止的內憂外患，歐洲則猶在一次大戰後的驚駭中，試圖療傷止痛。