Wales star Mike Phillips inspired the British & Irish Lions to a comprehensive 59-8 victory at a hot and humid Hong Kong Stadium as their 10-game tour began in successful fashion.
Stamina-sapping conditions proved the real winner, though, as humidity levels touched 94 per cent, contributing greatly to both sides struggling for sustained passages of error-free rugby.
Scrum-half Phillips, the Lions' most consistent performer, scored two tries, while wing Alex Cuthbert also claimed a double and there were further touchdowns for skipper Paul O'Connell, centre Jonathan Davies, flanker Dan Lydiate and substitute Alun-Wyn Jones.
Fly-half Owen Farrell kicked 15 points, but he had a mixed bag of a game elsewhere, making some poor decisions, with one handling blunder leading directly to a Barbarians try.
His replacement, Jonathan Sexton, added two conversions.
Northampton-bound Samoa international Kahn Fotuali'i touched down for the Barbarians, and there was also a penalty by Wasps centre Elliot Daly, but they were again crushed following a drubbing by England at Twickenham eight days ago.
The Lions, who struggled to win their first tour match in South Africa four years ago, head to Australia today, where far greater challenges await, including three Tests against the Wallabies.
They are on the trail of a first Test series triumph since 1997, and by the time things are up and running Down Under, their Hong Kong excursion will be remembered as little more than the equivalent of a pre-season friendly.
Phillips apart, there were some noticeable individual contributions by Wales back-row forwards Justin Tipuric and Toby Faletau, while Scotland pair Richie Gray and Stuart Hogg had their moments.
But with a crowd of just under 29,000 struggling to become enthralled by the action, it was a case of job done for the Lions, yet nothing more.
Despite the game's low-key nature, it exploded into life after just eight minutes following an early Farrell penalty.
England No.10 Farrell was again in the mix, but this time on the receiving end of a punch by his Saracens team-mate and Barbarians hooker Schalk Brits.
Referee Steve Walsh initially penalised the Lions after Farrell reacted, but he reversed it on scrutiny of video replays, and Brits was yellow-carded, although fortunate to escape red.
Farrell then missed a penalty while Brits spent time in the cooler, and the game had a low-key feel despite the Lions looking to attack with pace and width.
Daly hauled the Barbarians level through a long-range penalty strike before Brits returned.
The Lions moved up a gear during the second quarter, and a sharp break by Phillips almost produced a try before O'Connell dived between a pile of bodies to touch down.
Farrell converted for a 13-3 advantage, and Phillips then sniped his way from 20 metres out, with Farrell again converting.
Phillips struck again with four minutes of the restart, easing away from a line-out to cross unopposed, before Farrell landed his sixth kick.
The Barbarians were now in damage-limitation mode, especially as the Lions had started to monopolise possession, and Tipuric was stopped just short by a Joe Rokocoko tackle.
The Baa-baas were hanging on as Leicester Tigers hooker Tom Youngs, plus props Cian Healy and Matt Stevens, arrived off the bench.
Rokocoko showed his class in attack by shredding the Lions' defence, and Fotuali'i had a simple task of finishing off his exquisite approach work.
Farrell was replaced by Sexton, who quickly got in on the act by converting a breakaway try from Davies.
Cuthbert, Wales' most prolific try-scorer during the past year, then got in on the act with a double in seven minutes, before Lydiate crashed over from close range.
