Import of Opium

The import originated at the beginning of the Qing Dynasty. At that time, Britain started trading with China under the name of East India Company.

-Since the Qing Imperial Court adopted the policy of seclusion and self-management, the products imported by the East India Company could not sell well. However, the British demand for Chinese tea leaves and silks increased gradually. To balance the sales between the two countries, British merchants therefore imported a great amount of opium. They deceived the Chinese that opium could have medicinal functions, so many Chinese at that time were heavy smokers of opium. British used this trading artifice to alter the unfavorable balance of trade with China.

It is absolutely shocking to know that a civilised country, by using its political power, smuggled narcotic drugs in such a large scale to another country.

Corrupt Atmosphere Getting More Intense

At the beginning of the nineteenth century, apart from the largest opium smuggler, Britain, American and Russian merchants also participated in the illegal trade.

Between 1830 and 1831, 21,849 boxes of opium were imported. From 1836 to 1837, another 28,307 boxes were imported. The figure shot up to 35,500 in the years 1838 and 1839.

Together with the increase of opium imports, the social practices became worse. People had no means of livelihood. Silver was lost to the purchase of opium.

After 1796, the Qing Dynasty Court repeatedly issued bans against the importation of opium, but the British bootleggers continued their contraband by using military force and bribing Chinese officials.

The situation was so critical that the honesty of government officials and the Qing military force were undermined. It even threatened the ruler of the Qing Court and the imperial revenues.

Emperor Daoguang

In 1836, the Qing Court restarted the ban on opium and carried out a nation-wide anti-drug campaign.

In 1838, a senior official, Huang Juzei, urged the emperor to prohibit smoking. Therefore, Emperor Daoguang asked officials to discuss the issue. Huguang governor Lin Zexu handed in a document in which he pointed out with agony the perils of opium. The document was to alert Emperor Daoguang that if the nation remained such depraved, and ignored the existing situation, after few decades, China might not have soldiers who could fight against foreign enemies, and could lose military budget and deplete the national revenues.

After reading the document, Emperor Daoguang immediately realised how critical the situation was. Therefore, with the resolve not to let soldiers put down their guns and people have food on their tables, he designated Lin Zexu as imperial envoy to implement the anti-opium campaign in Guangdong.

Lin's arrival at Guangdong

Since 1757, Guangdong (Canton) had been China's only officially-granted outlet open to foreign trade, which was conducted by government - franchised merchants. These merchants handled delivery, taxation and purchases when their foreign consignors waited in Macau. They would not leave until Chinese agents delivered all the commodities and balanced the accounts.

There were quite a number of smugglers, disguised as ordinary merchants, making fortunes in the opium trade in China. Guangdong and the surrounding areas gradually became a centre of illicit trade.

Having arrived at Guangzhou, Lin Zexu turned down social activities and would not accept gifts. He insisted not to move into the lodging which was previously arranged for him. Instead, he chose to stay at the Yue Hua College, which was simpler and nearer to the opium stores.

In eight consecutive days, Lin interviewed related officials and visited the foreign officials with local translators. He worked very hard to collect first-hand information regarding Guangzhou politics and the opium smuggling situation.

On March 18, 1839, Lin Zexu finally interviewed bootleggers of the companies of Governor Deng Tingzhen and another official Yi Liang. The imperial envoy condemned the bootleggers for conniving with foreigners.

This leads to the prevalence of opium in the public market, and the poisoning of the mass health. He also gave the bootleggers a decree, which ordered them to hand in their opium within three days. If anybody disobeyed the order, they would be prosecuted according to the law.

Charles Elliot

On the day that Charles Elliot, British Commercial Supervisor arrived at Guangzhou, Lin Zexu exerted stricter rules on the foreigners. Lin stated that if any opium were not handed in the three days given, he would terminate the trade by blockading the ships anchoring at Huang Bu. He also prohibited the loading of goods, blockaded foreign shops and did not allow foreigners to employ servants, to hire any carpenters, buy ships and houses.

Looking dashing with his navy uniform, Elliot, of course, would not surrender so easily. When Lin was arranging the military force, Elliot also summoned a British commerce conference, asking the British to leave their property, and to retreat the employees. He claimed that he would deal with the dispute. He also implied that there were British military warships nearby with the addition of two American ships as backup whenever necessary.

Soon Lin learned that Dent had been instigating foreign traders not to hand in the opium, Lin asked Wu Shaorong, a Chinese merchant of Jardine, Martheson & Co, to arrange a meeting with Dent. However, Dent refused to come and planned to flee. On March 25, Elliot attempted to send Dent, who was in a dangerous situation, to a boat near a river. Yet, before having reached the shore, he was chased by a group of sword-holding soliders.

In order to prevent other opium smugglers from fleeing, Lin commanded the blockade of all stores. Under very suppressive situation, Elliot ordered the British merchants to hand in all the opium on March 27. He also promised that the British Government would later compensate looses for the Chinese and American traders.

After the British and Americans had handed in about 20,000 boxes of opium, Lin Zexu immediately ordered the restoration of trade.

Elliot planning war to invade China

The stern anti-drug attitude and measures of the Chinese government enraged opium smugglers. Many of them urged the British government to declare war on China. Meanwhile, under the suppression of Lin Zexu, Elliot was forced to hand in all the opium. He felt discontented, and he did not want this to ruin the whole plan of invasion of China. Therefore, on one hand, he wrote to London, asking Henry J.T. Palmerston, the Foreign Minister to demand Queen Victoria send an army to invade China. On the other, he also repeatedly engineered military provocations against China.

At the beginning of 1840, the Chinese government had to break off its trade with Britain and enhanced its military force.

William Jardine, the main shareholder of Jardine Matheson & Co. and a key opium smuggler, urged to invade China. After that, a number of important instructions enacted by the British government in February 1840 were based on Jardine's personal opinion.

Burning of opium at Humen

Between June 3rd and 25th, a total of 19,179 boxes and 2,119 sacks of opium were burned and witnessed by the public of Humen. This strongly weakened the spirit of British and American opium smugglers and also bolstered the self-esteem of China.

Up till now, it is still, in terms of scale, the largest drug destruction in world history. It led the anti-drug campaign in China to a new climax.

The Emperor wrongly listened to the traitors

Since Lin Zexu had successfully burned all the opium, the Emperor was greatly pleased. He also wanted Lin to use this chance to expel all foreigners in order to eliminate any disastrous aftermath. However, at that time, the Emperor was listening to untrustworthy men. He was told that Lin and Deng became more popular after the burning of opium at Humen, and both were slowly expanding their powers. Thanks to jealousy, the Emperor appointed Deng to stay and supervise Fujian. This invisibly weakened Lin's power to defend against enemies in Guangzhou.

At the same time, the British army had already started the first step to invade China.