World History
Letter of Advice to Queen Victoria. In the 19th century, China got serious about drug abuse. Millions of Chinese were addicted to opium. While the drug was illegal, foreign merchants (mostly British) continued to smuggle drugs into China. Lin Zexu was put in charge of Chinese efforts to end the opium trade.
Lin Zexu was not successful. He was able to seize and destroy tons of opium. However, his actions are often considered to have directly lead to China's participation and loss in the First Opium War. Despite a promising start, he failed to end the opium problem.
Before the war, he wrote a letter to Queen Victoria. He was frank in demanding an end to the barbarian's (the British) drug dealing. He wrote, "All those people in China who sell opium or smoke opium should receive the death penalty. We trace the crime of those barbarians who through the years have been selling opium, then the deep harm they have wrought and the great profit they have usurped should fundamentally justify their execution according to law. We take into to consideration, however, the fact that the various barbarians have still known how to repent their crimes and return to their allegiance to us by taking the 20,183 chests of opium from their storeships and petitioning us, through their consular officer [superintendent of trade], Elliot, to receive it. It has been entirely destroyed and this has been faithfully reported to the Throne in several memorials by this commissioner and his colleagues."
It is unknown if the Queen ever read the letter. As mentioned earlier, the resulting war ended Lin Zexu's attempt to put a stop to opium abuse in China. As western nations now themselves are attempting to fight illegal drugs to varying degrees of success, it is interesting to look back and see how a western power created and maintained an illicit drug program in China in the 19th century. Despite the war lose, it is easy to admire Lin Zexu and the bluntess of his letter to Queen Victoria.
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World History
Letter of Advice to Queen Victoria
Letter of Advice to Queen Victoria. In the 19th century, China got serious about drug abuse. Millions of Chinese were addicted to opium. While the drug was illegal, foreign merchants (mostly British) continued to smuggle drugs into China. Lin Zexu was put in charge of Chinese efforts to end the opium trade.Lin Zexu was not successful. He was able to seize and destroy tons of opium. However, his actions are often considered to have directly lead to China's participation and loss in the First Opium War. Despite a promising start, he failed to end the opium problem.
Before the war, he wrote a letter to Queen Victoria. He was frank in demanding an end to the barbarian's (the British) drug dealing. He wrote, "All those people in China who sell opium or smoke opium should receive the death penalty. We trace the crime of those barbarians who through the years have been selling opium, then the deep harm they have wrought and the great profit they have usurped should fundamentally justify their execution according to law. We take into to consideration, however, the fact that the various barbarians have still known how to repent their crimes and return to their allegiance to us by taking the 20,183 chests of opium from their storeships and petitioning us, through their consular officer [superintendent of trade], Elliot, to receive it. It has been entirely destroyed and this has been faithfully reported to the Throne in several memorials by this commissioner and his colleagues."
It is unknown if the Queen ever read the letter. As mentioned earlier, the resulting war ended Lin Zexu's attempt to put a stop to opium abuse in China. As western nations now themselves are attempting to fight illegal drugs to varying degrees of success, it is interesting to look back and see how a western power created and maintained an illicit drug program in China in the 19th century. Despite the war lose, it is easy to admire Lin Zexu and the bluntess of his letter to Queen Victoria.
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Qing Tributary System The Chinese tributary system dated to the Han dynasty (202 b.c.e.–220 c.e.). It reflected the Chinese worldview that China was the center of the civilized world, and that all lands desiring relations with China must be tributary...
- Asian History Carnival #5
Welcome to the Asian History Carnival #5. In this, I am highlighting notable recent posts from the history blogosphere. My thanks to the many who have offered advice or submitted posts including Jonathan Dresner, Jennie Weber, Otto Pohl, Jon Swift, Joe...
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Teaching about China. This is an essay on teaching about China. It includes some information on Chinese history. The essay is a bit dated but still good. From the site: Contributing to the misunderstanding of China is a condition of political ambiguity,...
- Mit's Visualizing Asian Cultures
This MIT site, called "Visualizing Cultures"is a great resource for both World History and AP World when we study imperialism. The site includes outstanding visual narratives on which curriculum units are based. Most of the curriculum units ask students...
- The Opium War: Cnn Millennium
In AP World, we are starting imperialism. Here is CNN Millennium's excellent 8 minute clip on the Opium War....