Introduction to the Humen cigarette burning incident. Why did the Humen cigarette burning incident happen? What is the process?

The prosperous age of Kangxi and Qianlong was the last glory of China's feudal society. This last glory receded, and the feudal rule of the Qing Dynasty was in decline, getting worse day by day. At the same time, capitalism in the world is on the rise. Among the Western powers, Britain has the highest level of industrial development. In order to open up foreign markets, promote industrial products, and plunder cheap industrial raw materials, Britain directed its aggression at China, trying to knock on China's door with goods.

At that time, Chinese society was dominated by the natural economy, which was based on the family unit. Men farmed and women weaved. They produced their own food and clothing and did not rely mainly on market supply. The woolen cloth and cotton cloth exported by Britain to China are difficult to sell in China. China exported tea, raw silk, porcelain, etc. to Britain, and the sales were booming. In legitimate trade, China always outperforms, and much silver flows into China.

Later, British businessmen discovered that opium could make huge profits. The British East India Company smuggled large quantities of opium into China. By the early years of Daoguang's reign, China's foreign trade had become excessive, and silver began to flow out in large quantities.

Opium, commonly known as opium, is not a legitimate commodity, but a drug. The British government banned the sale of opium domestically, but encouraged traders to smuggle opium into China. Opium smuggling not only earned China a large amount of silver, but also encouraged the corruption of officials, weakened the combat effectiveness of the Qing army, severely damaged the physique of addicts, and brought serious disasters to the Chinese nation.

At that time, Lin Zexu, the most knowledgeable minister in the Qing Dynasty, wrote to Emperor Daoguang requesting a strict ban on opium. He pointed out sadly: If opium is not banned as soon as possible. In a few decades, I am afraid there will be no soldiers left to fight, and no silver to use as military pay. Soldiers and silver were the lifeblood of the Qing Dynasty in maintaining its rule. This made Emperor Daoguang feel that the problem was serious, so he sent Lin Zexu to Guangdong to ban smoking.

In March 1839, the imperial envoy Lin Zexu arrived in Guangzhou. He summoned thirteen foreign merchants and published a series of Yu Tie, severely denounced the illegal behavior of foreign merchants over the years, demonstrated the reasons why opium should be paid quickly from four aspects: natural law, national law, human relations, and situation, and urged opium dealers to hand over cigarettes. He also stated: From now on, business as usual will not be regarded as a bad trade, and serious business can make profits and get rich. Wouldn't it be disrespectful? Later, Lin Zexu asked the court for permission and announced that anyone who handed over a box of opium in the name of the Yi people would be rewarded with five kilograms of tea.

However, the British commercial supervisory law in China instigated British traders to refuse to hand over the opium and attempted to cover the escape of the opium smuggling leader. Lin Zexu denounced Yilu's illegal behavior, ordered the suspension of Sino-British trade, and sent troops to blockade the merchant houses where the British lived. Yilu was forced to agree to hand over the opium. British and American traders successively handed over more than 1.11 million kilograms of opium.

On November 15, the 18th year of Daoguang's reign, Lin Zexu was appointed as the Imperial Envoy. The coming year of 1839 was the most important year in the history of the smoking ban and the most glorious years in Lin Zexu's life.

On March 10, 1839, Lin Zexu arrived in Guangzhou after a two-month journey. Thousands of people crowded both sides of the Pearl River, everyone vying to see the imperial envoy. The whole of Guangzhou was waiting and listening to the imperial envoy's voice. Lin Zexu's answer was to post two notices "Receipt of Submissions" posted outside the camp gate the next day, stating that the imperial envoy came to Guangzhou for the purpose of investigating the Haikou incident. Another "Customs and Defense Notice" is tantamount to the first declaration of the imperial envoy's trip, and it is the precursor to taking anti-smoking actions. This announcement was Lin Zexu's first public appearance as an imperial envoy to Guangzhou officials, people and foreigners. It not only once again warned the world of cleanliness, but also addressed the extremely complicated situation of slaves. Lin Zexu's diary records that he lived in Yuehua Academy that day.

Guangzhou is on the eve of a storm. Whether it is joy or fear, expectation or hatred, it will always come with thunder and lightning, overwhelming...

March 18, 1839 On the same day, Lin Zexu issued two edicts.

On March 19, an order was issued to prohibit foreigners from leaving Guangzhou.

On March 21, an order was issued to surround the business building.

On March 22, he ordered the arrest of British opium dealers.

With the arrival of British Commercial Supervisor Yi Lu in China, the conflict naturally shifted to him. On the day of his arrival, Lin Zexu ordered all foreign ships anchored on the Huangpu River to seal their cabins, blockade the commercial buildings that night, and evacuate Go away all servants and Chinese employees.

But Yilu was a complete gangster. When faced with Lin Zexu's orders, he went back on his words and resorted to despicable tactics such as roguery, blackmail, deception, and lying. Yilu was cunning, but he was no match for Lin Zexu. On March 28, he presented Lin Zexu with "Yilu obeyed the order and submitted 20,283 boxes of cigarettes."

From the time Lin Zexu arrived in Guangzhou on March 10, 1839, to the time when Yilu was forced to agree to hand over all opium on March 28, it took a total of 18 days, which fully illustrates the first round of Lin Zexu’s opium collection. victory.

After discussing with Deng Tingzhen and others, Lin Zexu made impeccable instructions and arrangements for the collection location, acceptance, escort, storage, care, and guarding.

On April 10, Lin Zexu, Deng Tingzhen and Deng personally went to Humen to inspect various preparations before the seizure.

The collection began on April 11, and Lin Zexu personally supervised the entire collection process.

On May 18, after 34 days of operation, the police confiscated 19,187 boxes and 2,119 bags of tobacco, with a total weight of 1,188,127 kilograms.

During the period of confiscation, Lin Zexu supervised this complicated process without any delay. Working day and night, meticulous and without any mistakes.

The anti-cigarette campaign was a complete victory, but how to deal with such a huge amount of opium? Foreigners speculated that China might implement a monopoly on opium, thus legalizing the opium trade, but they were wrong. Lin Zexu reported to Emperor Daoguang and asked for the quantity of the objects to be verified and then burned. Daoguang expressed great trust in Lin Zexu. He asked Lin Zexu, Deng Tingzhen, Yiliang and others to destroy the confiscated opium on the spot.

On June 3, the gunfire in Humen, which lasted for 23 days, under the command of Lin Zexu, declared to the world the determination of the Chinese nation never to succumb to aggression. The elimination of opium in Humen is an unprecedented feat in human history. The elimination of opium in Humen shows the unparalleled great image of the Chinese nation and is a victory in the fight against foreign aggression. Lin Zexu was of course the organizer, commander and completer of this incident. In this sense, he has become a historical giant without any shame.

150 years ago, Britain was the largest imperialist country in the world at that time. He continued to crazily plunder colonies around the world, and also attempted to use opium to open the door to China.

Guangzhou is a drug trafficking center for foreign cigarette dealers. In 1838, when the local police in Guangzhou executed a Chinese opium dealer, British cigarette dealers came out to obstruct it, arousing the indignation of the people of Guangzhou. In February 1839, more than 10,000 people went to a hotel where foreign people lived to protest and denounced the crimes of foreign cigarette dealers interfering in China's internal affairs.

In March 1839, Lin Zexu arrived in Guangzhou, and the anti-smoking movement began rapidly. On the one hand, he stepped up the rectification of coastal defense and strictly controlled the cigarette dealers; on the other hand, he ordered foreign cigarette dealers to hand over opium. Lin Zexu said in a notice to foreign cigarette dealers: If opium is not exhausted for a day, this minister will not return for a day. Due to Lin Zexu's firm attitude and powerful measures, coupled with the support of the people, Foreign Cigarettes was forced to hand over more than 20,000 boxes of opium.

Lin Zexu ordered the opium to be publicly destroyed in Humen, and led senior and junior officials to personally supervise it. He ordered the opium to be put into two large dug ponds, and brine was put into the pond. After the opium was soaked for half a day, quicklime was added, and the quicklime water was boiled to destroy the opium. After 22 days, all the seized opium was destroyed. This is the world-famous Humen Banyan.

Gunsmoke’s just action has won the support of the broad masses of the people. Tens of thousands of people watch it every day at Humen Beach, and they all applaud and applaud. Seeing this, foreigners also expressed admiration for Lin Zexu's decisiveness in banning smoking.

On June 3, 1839, Lin Zexu ordered that all the opium seized be destroyed in public on Humen Beach. Foreigners and opium dealers originally thought that the Chinese would not burn a tael of opium cigarettes, and most of the opium cigarettes would be stolen. However, after they arrived at Humen Beach, they saw that two pools, each fifteen feet long and wide, were dug high up on the beach. There was a culvert in the front, a ditch in the back, and a fence around the pool. Lin Zexu came to the scene in person and supervised the officials and workers. First, the water from the ditch was brought into the pond, and salt was sprinkled to make brine. The opium cigarettes in the box were cut into four pieces one by one, put into the brine, and soaked for half a day; then the whole piece of burned lime was Throwing it into the pool, the water immediately boiled and ignited spontaneously. Many laborers by the pool, each holding a shovel, stepped onto the bridge and poked it hard to destroy all the opium cigarettes. When the tide goes out, the culvert gate is opened, and all the opium residue is sent into the sea by the tide.

Finally, the workers washed the bottom of the pool with clean water, leaving no residue. Those foreigners who watched the cigarette burning had to express their admiration for Imperial Commissioner Lin's seriousness and thoroughness.